A Curated List of 10 Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every noteworthy title. As always, the mainstream series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of overlooked works just out of sight.

One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a hidden series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're deserving of your time before they gain widespread popularity.

Several entries here are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they are without anime adaptations. A few are harder to access due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and it's part of the charm. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an overpowered main character and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is one of the few published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. Regarding online access, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended.

9. Nito's Exorcists

• Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. This series evokes the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and sudden violence. I stumbled upon it accidentally and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Creator: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on the series is stunning, meticulous, and unique. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: someone who hanged themselves has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still surprised me with bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its little feet is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you