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

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, staying on top to keep up with every worthwhile new series. As always, the most popular series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with motivations for they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting any of these grants you some notable geek cred.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

• Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a short, lighthearted escape, the series is an excellent option.

9. Nito's Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series recalls the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Viz

This bleak fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it showcases large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The world feels a bit standard, and the addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but this series still surprised me with bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a collection of odd personalities, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

• Artist: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its tiny paws is the only thing that relieves his stiff shoulders. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you