My Top 10 Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every noteworthy release. Predictably, the biggest series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.

A key pleasure for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. A few are harder to access due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is an accessible title released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, the series is highly recommended.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the saturated market, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, distinctive artwork, and unexpected brutality. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, meticulous, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: someone who hanged themselves manifests as a choking force, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song

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

This dark fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts 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 lets him guide troops on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A emotionally distant 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 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