The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to track every worthwhile release. Predictably, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A key pleasure for fans of the medium is unearthing a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they are without anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a RPG-like world structure. The charm, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. 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.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're seeking a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists evokes the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and sudden violence. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.

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 concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is breathtaking, meticulous, and unique. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. 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 formed from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

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

• Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a fresh perspective for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it showcases large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements occasionally doesn't fit, but it still provided bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a collection of odd personalities, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you