My Top 10 Comics I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it's increasingly difficult to keep up with every worthwhile new series. As always, the mainstream series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of overlooked works just out of sight.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a hidden series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. Comics are often fun, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an overpowered main character and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons 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 maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is a rare example released by a leading publisher, and thus readily accessible to international audiences via a free service. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, 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
• Available on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but two series changed my mind this year. This series evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, distinctive artwork, and unexpected brutality. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts 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 supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, meticulous, and one-of-a-kind. The plot remains within of typical hero's journey beats, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: someone who hanged themselves can strangle others, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only five volumes 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
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a brutal fighter company to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but it still surprised me with dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A cold-hearted main character who follows the philosophy of 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 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