The 10 Best Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it becomes a challenge to keep up with every noteworthy release. Predictably, the biggest series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A particular delight for any manga enthusiast is stumbling upon a largely unknown series in the sea of new chapters and recommending it to friends. I present of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here are still awaiting a broad readership, notably because they are without anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these provides some notable geek cred.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

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

This may seem like a strange choice, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're seeking a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

• Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series evokes the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, distinctive artwork, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than fueling his retribution. The plot may seem basic, but the character development 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 the capacity to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, intricate, and distinctive. The narrative hews close from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga wields magic reflecting the circumstances of their end: someone who hanged themselves can strangle others, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It has potential for massive popularity, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

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

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

This grim fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with dark turns and surprising narrative shifts. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that 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