My Top 10 Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every noteworthy new series. Inevitably, the mainstream series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of hidden gems just out of sight.

A key pleasure for fans of the medium is unearthing a hidden series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with motivations for they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.

A few of these titles are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they are without anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. But recommending any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series diverges from the template, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is one of the few from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is an excellent option.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant 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 creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who kills evil spirits in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The premise sounds simple, but the treatment of the characters is thoughtfully executed, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the gory combat is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Artist: 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 plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: someone who hanged themselves manifests as a choking force, one who perished by suicide can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's limited due to its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

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

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

This dark fantasy manga approaches the ever-present fight narrative from a novel angle for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts 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 allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a ruthless soldier group to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still provided dark turns and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

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

A cold-hearted main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its small claws is a unique cure for his aches. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you