🔗 Share this article My Top 10 Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of). As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it's increasingly difficult to track every worthwhile release. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. Some of these series have not yet reached a broad readership, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to where they're available. Sharing any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Art from the series Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in 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 an accessible title from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option. 9. The Exorcists of Nito Illustration Creator: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series evokes the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I stumbled upon it accidentally and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Illustration Artist: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together. The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga wields magic reflecting the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only a handful of volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience. 7. The Bugle Call: Song of War Art from the series Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Available on: Viz This bleak fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme 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 allows him to manifest sound as light, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war. The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still delivered bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Manga panel Author: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since 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
As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it's increasingly difficult to track every worthwhile release. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. Some of these series have not yet reached a broad readership, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to where they're available. Sharing any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Art from the series Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in 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 an accessible title from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option. 9. The Exorcists of Nito Illustration Creator: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series evokes the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I stumbled upon it accidentally and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Illustration Artist: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together. The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga wields magic reflecting the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only a handful of volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience. 7. The Bugle Call: Song of War Art from the series Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Available on: Viz This bleak fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme 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 allows him to manifest sound as light, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war. The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still delivered bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Manga panel Author: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since 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