🔗 Share this article A Curated List of 10 Manga I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar). As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it becomes a challenge to discover every noteworthy release. Predictably, the biggest series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of overlooked works waiting to be discovered. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is unearthing a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and spreading the word to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these provides some impressive fan credentials. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Illustration 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. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change. There might be better isekai series, 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 few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Manga panel Author: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: 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 ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. 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 character development is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Artist: Yuto Sano Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is breathtaking, detailed, and unique. The narrative hews close 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, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a working-class district where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who ended their own life induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested. 7. Bugle Call: War's Melody Art from the series Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This bleak fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it presents epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which helps him command armies 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 backdrop is a little plain, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still provided grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its little feet 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
As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it becomes a challenge to discover every noteworthy release. Predictably, the biggest series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of overlooked works waiting to be discovered. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is unearthing a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and spreading the word to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these provides some impressive fan credentials. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Illustration 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. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change. There might be better isekai series, 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 few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Manga panel Author: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: 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 ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. 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 character development is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Artist: Yuto Sano Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is breathtaking, detailed, and unique. The narrative hews close 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, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a working-class district where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who ended their own life induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested. 7. Bugle Call: War's Melody Art from the series Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This bleak fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it presents epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which helps him command armies 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 backdrop is a little plain, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still provided grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its little feet 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