My Top 10 Manga 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 worthwhile new series. Inevitably, the mainstream series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out ahead of the curve.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, partly due to they are without anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. Sharing 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
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

This may seem like a strange choice, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths 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 keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences on a digital platform. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, this manga is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. The Nito Exorcists recalls the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga wields magic reflecting the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai has potential for massive popularity, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it showcases large-scale medieval warfare. 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, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a skilled strategist, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still provided grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a sophisticated series 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

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A emotionally distant main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary 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