🔗 Share this article A Curated List of 10 Japanese 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 track every worthwhile title. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of overlooked works ripe for exploration. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're deserving of your time ahead of the curve. A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting 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 Find it on: Manga Plus This may seem like a strange choice, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While The Plain Salary Man diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, 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 smash monsters. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change. More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, this manga is a great choice. 9. Nito's Exorcists Manga panel Author: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. This series reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to run for a long time — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Find it 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 one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems 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 way the human died: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained 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 Manga panel Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This grim fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. 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 cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, 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 it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because 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
Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to track every worthwhile title. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of overlooked works ripe for exploration. One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're deserving of your time ahead of the curve. A few of these titles have not yet reached a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting 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 Find it on: Manga Plus This may seem like a strange choice, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While The Plain Salary Man diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, 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 smash monsters. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change. More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, this manga is a great choice. 9. Nito's Exorcists Manga panel Author: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. This series reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to run for a long time — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Find it 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 one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems 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 way the human died: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained 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 Manga panel Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This grim fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. 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 cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, 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 it still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because 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