A Curated List of 10 Manga I Enjoyed in 2025 (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, staying on top to discover every worthwhile title. Inevitably, the most popular series get all the attention, however, countless gems of undiscovered treasures waiting to be discovered.

A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a hidden series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here lack a large audience, partly due to they are without anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these grants you some serious bragging rights.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but bear with me. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. 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.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences via a free service. Regarding online access, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a few minutes of silly fun, the series is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists recalls the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and sudden violence. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who purges ghosts 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 supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the comedic design of foes and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• 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 this manga is spectacular, intricate, and unique. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the world is fascinating. 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 born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

• Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This dark fantasy manga tackles the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. 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 ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still delivered dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of strategy and horror.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

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

A emotionally distant main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you