🔗 Share this article 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 noteworthy new series. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures just out of sight. A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and spreading the word to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention prior to a potential boom. Several entries here lack a mainstream following, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Art from the series Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds 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 maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change. More polished fantasies are out there, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're in need of a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. The Nito Exorcists Illustration Creator: Iromi Ichikawa Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was immediately captivated. Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement. 7. Bugle Call: War's Melody Art from the series Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a new viewpoint for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom. The backdrop is a little plain, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but this series still provided dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a mature shonen with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of warfare and grim fantasy. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Artist: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its small claws 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 discover every noteworthy new series. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures just out of sight. A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and spreading the word to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention prior to a potential boom. Several entries here lack a mainstream following, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Art from the series Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds 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 maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change. More polished fantasies are out there, but this is a rare example from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're in need of a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. The Nito Exorcists Illustration Creator: Iromi Ichikawa Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was immediately captivated. Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Author: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement. 7. Bugle Call: War's Melody Art from the series Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a new viewpoint for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom. The backdrop is a little plain, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but this series still provided dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a mature shonen with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of warfare and grim fantasy. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Artist: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its small claws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you