My Top 10 Manga I Enjoyed in 2025 (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every worthwhile release. Predictably, the most popular series capture the spotlight, yet a treasure trove exists of overlooked works just out of sight.

One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is unearthing a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. But recommending any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as 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 confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. Regarding online access, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. This series recalls the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than fueling his retribution. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

• Author: Yuto Sano
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz

For readers who value visual splendor, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is breathtaking, detailed, and unique. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It has potential for massive popularity, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song

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

This bleak fantasy manga tackles the ever-present fight narrative from a novel angle for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the insertion of sci-fi elements occasionally doesn't fit, but it still delivered bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its small claws is the only thing that relieves his stiff shoulders. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you