My Top 10 Manga I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar).

As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, staying on top to track every worthwhile release. Inevitably, the mainstream series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of hidden gems ripe for exploration.

One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time ahead of the curve.

Some of these series are still awaiting a large audience, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these provides some notable geek cred.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• 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 hear me out. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, this manga is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. The Nito Exorcists evokes the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, distinctive artwork, and sudden violence. I stumbled upon it accidentally and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who purges ghosts in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

• Author: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, intricate, and unique. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the way the human died: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This bleak fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a brutal fighter company to become a formidable commander, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but it still delivered bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that 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