My Top 10 Japanese Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar).
Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it becomes a challenge to discover every worthwhile new series. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of hidden gems just out of sight.
One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is finding a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're deserving of your time before they gain widespread popularity.
A few of these titles are still awaiting a broad readership, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to where they're available. Sharing any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights.
10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero
- Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. 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 one of the few from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is a great choice.
9. The Exorcists of Nito
- Creator: Iromi Ichikawa
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus
Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. The Nito Exorcists recalls the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, distinctive artwork, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once.
Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with real potential to run for a long time — should it get the chance.
8. Gokurakugai
- Artist: Yuto Sano
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz
If breathtaking art is your priority, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood 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 has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.
7. Bugle Call: War's Melody
- Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Viz
This grim fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope 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—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.
The setting is somewhat generic, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but this series still surprised me with bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of warfare and grim fantasy.
6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao
- Author: Sho Yamazaki
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus
A emotionally distant main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary 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
