A Curated List of 10 Manga I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to discover every worthwhile title. Predictably, the biggest series get all the attention, however, countless gems of overlooked works waiting to be discovered.

One of the greatest joys for any manga enthusiast is stumbling upon a largely unknown series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons 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 are without anime adaptations. Others may be trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an overpowered main character and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I stumbled upon it accidentally and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Artist: Yuto Sano
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is stunning, intricate, and distinctive. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a working-class district where humans and beast-men coexist.

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 suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who died from self-harm induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's limited due to its slower publication rate. Since its debut, 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 dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but this series still delivered grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

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

A cold-hearted main character who reveres 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 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