🔗 Share this article The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (That You've Probably Never Heard Of). As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it's increasingly difficult to track every significant new series. Inevitably, the mainstream series capture the spotlight, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration. A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a largely unknown series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity. A few of these titles have not yet reached a mainstream following, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these will earn you some notable geek cred. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Illustration Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and finish work early for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example published by a major house, 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 looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option. 9. The Nito Exorcists Illustration Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and sudden violence. 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 paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is as delicate as the art, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Creator: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, detailed, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement. 7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song Illustration Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Available on: Viz This dark fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, 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 surprised me with grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A emotionally distant main character who follows the philosophy of 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 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
As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it's increasingly difficult to track every significant new series. Inevitably, the mainstream series capture the spotlight, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration. A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is unearthing a largely unknown series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity. A few of these titles have not yet reached a mainstream following, partly due to they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these will earn you some notable geek cred. 10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero Illustration Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and finish work early for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example published by a major house, 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 looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option. 9. The Nito Exorcists Illustration Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and sudden violence. 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 paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is as delicate as the art, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to go the distance — should it get the chance. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Creator: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, detailed, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. Since its debut, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement. 7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song Illustration Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Available on: Viz This dark fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, 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 surprised me with grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao Art from the series Author: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus A emotionally distant main character who follows the philosophy of 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 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