A Curated List of 10 Comics I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it's increasingly difficult to discover every significant new series. Inevitably, the mainstream series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of hidden gems just out of sight.

A key pleasure for fans of the medium is unearthing a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. I present 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.

Some of these series lack a large audience, notably because they are without anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting any of these provides some notable geek cred.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

• Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in 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 published by a major house, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences via a free service. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're seeking a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Author: Iromi Ichikawa
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. It reminds me of the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and unexpected brutality. I stumbled upon it accidentally and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. 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, detailed, and distinctive. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the protagonists are distinctly odd and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who perished by suicide induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This dark fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it showcases massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with grim twists and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a collection of odd personalities, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Artist: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A calculating main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you