The 10 Best Manga I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every significant release. As always, the most popular series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of overlooked works ripe for exploration.

A key pleasure for any manga enthusiast is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention prior to a potential boom.

Several entries here are still awaiting a large audience, notably because they are without anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these grants you some impressive fan credentials.

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

This may seem like a strange choice, but let me explain. The medium embraces absurdity, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences via a free service. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Ordinarily, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. This series evokes the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist 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 supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is as delicate as the art, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the bloody fights is a nice extra touch. 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

For readers who value visual splendor, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, meticulous, and distinctive. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (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, resolving disputes in a working-class district where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: someone who hanged themselves has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series could be the next big hit, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song

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

This dark fantasy manga approaches the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts 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 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 addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but it still surprised me with grim twists and surprising narrative shifts. It's a sophisticated series with a cast of quirky characters, an compelling ability ruleset, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim 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 reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means 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