The 10 Best Manga I Enjoyed in 2025 (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to keep up with every significant title. Predictably, the mainstream series get all the attention, however, countless gems of overlooked works just out of sight.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've read in 2025, along with motivations for they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a broad readership, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. Sharing any of these grants you some notable geek cred.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Comics are often fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While this series isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, 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.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example released by a leading publisher, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, this manga is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. It evokes the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, 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 discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the treatment of the characters is thoughtfully executed, and the artistic dichotomy between the comedic design of foes and the violent battles is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Author: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, meticulous, and distinctive. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a low-income area where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: someone who hanged themselves 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 adds depth to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. Starting in 2022, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This bleak fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a fresh perspective for shonen. Instead of centering 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 enables him to convert audio into visuals, which helps him command armies 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 it still delivered dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

• Author: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A calculating 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 tiny paws 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