The 10 Best Comics I Enjoyed in 2025 (Flying Under the Radar).
With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to track every significant title. Inevitably, the biggest series dominate conversations, but there's a plethora of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
One of the greatest joys for any manga enthusiast is finding a largely unknown series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. I present of the finest under-the-radar manga I've read in 2025, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.
Some of these series lack a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these provides some impressive fan credentials.
10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero
- Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
This may seem like a strange choice, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an unbeatable hero and a RPG-like world structure. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.
More polished fantasies are out there, but this is a rare example published by a major house, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, this manga 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 my opinion was altered this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the finest elements of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly.
Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who kills evil spirits in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, 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 real potential to go the distance — should it get the chance.
8. Gokurakugai
- Artist: Yuto Sano
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz
When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, intricate, and unique. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, 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, solving problems in a working-class district where people and animal-human hybrids live together.
The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who perished by suicide can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's held back by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.
7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song
- Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Find it on: Viz
This grim fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting 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 helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.
The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of strategy and horror.
6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!
- Creator: Sho Yamazaki
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
A emotionally distant main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its little feet is a unique cure for his aches. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you
