🔗 Share this article A Curated List of 10 Japanese Comics I Read This Year (That You've Probably Never Heard Of). With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to keep up with every worthwhile release. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures waiting to be discovered. A particular delight for fans of the medium is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're deserving of your time before they gain widespread popularity. A few of these titles are still awaiting a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these provides some notable geek cred. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Illustration Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is highly recommended. 9. The Exorcists of Nito Art from the series 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 a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Artist: Yuto Sano Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, detailed, and unique. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the way the human died: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai has potential for massive popularity, but it's limited due to its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested. 7. The Bugle Call: Song of War Illustration Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective 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, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a skilled strategist, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away. The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still provided bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a group of eccentric individuals, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?! Manga panel Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its small claws 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
With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to keep up with every worthwhile release. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of undiscovered treasures waiting to be discovered. A particular delight for fans of the medium is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. I present of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're deserving of your time before they gain widespread popularity. A few of these titles are still awaiting a mainstream following, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to their publishing platforms. Sharing any of these provides some notable geek cred. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Illustration Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a RPG-like world structure. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is highly recommended. 9. The Exorcists of Nito Art from the series 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 a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — provided it survives. 8. Gokurakugai Art from the series Artist: Yuto Sano Released by: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, detailed, and unique. The plot remains within from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist. The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the way the human died: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. Gokurakugai has potential for massive popularity, but it's limited due to its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested. 7. The Bugle Call: Song of War Illustration Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Viz This dark fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective 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, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a skilled strategist, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away. The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech can seem jarring, but The Bugle Call still provided bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a group of eccentric individuals, an compelling ability ruleset, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror. 6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?! Manga panel Author: Sho Yamazaki Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its small claws 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