🔗 Share this article A Curated List of 10 Comics I Read This Year (Flying Under the Radar). As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, staying on top to discover every noteworthy title. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. A particular delight for fans of the medium is unearthing a hidden series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. Some of these series are still awaiting a broad readership, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these grants you some notable geek cred. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Manga panel Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Illustration Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series recalls the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Creator: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, meticulous, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), 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 created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. It could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. Since its debut, only a handful of volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience. 7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song Art from the series Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Viz This grim fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a new viewpoint for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war. The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still provided grim twists and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Illustration Creator: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its small claws 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
As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, staying on top to discover every noteworthy title. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. A particular delight for fans of the medium is unearthing a hidden series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom. Some of these series are still awaiting a broad readership, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these grants you some notable geek cred. 10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero Manga panel Authors: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro Released by: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man diverges from the template, it uses similar story beats, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change. There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus easily available to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, The Plain Salary Man is highly recommended. 9. Nito's Exorcists Illustration Artist: Iromi Ichikawa Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the abundance of similar stories, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series recalls the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once. Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with great promise to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue. 8. Gokurakugai Manga panel Creator: Yuto Sano Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Manga Plus; Viz When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, meticulous, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far from classic shonen conventions, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), 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 created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. It could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. Since its debut, only a handful of volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience. 7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song Art from the series Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori Publisher: Shueisha Available on: Viz This grim fantasy manga examines the common conflict theme from a new viewpoint for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it depicts epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a formidable commander, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war. The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still provided grim twists and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy. 6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian Illustration Creator: Sho Yamazaki Publisher: Shueisha Find it on: Manga Plus A cold-hearted main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its small claws 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