A Curated List of 10 Comics I Discovered Recently (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to discover every worthwhile new series. As always, the biggest series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a largely unknown series amidst the weekly releases and spreading the word to friends. I present of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with reasons why they're deserving of your time ahead of the curve.

Some of these series are still awaiting a broad readership, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some notable geek cred.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

• Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an unbeatable hero and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title published by a major house, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences via a free service. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. It evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. 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 gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with the capacity to run for a long time — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is stunning, intricate, and unique. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. When human-based, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: a suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, 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. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

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

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

This grim fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it showcases massive army conflicts. 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 cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the addition of advanced concepts occasionally doesn't fit, but it still delivered bleak developments and surprising narrative shifts. It's a grown-up battle manga with a collection of odd personalities, 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 idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since 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