The 10 Best Comics I Discovered Recently (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it becomes a challenge to discover every significant title. Predictably, the most popular series capture the spotlight, but there's a plethora of hidden gems just out of sight.

One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the finest under-the-radar manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out ahead of the curve.

Several entries here are still awaiting a broad readership, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be harder to access due to digital exclusivity. However, suggesting any of these provides some serious bragging rights.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

• Authors: 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 admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man doesn't fully fit the genre, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

More polished fantasies are out there, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus easily available to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a short, lighthearted escape, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option.

9. The Nito Exorcists

• Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title turns me away due to the genre's overpopularity, but my opinion was altered this year. It reminds me of the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is as delicate as the art, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

For readers who value visual splendor, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is stunning, intricate, and distinctive. The narrative hews close to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a poor neighborhood where two species live side-by-side.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim has the power to choke people, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. Gokurakugai could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. From the beginning, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This grim fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it presents 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 allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still provided dark turns and shocking story pivots. It's a mature shonen with a group of eccentric individuals, an engaging magic framework, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A calculating 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 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