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

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to keep up with every significant title. As always, the biggest series capture the spotlight, however, countless gems of overlooked works ripe for exploration.

A particular delight for a dedicated reader is unearthing a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention before they gain widespread popularity.

Several entries here have not yet reached a broad readership, partly due to they are without anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these grants you some serious bragging rights.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

• Creators: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it 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 confess that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it uses similar story beats, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who vents his stress by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few from a top company, and thus readily accessible to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, the series is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the genre's overpopularity, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, stylized art, and sudden violence. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who kills evil spirits in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than fueling his retribution. The premise sounds simple, but the character development is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to run for a long time — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

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

When artistic excellence matters most, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, detailed, and distinctive. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the characters are all quirky and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: someone who hanged themselves manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that gives weight to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This dark fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a fresh perspective for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it presents large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, using his trumpet and upbringing in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.

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 shocking story pivots. It's a grown-up battle manga with a group of eccentric individuals, an engaging magic framework, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

A calculating main character who idolizes Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means adopts a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its little feet 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