The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Discovered Recently (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

As the manga industry continues its relentless expansion, it becomes a challenge to discover every worthwhile title. Predictably, the mainstream series get all the attention, however, countless gems of undiscovered treasures waiting to be discovered.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is unearthing a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and spreading the word to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with motivations for they're worthy of attention ahead of the curve.

A few of these titles are still awaiting a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are trickier to read due to digital exclusivity. But recommending any of these grants you some serious bragging rights.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. Comics are often fun, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is an archetypal exhausted salaryman who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He doesn't care about 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 one of the few published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences through a popular app. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're in need of a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is an excellent option.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. The Nito Exorcists evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and sudden violence. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a formidable practitioner who kills evil spirits in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than supporting his vengeance. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is breathtaking, intricate, and distinctive. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're avoiding that specific term), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district 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 possesses abilities connected to the circumstances of their end: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. This series has potential for massive popularity, but it's constrained by its infrequent release pace. From the beginning, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

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

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

This bleak fantasy manga approaches the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—those granted singular talents. Luca's ability lets him transform noise into illumination, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a brutal fighter company to become a formidable commander, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the addition of advanced concepts feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still provided bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A emotionally distant main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means 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