The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Which Are Mostly Unknown).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to track every noteworthy release. As always, the mainstream series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.

One of the greatest joys for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series buried in publication schedules and recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with motivations for they're worthy of attention prior to a potential boom.

A few of these titles are still awaiting a large audience, especially as they are without anime adaptations. Others may be harder to access due to where they're available. Sharing any of these grants you some serious bragging rights.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but bear with me. Comics are often fun, and that's perfectly fine. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it follows many of the same tropes, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by exploring strange labyrinths that emerged suddenly, 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 clock out punctually for a change.

Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable 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, this manga is highly recommended.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the abundance of similar stories, but two series changed my mind this year. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, stylized art, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is subtle and refined, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the silly appearance of the spirits and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• Creator: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz

When artistic excellence matters most, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is breathtaking, intricate, and one-of-a-kind. The plot remains within of typical hero's journey beats, 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, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a low-income area 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 wields magic reflecting the way the human died: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who perished by suicide causes blood loss, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that gives weight to these antagonists. It has potential for massive popularity, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This grim fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative 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—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 brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech can seem jarring, but this series still delivered bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a collection of odd personalities, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of strategy and horror.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

• Author: Sho Yamazaki
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A cold-hearted 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 small claws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you