The 10 Best Comics I Read This Year (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it's increasingly difficult to track every noteworthy release. Predictably, the mainstream series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists 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 recommending it to friends. This list highlights of the best lesser-known manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're worthy of attention prior to a potential boom.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a mainstream following, notably because 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. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but bear with me. The medium embraces absurdity, and there's nothing wrong with that. I confess that fantasy escapism is my comfort read. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who relieves pressure by entering fantastical portals 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 hide his pastime, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example published by a major house, and thus readily accessible to international audiences via a free service. When it comes to digital availability, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're seeking a few minutes of silly fun, the series is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

• Author: Iromi Ichikawa
• Publisher: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but two series changed my mind this year. This series recalls the finest elements of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, stylized art, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than aiding his quest for revenge. The premise sounds simple, but the portrayal of the cast is as delicate as the art, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. This is a series with real potential to go the distance — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

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

When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is spectacular, intricate, and distinctive. The plot remains within to traditional battle manga tropes, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the characters are all quirky and the world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga possesses abilities connected to the manner of death: a hanging victim manifests as a choking force, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that provides substance to these antagonists. It might become a major title, but it's constrained by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

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

This grim fantasy manga examines the ever-present fight narrative 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—people with distinct abilities. 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 skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a collection of odd personalities, an compelling ability ruleset, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A emotionally distant main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you