My Top 10 Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, staying on top to keep up with every significant title. Predictably, the mainstream series get all the attention, however, countless gems of hidden gems ripe for exploration.

A particular delight for any manga enthusiast is stumbling upon a hidden series buried in publication schedules and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.

Some of these series lack a large audience, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. However, suggesting any of these will earn you some serious bragging rights.

10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero

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

Admittedly, this is a weird pick, but hear me out. The medium embraces absurdity, and that's perfectly fine. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While The Plain Salary Man diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The appeal, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to hide his pastime, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is an accessible title from a top company, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. Regarding online access, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're seeking a few minutes of silly fun, this manga is highly recommended.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Typically, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. This series recalls the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, distinctive artwork, and sudden violence. A random click got me hooked and was immediately captivated.

Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter 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 aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the character development is subtle and refined, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is an effective bonus. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — should it get the chance.

8. Gokurakugai

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

For readers who value visual splendor, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, intricate, and distinctive. The story doesn't stray far from classic shonen conventions, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where two species live side-by-side.

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 suicide by hanging can strangle others, one who died from self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that provides substance to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's held back by its slower publication rate. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which makes it hard to stay invested.

7. Bugle Call: War's Melody

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

This grim fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a new viewpoint 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 allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a ruthless soldier group to become a skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

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 grown-up battle manga with a collection of odd personalities, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A calculating main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that 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