The 10 best manga I read in 2025 (that you've probably never heard of)
SOURCE:Polygon|BY:Francesco Cacciatore
The always-growing world of manga still hides plenty of gems that didn't get enough exposure: here are the best not-well-known manga I've read in 2025
Published 2 hours ago
Share these with your friends for some major bragging rights
Image by Polygon I Source images: Shueisha/Kodansha
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Table of contents
As the manga industry keeps growing, it becomes harder to keep up with everything noteworthy coming out each year. Inevitably, the most popular series get the spotlight and monopolize the attention of manga fans worldwide, but there’s a plethora of gems waiting to be discovered.
One of the biggest joys for a manga reader is to discover a mostly unknown series hidden among the weekly releases, and then share it with their friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've read in 2025, and a few reasons why they're worth checking out before they get discovered by the larger public.
Some of these series have not reached a large audience yet (notably, they all lack anime adaptations), while others may be harder to read due to the platforms they're published on. But recommending any of these to your manga-loving friends will earn you some serious bragging rights.
10 The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero
Image: Shueisha
I know, it's a weird start, but hear me out. Manga is silly, sometimes, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit isekai is my guilty pleasure and one of my favorite ways to relax. While The Plain Salary Man is not exactly an isekai, it follows most of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a video-games-influenced fantasy framework. The charm of this series, however, resides in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man, who vents his stress by sneaking into the mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters into pieces. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.
There are better isekai series out there, but this is one of the few published by Suheisha, and thus easily available to international readers through Manga Plus, for free. Shueisha is still the king of digital manga availability in the West, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, is a great choice.
Image: Shueisha
Author: Iromi Ichikawa
Publisher: Shueisha
Available on: Manga Plus
Usually, the word "exorcist" in the title of a manga is enough to keep me away due to the overpopularity of the subgenre, but two series changed my mind this year — the other being the excellent Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi, excluded from this list because it gets more exposure from being published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The Nito Exorcists reminds me of the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its eerie vibe, stylized art, and unexpected brutality. I started reading it by chance and got hooked immediately.
Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who kills evil spirits in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor, Iruka. He's accompanied by Iruka's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the treatment of the characters is as delicate as the art, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the bloody fights is a nice extra. This is a series that could go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.
8 Gokurakugai
Image: Shueisha
Author: Yuto Sano
Publisher: Shueisha
Available on: Manga Plus; Viz
If great art is what you value most in a manga, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is spectacular, detailed, and unique. The story doesn't stray too far from classic shonen, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (at least they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, operate the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where humans and beast-men live side-by-side.
The villains of the series are called Maga, and they are created from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the way the human died: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who died due to self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that adds depth to these villains. Gokurakugai could be the next big shonen, but it's held back from its monthly schedule. Since 2022, only five volumes and 32 chapters have been published, which makes it hard to stay invested.
7 The Bugle Call: Song of War
Image: Shueisha
Authors: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
Publisher: Shueisha
Available on: Viz
This dark fantasy manga approaches the almost inevitable battle trope from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual fights, it shows 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, using his trumpet and upbringing in a cruel mercenary band to become a powerful tactician, fighting with the hope of being allowed, one day, to step away from the battlefield.
The setting is a little too generic, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with dark turns and unexpected twists. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.
A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using whatever means necessary to achieve his goals adopts a cute cat called Nicolo — allegedly because a massage by its tiny paws is the only thing that relieves his stiff shoulders. If that premise isn't enough to get you invested, then know this is one of the most heartwarming manga I've read in a long time. It was a weekly dose of warm, fluffy happiness, and I was heartbroken when it was canceled.
Image: Shueisha
As Taro becomes used to life with a cat, he gradually warms up and opens his life to a cast of lovable goofballs. He keeps telling himself these are just the "subjects" of his "kingdom," and remains focused on the Machiavellian lesson that "the end justifies the means." But one look at how he snuggles with Nicolo in bed is enough to make Taro's castle fall and our hearts melt. I once read someone describe this manga as, "What happens if Light from Death Note decides to become a cat parent instead of killing people," and that’s pretty accurate.
5 Ghost Fixers
Image: Shueisha
Author: Yasuki Tanaka
Publisher: Shueisha
Available on: Manga Plus, Shonen Jump Plus
Another great shonen that gets lost in a crowded genre, Ghost Fixers checks all the boxes, including an original setting, an intriguing plot, and a cool power system. Set in the fictional Mikurigaoka New Town, seven years after a disaster called Fafrotskies that caused mysterious objects to fall from the sky and the appearance of supernatural phenomena known as "ghosts," the manga follows Hifumi Kagome and Moka Kirarazaka, two "fixers" with the job of keeping supernatural events and beings contained.
Clearly inspired by the SCP Wiki, a collaborative writing project about a secret organization responsible for capturing and studying paranormal phenomena, Ghost Fixers is a surprisingly mature work that weaves science fiction, horror, and the traditional shonen action elements effectively. It's a great candidate for an anime series, which would surely boost its popularity.
4 Drama Queen
Image: Shueisha
Author: Kuraku Ichikawa
Publisher: Shueisha
Available on: Manga Plus, Shonen Jump Plus
I'll make an exception and include a slightly more popular series (due to being published on Weekly Shonen Jump). Drama Queen is such an original work that it deserves all the exposure possible. At the time of its debut, this manga was accused of being xenophobic, conservative, and worse, but once that controversy faded, it’s mostly flown under the radar. As the story progressed, Drama Queen lost its bite a bit, but it's still one of the most unique manga you can read on a weekly basis.
In the near future, aliens save Earth from the impact of a meteorite. They're welcomed as saviors and begin living in Japan, where they're treated with endless privilege. Kitami's family, however, was killed in a car accident caused by an alien who didn't even get charged with a crime. His hatred for aliens finally finds an outlet when he meets Nomamoto, a girl who enjoys eating alien meat. Kitami can now kill all the aliens he wants, as Nomamoto will make the bodies disappear safely.
It's a wild premise, and the series is a sequence of gut punches sprinkled with dark humor. Whether you interpret it as a rejection of immigration or as a reflection on social distress, Drama Queen won't leave you indifferent.
3 Destroy All Humans. They Can't Be Regenerated.
Image: Kadokawa
Authors: Katsura Ise, Takuma Yokota
Publisher: Kadokawa
Available on: Viz
If you're an old-school Magic: The Gathering fan such as myself, you won't want to miss this manga. Destroy All Humans will catapult you back to a time when games were won by casting Armageddon or catching your opponent off guard with a well-timed Hatred. Set between 1998 and 1999, it follows high-schoolers Hajime Kanou and Emi Sawatari, who share the same passion for the popular card game, Magic. While Kanou is a committed otaku, Emi is the ice-cold, perfect class ace, and she has to hide her Magic prowess — especially from her controlling mother.
As the two bond over their shared passion, an unlikely love begins to develop. This is a romantic story fueled by nostalgia and epic games of Magic. Watching Emi and Hajime overcome their shyness is compelling and heartwarming, but I was even more excited to see them open their first packs of the infamous Urza's Saga set. If you're not a Magic fan, this manga may lose part of its appeal, but it's never too late to get into the hobby.
2 Kunigei - Okuni University Art Department Film Program
Drama is not the most common genre for Shonen Jump, but gems like Kunigei make me wonder why. This is a realistic story about young adults struggling with the weight of their dreams, ambitions, and the expectations of society, delivered through the delicate and insightful look of the author. After winning a film award in high school, Daisuke Tagami enrolls in the film program of a university of the arts. When he's confronted by Kado Osawa, a reclusive classmate with pure, unbridled genius and talent, Daisuke has to confront the reality of his own mediocrity.
If you loved Goodbye, Eri, then this manga is for you. Kunigei delivers a less bombastic but equally profound reflection on art, life, and how these are always entwined. The realistic setting allows for a meaningful exploration of the characters and their struggles. In the span of 28 chapters, Kunigei delivers a compelling and satisfying story about ambition and the weight of talent. If you want to prove to someone that manga is a medium for mature stories, this is a great start.
1 Versus
Image: Kodansha
Authors: One, Kyotaro Azuma
Publisher: Kodansha
Available on: K Manga
On the opposite end of the spectrum from Kunigei you can find manga like Versus, which take the bombastic and over-the-top elements of the genre to the extreme. The result is determined by the caliber of the creative team, and with One writing (the creator of One-Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100) you know that Versus is going to be just that good. In a fantasy world where humanity is on the brink of extinction due to the overwhelming power of demons, the only solution left is to open a portal to another world to ask for help. However, the technologically-advanced inhabitants of this sci-fi world turn out to be on the verge of extinction at the hands of their natural enemies, AI-driven robots.
Image: Kodansha
This is already a cool premise, but it soon turns out that the portals connected eleven different worlds, and in each of them, humans are hunted by a powerful "natural enemy." A desperate plan is thus hatched by the reunited survivors: tricking their enemies into fighting each other, while trying to not get caught in the crossfire. Demon lords, giants, a Godzilla-like kaiju, a god fueled by prayers, cruel aliens, monstrous parasites, and more all clash in this epic mashup that takes the excitement of battle shonen and pushes it to the extreme.
Kyotaro Azuma's art also deserves a mention, as he's quickly reaching Yusuke Murata levels of cleanliness and detail. If you need more convincing, Versus also won the Kodansha Manga Award for shonen in 2025, following in the footsteps of Frieren. It showcases a lot of what people love about manga and what made the medium so popular, supported by One's unrivaled talent for storytelling and great art. The lack of an anime and the fact that it's on the awful K Manga app (seriously, Kodansha, you can do better than this) somewhat limits its popularity, but I can bet this is a massive global hit waiting to happen.
Image by Polygon I Source images: Shueisha/Kodansha