My Top 10 Comics I Read This Year (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).
With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, staying on top to track every significant title. Predictably, the most popular series capture the spotlight, however, countless gems of undiscovered treasures ripe for exploration.
One of the greatest joys for a dedicated reader is unearthing a hidden series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the finest under-the-radar manga I've discovered recently, along with explanations for why they're deserving of your time prior to a potential boom.
Several entries here lack a large audience, notably because they haven't received anime adaptations. A few are less accessible due to where they're available. However, suggesting any of these grants you some notable geek cred.
10. The Plain Salary Man Turned Out to Be a Hero
- Writing Team: Ghost Mikawa, Yuki Imano, Akira Yuki, Raika Mizuiro
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. The medium embraces absurdity, and it's part of the charm. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While this series diverges from the template, it embraces familiar conventions, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, is found in the protagonist. Keita Sato is your typical overworked Japanese corporate man who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to defeat foes. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.
More polished fantasies are out there, but this is a rare example released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher remains a leader, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, the series is a great choice.
9. The Exorcists of Nito
- Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the abundance of similar stories, but my opinion was altered this year. It reminds me of the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and unexpected brutality. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was immediately captivated.
Gotsuji is a skilled spirit hunter who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than aiding his quest for revenge. The plot may seem basic, but the character development is as delicate as the art, and the artistic dichotomy between the absurd look of the enemies and the violent battles is an effective bonus. This is a series with great promise to become a hit — should it get the chance.
8. Gokurakugai
- Author: Yuto Sano
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus; Viz
When artistic excellence matters most, then this is it. Yuto Sano's work on Gokurakugai is breathtaking, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The story doesn't stray far to traditional battle manga tropes, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not labeled as exorcists), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood where humans and beast-men coexist.
The villains, called Maga, are formed from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the manner of death: a suicide by hanging has the power to choke people, one who died from self-harm can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's held back by its infrequent release pace. Since its debut, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which can test a reader's patience.
7. The Bugle Call: Song of War
- Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Find it on: Viz
This dark fantasy manga tackles the ubiquitous battle trope from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it presents 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 powerful tactician, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.
The world feels a bit standard, and the insertion of sci-fi elements feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still provided bleak developments and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a group of eccentric individuals, an compelling ability ruleset, and an interesting combination of military themes and dark fantasy.
6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!
- Author: Sho Yamazaki
- Released by: Shueisha
- Available on: Manga Plus
A cold-hearted main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—allegedly because a massage from its small claws 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
