The 10 Best Comics I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to track every worthwhile release. Inevitably, the mainstream series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of overlooked works waiting to be discovered.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. Here are some of the top obscure manga I've discovered recently, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

A few of these titles have not yet reached a mainstream following, notably because they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to where they're available. Sharing any of these provides some notable geek cred.

10. The Ordinary Office Worker Who Was a Hero

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

This may seem like a strange choice, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While the title isn't strictly an isekai, it follows many of the same tropes, including an overpowered main character and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who vents his stress by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He doesn't care about treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and clock out punctually for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is a rare example published by a major house, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences via a free service. Regarding online access, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're looking for a brief, enjoyable diversion, The Plain Salary Man is a great choice.

9. The Nito Exorcists

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. This series recalls the strongest aspects of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its ominous tone, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. A random click got me hooked and got hooked instantly.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is more interested in protecting Gotsuji than supporting his vengeance. The premise sounds simple, but the character development is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the absurd look of the enemies and the gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with real potential to run for a long time — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

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

If breathtaking art is your priority, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on this manga is spectacular, detailed, and one-of-a-kind. The narrative hews close 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 world is fascinating. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga wields magic reflecting 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 adds depth to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained by its monthly schedule. From the beginning, only a handful of volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

7. The Call of War: A Bugle's Song

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

This bleak fantasy manga tackles the ever-present fight narrative from a fresh perspective for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it depicts large-scale medieval warfare. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—individuals possessing a unique special power. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which helps him command armies on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a cruel mercenary band to become a formidable commander, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The backdrop is a little plain, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still delivered bleak developments and shocking story pivots. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an engaging magic framework, and an enjoyable mix of military themes and dark fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao Becomes a Cat Parent?!

• Artist: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Manga Plus

A emotionally distant main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and believes in using any means necessary becomes the owner of 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