The 10 Best Japanese Comics I Read This Year (Flying Under the Radar).

Given the ever-expanding scope of the manga market, it's increasingly difficult to track every noteworthy release. As always, the biggest series get all the attention, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures waiting to be discovered.

A particular delight for fans of the medium is stumbling upon a largely unknown series amidst the weekly releases and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the finest under-the-radar manga I've discovered recently, along with reasons why they're deserving of your time before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series have not yet reached a mainstream following, especially as they all lack anime adaptations. Some could be trickier to read due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these will earn you some notable geek cred.

10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero

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

I know, it's an unusual starting point, but let me explain. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While this series doesn't fully fit the genre, it uses similar story beats, including an unbeatable hero and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The appeal, however, lies in the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who unwinds by exploring strange labyrinths that appeared in the world, armed only with a baseball bat, to pummel creatures. He's indifferent to 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 one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus readily accessible to international audiences on a digital platform. For easy reading, this publisher is still dominant, and if you're looking for a few minutes of silly fun, this manga is a great choice.

9. Nito's Exorcists

• Author: Iromi Ichikawa
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title is enough to deter me due to the genre's overpopularity, but a pair of titles shifted my perspective this year. It recalls the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its creepy atmosphere, stylized art, and sudden violence. I started reading it by chance and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of avenging his teacher's death. He's paired with his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than aiding his quest for revenge. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, and the visual contrast between the silly appearance of the spirits and the violent battles is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to go the distance — if it's allowed to continue.

8. Gokurakugai

• Creator: 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 stunning, intricate, and distinctive. The plot remains within of typical hero's journey beats, with heroes clashing with demons (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the backdrop is compelling. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, manage the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, resolving disputes in a poor neighborhood where people and animal-human hybrids live together.

The villains, called Maga, are created from human or animal corpses. For those from people, the Maga wields magic reflecting the circumstances of their end: a suicide by hanging manifests as a choking force, one who died from self-harm causes blood loss, and so on. It's a gruesome but interesting twist that provides substance to these antagonists. This series might become a major title, but it's constrained by its slower publication rate. Starting in 2022, only a limited number of chapters have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.

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

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

This grim fantasy manga approaches the common conflict theme from a new viewpoint for shonen. Instead of centering on individual duels, it depicts massive army conflicts. 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 allows him to direct soldiers on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a skilled strategist, fighting to eventually earn his freedom.

The setting is somewhat generic, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but The Bugle Call still delivered dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a mature shonen with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an pleasing blend of strategy and horror.

6. The Cat Parent Adventures of Taro Miyao

• Creator: Sho Yamazaki
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus

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