My Top 10 Manga I Discovered Recently (Flying Under the Radar).

With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to discover every worthwhile new series. Predictably, the biggest series dominate conversations, yet a treasure trove exists of undiscovered treasures just out of sight.

A particular delight for any manga enthusiast is finding a mostly obscure series amidst the weekly releases and recommending it to friends. Here are some of the best lesser-known manga I've discovered recently, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out before they gain widespread popularity.

Some of these series are still awaiting a large audience, partly due to they all lack anime adaptations. Others may be harder to access due to where they're available. Sharing any of these will earn you some notable geek cred.

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

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

This may seem like a strange choice, but bear with me. Manga can be silly, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'll acknowledge that isekai is my guilty pleasure. While the title doesn't fully fit the genre, it uses similar story beats, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a video-game-inspired fantasy framework. The charm, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who relieves pressure by sneaking into mysterious dungeons that emerged suddenly, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He's indifferent to treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to keep his hobby secret, protect his family, and finish work early for a change.

There might be better isekai series, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences through a popular app. For easy reading, this publisher sets the standard, and if you're looking for a short, lighthearted escape, this manga is an excellent option.

9. The Exorcists of Nito

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

Usually, the word "exorcist" in a manga title makes me hesitant due to the saturated market, but my opinion was altered this year. It evokes the strongest aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, with its ominous tone, distinctive artwork, and unexpected brutality. A random click got me hooked and became engrossed at once.

Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who eliminates cursed beings in the hope of finding the one that murdered his mentor. He's accompanied by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is concerned with his well-being than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, but the portrayal of the cast is thoughtfully executed, and the stylistic juxtaposition between the comedic design of foes and the bloody fights is a compelling layer. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — provided it survives.

8. Gokurakugai

• Author: Yuto Sano
• Released by: Shueisha
• Available on: Manga Plus; Viz

For readers who value visual splendor, then look no further. Yuto Sano's work on the series is stunning, meticulous, and unique. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with superpowered people fighting evil spirits (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the cast is wonderfully eccentric and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, handling issues in a low-income area where humans and beast-men coexist.

The villains, called Maga, are born 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 ended their own life induces hemorrhaging, and so on. It's a disturbing but creative twist that adds depth to these antagonists. Gokurakugai might become a major title, but it's limited due to its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only five volumes have been released, which can test a reader's patience.

7. The Bugle Call: Song of War

• Writing Team: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
• Released by: Shueisha
• Find it on: Viz

This grim fantasy manga tackles the common conflict theme from a novel angle for shonen. In place of highlighting individual duels, it showcases epic historical battles. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability allows him to manifest sound as light, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, employing his instrument and background in a cruel mercenary band to become a skilled strategist, fighting with the hope of one day stepping away.

The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech occasionally doesn't fit, but The Bugle Call still surprised me with dark turns and unexpected plot twists. It's a grown-up battle manga with a cast of quirky characters, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of warfare and grim fantasy.

6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian

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

A cold-hearted main character who follows the philosophy of Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and advocates for ruthless pragmatism takes in a cute cat named Nicolo—supposedly since a massage from its little feet is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you