The 10 Best Comics I Read This Year (That You've Probably Never Heard Of).
With the world of manga growing more vast by the day, it becomes a challenge to track every worthwhile title. Predictably, the most popular series get all the attention, but there's a plethora of overlooked works just out of sight.
A particular delight for a dedicated reader is stumbling upon a mostly obscure series in the sea of new chapters and then sharing it to friends. This list highlights of the top obscure manga I've enjoyed this past year, along with explanations for why they're worth checking out prior to a potential boom.
Several entries here are still awaiting a large audience, especially as they haven't received anime adaptations. Others may be less accessible due to their publishing platforms. But recommending any of these provides some serious bragging rights.
10. An Unassuming Salaryman Revealed as a Hero
- Authors: 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. Manga can be silly, and that's perfectly fine. I admit that transported-to-another-world stories relax me. While The Plain Salary Man isn't strictly an isekai, it embraces familiar conventions, including an incredibly strong protagonist and a game-influenced setting. The unique hook, however, stems from the protagonist. Keita Sato is a standard overburdened office worker who vents his stress by entering fantastical portals that materialized globally, armed only with a baseball bat, to smash monsters. He has no interest in treasures, power, or ranking; he only wants to maintain his double life, protect his family, and leave the office on time for a change.
Superior genre examples exist, but this is one of the few released by a leading publisher, and thus conveniently readable to international audiences on a digital platform. 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
- Artist: Iromi Ichikawa
- Publisher: 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 two series changed my mind this year. This series evokes the best parts of a popular supernatural battle manga, with its creepy atmosphere, unique visuals, and shocking ferocity. I started reading it by chance and was immediately captivated.
Gotsuji is a powerful exorcist who purges ghosts in the hope of discovering his master's killer. He's joined by his mentor's sister, Uruka, who is focused on his safety than fueling his retribution. The storyline appears straightforward, 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 gory combat is a nice extra touch. This is a series with the capacity to become a hit — should it get the chance.
8. Gokurakugai
- Author: Yuto Sano
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus; Viz
For readers who value visual splendor, then search no more. Yuto Sano's work on the series is spectacular, intricate, and distinctive. The narrative hews close of typical hero's journey beats, with individuals with abilities combating monsters (though they're not officially called "exorcists"), but the characters are all quirky and the setting is intriguing. The protagonists, Alma and Tao Saotome, run the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter agency, solving problems in a working-class district where two species live side-by-side.
The villains, called Maga, are born from human or animal corpses. In the former case, the Maga has powers relating to the manner of death: a hanging victim can strangle others, one who ended their own life can make people bleed out, and so on. It's a macabre yet fascinating twist that gives weight to these antagonists. It could be the next big hit, but it's constrained by its monthly schedule. Starting in 2022, only a handful of volumes have been released, which challenges ongoing engagement.
7. Bugle Call: War's Melody
- Creators: Mozuku Sora, Higoro Toumori
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Viz
This bleak fantasy manga examines the ubiquitous battle trope from a fresh perspective for shonen. Rather than focusing on individual duels, it depicts massive army conflicts. The protagonist, Luca, is one of the Branched—people with distinct abilities. Luca's ability enables him to convert audio into visuals, which lets him guide troops on the battlefield, leveraging his musical skill and past in a brutal fighter company to become a powerful tactician, fighting dreaming of a life beyond war.
The world feels a bit standard, and the inclusion of futuristic tech feels forced at times, but this series still delivered grim twists and unexpected plot twists. It's a sophisticated series with a group of eccentric individuals, an interesting power system, and an interesting combination of military themes and dark fantasy.
6. Taro Miyao: Unexpected Feline Guardian
- Author: Sho Yamazaki
- Released by: Shueisha
- Find it on: Manga Plus
A calculating main character who reveres Renaissance thinker Niccolò Machiavelli and subscribes to ends-justify-the-means becomes the owner of a cute cat named Nicolo—reportedly for the reason that a massage from its tiny paws is his sole relief from tension. {If that premise isn't enough|Should that not convince you|If the setup doesn't grab you
