Highlights
- Lesser-known manga like “Diamond In The Rough” contain unique ideas and innovative concepts deserving more spotlight.
- “Majo Taisen” and “Wild Strawberry” offer exciting fights and intriguing premises, perfect for fans of similar series.
- “Versus,” “Gokurakugai,” and “Tougen Anki” present diverse worlds with rich storytelling and captivating characters.
Each week, big titles like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen make waves in the manga and anime community as new chapters and episodes are released. Fans of both are always ready to discuss anything from theories to power scaling, but while their attention is focused on those manga, they may miss out on some hidden gems that aren’t getting as much publicity.
There are plenty of manga that have been released in the last few years that are incredibly well-written and beautifully illustrated, but due to manga and anime becoming more mainstream each year, only the most popular titles are getting any attention. These lesser-known manga contain innovative and unique ideas that definitely deserve a spotlight.
1 Diamond In The Rough
MyAnimeList Score: 6.73
- Chapters: 79
- Published: 2020 to 2023
- Genres/Themes: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery
- Author: Nao Sasaki
- Illustrator: Nao Sasaki
In this world, everything revolves around stone. Purifying water, creating electricity, and creating fire can all be done with different kinds of stone. While visiting villages in search of rare gems, ore craftsman Akaboshi meets Kai, a young boy with a petrified leg. Kai seeks revenge against the person who turned his family to stone, and Akaboshi is the only one who can help.
Diamond in the Rough is a creative adventure story about understanding self-worth and responsibility. There are many great action scenes with interesting powers at play, but this manga isn’t as focused on battles as other shōnen. The author does a great job of mixing up solutions, so conflicts don’t always end in fights.
2 Majo Taisen
MyAnimeList Score: 6.72
- Published: 2020 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Supernatural
- Author: Homura Kawamoto
- Illustrator: Makoto Shiozuka
Throughout history, there have been many strong and courageous women who have made a name for themselves in one way or another. After their death, they are given a chance to compete for the chance to make their wishes come true. Using their greed to fuel their power, these women become witches to fight in a 1-vs-1 tournament.
This manga is great for fans of Record of Ragnorok given the nearly identical premise, but it’s still different enough to stand on its own. Seeing historical figures fight with bombastic powers and skills is always fun and interesting. This manga is great for those who just want to see cool fights.
3 Wild Strawberry
MyAnimeList Score: 6.90
- Published: 2023 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy
- Author: Ire Yonemoto
- Illustrator: Ire Yonemoto
In a parallel world, plants have taken over Japan, growing to the size of skyscrapers and parasitizing people to sustain themselves. The infected are called Jinka, and they’re seen as mindless monsters to be put down immediately to prevent further infestations. It’s especially bad for Kingo since his sister is infected but hasn’t turned into a Jinka yet.
The themes and plot of this story are reminiscent of Demon Slayer as it features a young boy who dedicates himself to saving his one and only family. Despite only having a few chapters, it’s already shown great potential through its writing and detailed illustration.
4 Versus
MyAnimeList Score: 7.43
- Published: 2022 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
- Author: ONE
- Illustrator: Kyoutarou Azuma
From the author of One Punch Man, Versus is an ambitious story about the end of the world, but not just one world. In this manga, thirteen different worlds face terrible threats to humanity, and in each one, their only hope is to call for help from elsewhere. That’s when all thirteen worlds collide into a giant patchwork of dimensions.
This manga contains a variety of ideas and concepts, so nearly anyone can find an aspect they like. It’s got magic and demons. It’s got aliens and robots. It’s got titans and kaiju. Each chapter is a mixed bag of archetypes, but the story is never overwhelming and doesn’t feel cluttered. It’ll be exciting to see what happens in the future.
5 Gachiakuta
MyAnimeList Score: 7.71
- Published: 2022 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy
- Author: Kei Urana
- Illustrator: Kei Urana
In Gachiakuta, Rudo is a young boy trying to survive each day in the slums. Rummaging through the trash each day, he uses the wastefulness of the upper class to his advantage, but then he’s framed for a murder he didn’t commit and tossed into the Abyss. Luckily, he’s saved by the Cleaners, a group that kills garbage monsters in the world of trash.
This manga hits all the buttons for a class shōnen. The author has done a great job developing the characters and world, keeping the story interesting without getting too complicated. Rudo is also a great protagonist, showing compassion and bravery in the face of the journey ahead of him.
6 Tougen Anki
MyAnimeList Score: 7.14
- Published: 2020 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy, Mythology
- Author: Yura Urushibara
- Illustrator: Yura Urushibara
When his father is killed in front of him, Shiki Ichinose awakens the Oni blood hiding inside him and turns into a monster. Luckily, he’s saved by fellow Oni Naito Mudano, and that’s when he learns about the secret war going on between the Momo and the Oni. To get revenge, Shiki goes to a school for Oni to learn how to control his power.
Inspired by the popular Japanese folktale of Momotarou and the Oni, Tougen Anki is a great battle manga with an innovative concept. Not only are there great fight sequences and an interesting power system, but there are also complex themes and ideas portrayed in the story. The graphic nature of this manga may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth checking out.
7 Gokurakugai
MyAnimeList Score: 7.65
- Published: 2022 to Present
- Genres/Themes: Action, Fantasy
- Author: Yuuto Sano
- Illustrator: Yuuto Sano
In the busy city of Gokurakugai, where many people live and run businesses, is the Troubleshooter Agency run by Tao and Alma. For a small price, they do odd jobs for anyone who can pay, but that’s not their only job. Monsters called Maga run wild in this world, eating people to sustain themselves, and it’s Tao and Alma’s job to get rid of them.
Like the city it’s set in, Gokurakugai is a fun manga with interesting characters, especially the two protagonists. Tao is a cool and mysterious woman with a hidden past, and Alma is a gluttonous young man who happens to be half-Maga. This duo offers a great and interesting dynamic that’s not often seen in shōnen.
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