I've read a decent amount of manga and always like finding those hidden gems and gearing what else people have found and enjoyed. Let me know what series you'd consider underrated and I'll look in to checking them out, thanks :)
I feel like no one talks about Fire Punch even though its such an unique experience with a genius written Protagonist
I love Fire Punch its one of my favourite mangas. But it's not for everyone so I understand why it might be more underrated. I don't really recommend it to my friends because I know they won't be into it because it goes into a lot of heavy topics and most people are put off by it. I would also say check out Chainsaw man its by the same author and its very good too.
These three I'm going to give are each different, I'm not sure if one can consider them underrated, but I haven't seen many people talking about any of these.
Tongari Boushi no Atelier
This one is magic centered, but it has a good spin to it that changes things from the common magic formula other shows and literature works take. Careful with spoilers.
Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou
The Kawai Complex Guide is a very fun read, for me personally it's the best romance work I have read, or seen up to now. It involves the life of the mc living in a boarding house along multiple intricate personalities, and his high school crush is also living there. It's also really funny and the jokes and gags it has don't get stale over time.
bel Blatt
Ubel Blatt is very similar to Berserk (from what I have been told), it takes the betrayal aspect and gives it a supernatural touch, focusing on the characters thirst for revenge no matter the cost. it's in a fantasy setting so it has otherworldly creatures, magic and other races besides humans.
I'm not sure what it is that you are looking for, or even if you are looking for something, but I tried to make each entry as varied as possible for you. I hope you enjoy one of these if not all :).
Lol, I got ya. 20th century boys is amazing, but idk if it's relatively well known, heaven's lost property too, Blood lad is hilarious and has a good battle shounen-ish plot, Hinamatsuri too. Dungeon seeker was the first isekai ive ever seen actually end. Hell's kitchen is lil bit on par with food wars, finally hammer session which is like gto but more intelligent mc whose a 'sweet-talker'
Haha, 20th Century Boys is my favourite series of all time, so definitely already well acquainted with that. I've heard of Blood Lad but never checked it out, I am a fan of shounen-ish manga like FMA and that kinda vibe. Hinamatsuri has also really picqued my interest so I'll give that a read soon, thanks. Plenty more manga I haven't heard so thank you, I'll try and get around to as many as I can
There's lots of works that I'd like to recommend to you, but I'll stay within the parameters of "hidden gems" and "being underrated".
Buzzy Noise
Best Manga that has been published within the last few years in my opinion. Very fitting aesthetic and atmopshere. The characters feel like actual people living during our time. The story as such is pretty simple, but the way things are portrayed artistically has a very nice, creative and innovative touch, same goes for the way that music is portrayed. I wish there would be more people reading this.
Bakuon Rettou
Best manga about bousouzoku (japanese biker youth-subculture). The biggest selling point of this work is the way it pulls the reader in through many different techniques. First off, the characters are relatable and we get a really good and long insight into their beings and especially into the way they chose to go forward in life. Not only are the characters relatable, their world feels familiar and their fears and ambitions can be understood very well. The art creates an atmosphere for the reader to truly dive into this world and experience what the characters experience. You can feel the wind in your hair, whenever the protagonists set out for a ride and you can feel the anxiety when the police tries to corner them. Takahashi Tsutomu (The mangaka behind this gem) is pretty well known within the world of manga, but I feel like this work still doesn't get the deserved recognition compared to his other works.
Ciguatera
Slice of Life about growing up and experiencing new things. There's a bit of bullying, as well as hobbies involved, but the most basic description would probably be: just slice of life. It's hard to describe what's good about this work, because everything that is good is actually rather mundane or unpleasant in real life. I'd say this work might as well be called a drama, but only because that's what real life is as well. Many dramatical twists and turns that come and go, but at the end of the day, that's just life. One of my favourites and not as popular as I think it should be.
Debu to Bijin
It's very hard to describe it without spoiling anything, because it's a one-shot. I loved it and immediately re-read it after finishing. Just give it a try, it's just a one-shot, so reading through it shouldn't take long at all :)
Yeonui Pyeonji
A beautiful story about friendship. It's very simple and short, but poignant, artful and imaginative at the same time.
Kuutei Kaiko Toshi
This one is also rather short. A pretty unknown manga about a world with mysterious circumstances. The biggest appeal to me was the beautiful art, as well as the romantic theme within the work. If I had to describe this word with one word, I'd say melancholy.
Bikachou Shinshi Kaikoroku
An interesting story about prostitution, drawn and written by nobody else than Anno Moyoco. It isn't necessarily ground breaking or anything, but nonetheless a fine work. Vivid art, diverse cast, ambition and most importantly the shackles of society.
Koko wa Ima kara Rinri desu
My first impression of this work was: Onizuka from GTO, but instead of being a former biker, he just read too much Nietzsche. The characters are surprisingly vivid, considering that the tone and art is rather dark. There is a beautiful ambivalence about this whole world, that makes the reader (or at least me) want to continue reading. The themes are also rather heavy and if you feel uncomfortable with darker topics, this might not be the right work for you.
Utakata Dialogue
light-hearted comedy about a boy and a girl working part-time. What makes this work so special, that I would put it in this list, even though the premise sounds really boring and totally overdone? The characters. The protagonists fit each other so well, it's hilarious. There might be a few jokes though that can get lost in translation, as they tend to use puns a lot as well, so if you're able to, you should read it in japanese.
Kodomo no Kodomo
Very soild work about teen pregnancies. I'm usually disappointed with the way that children are portrayed within manga. They tend to be too much like adults. This work doesn't have that problem in my opinion. It feels very real and the struggle is relatable.
Ikoku Nikki
Last but not least, a story about loss. I don't know if you've ever heard "wow, you seem so mature for your age" in your years as a teenager. There are certain traits that we expect in adults, and others that we'd rather expect in children. Being a teenager often means figuring out what it means to "be mature" and understanding what the adults around you want you to be or how they want you to be. This work does a very good job to portray these questions, alongside others, and reminds you of your own teenage years/ young adult years. The fact that we have a teenage protagonist, as well as an adult protagonist, both with their own problems, makes this work very appealing to a wide audience in my opinion.
That's it for now. I hope you'll find something that you can enjoy and if you ever need more recs, just hit me up :)
Here are some mangas/ manhwas that I really like and enjoy ^^
Blue Period
My Home Hero
Abimussang
Moon Land
World Trigger
I HIGHLY recommend Wakusei Closet. I read it about a year ago up til the most recent update. It's very cute and gorey! I'm not sure if it's still updating as I haven't read it since then, but even still it's a good read.
Wakusei Closet
Here you go. Some of my favorites:
Pink
Tamashii no Futago