Donghua, or Chinese animation, has been gaining popularity in recent years. With its improving animation quality, engaging storylines, and strong characters, donghua has become an interesting alternative to Japanese anime. For those of you who are new to the genre or are looking for something new to watch, here are the 10 best donghua that you should watch this year.
Soul Land (Douluo Dalu)
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure
Number of Episodes: >250 (end)
Soul Land is one of the most iconic and longest-running donghua. The story follows Tang San, a disciple of a martial arts sect who dies and is reborn in a world where everyone has a spirit. He must train hard to become the strongest spirit master.
This donghua is praised for its deep world-building and epic fights between characters. In addition, its 3D graphics are also quite stable and continue to improve over time..
The King’s Avatar (Quan Zhi Gao Shou)
Genre: E-sports, Drama, Slice of Life
Number of Episodes: 12 + OVA + Season 2
For those of you who are fans of the online gaming world, The King’s Avatar is a must-watch. It tells the story of Ye Xiu, a legendary e-sports player who was forced out of his team and started over from scratch. With his intelligence and gaming experience, he slowly rises and proves himself once again.
The advantages of this donghua lie in the realistic fight choreography and the depiction of the modern gaming world.
Fog Hill of Five Elements (Wu Shan Wu Xing)
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts
Number of Episodes: 3 (season 1), season 2 is in production
One word for this donghua: art. Fog Hill of Five Elements has a very artistic animation style, like a moving painting. The story follows the guardians of the elements who try to keep the world in balance from monster attacks.
Although the number of episodes is still small, the animation quality is arguably one of the best in the donghua world.
White Cat Legend (Dali Si Rizhi)
Genre: Comedy, Mystery, Fantasy
Number of Episodes: 12 (season 1), season 2 is airing
As the name suggests, the main character of this donghua is an anthropomorphic white cat named Li Bing who works at the Imperial Examiner’s Office. He investigates various mysterious cases in the kingdom, accompanied by his eccentric colleagues.
This donghua is unique because it combines elements of mystery, humor, and traditional Chinese visual arts that are very distinctive.
Scissor Seven (Wu Liuqi Zhi Zui Qiang Fa Xing Shi)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Supernatural
Number of Episodes: 3 seasons + movie
Here is a donghua with an absurd but addictive style. Scissor Seven tells the story of an amnesiac barber named Seven who is actually a hitman. However, he often fails in his missions.
The quirky cartoon animation style combined with distinctive humor and creative action scenes make this donghua suitable for those of you who need light but still exciting viewing.
Heaven Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu)
Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy
Number of Episodes: 11 + 1 OVA (season 1)
This donghua is very popular among fans of the boys love (BL) genre. The story follows Xie Lian, a god who was banished from heaven and tries to help humans from the underworld. On his journey, he meets Hua Cheng, a mysterious demon who seems to have a past with Xie Lian.
Wrapped in stunning visuals and an emotional storyline, this donghua has a huge international fanbase.
Battle Through the Heavens (Doupo Cangqiong)
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Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts
Number of Episodes: >70 (various seasons + OVA)
Like Soul Land, Battle Through the Heavens is a popular donghua from the cultivation genre. The main character, Xiao Yan, is a genius child who loses all his powers. However, with the help of the teacher spirit who lives in his ring, he rises to take revenge and conquer the cultivation world.
This donghua story is consistently developing and is suitable for lovers of wuxia or xianxia stories.
Link Click (Shiguang Dailiren)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Superpower
Number of Episodes: 11 (season 1) + OVA + season 2
One of the modern donghua with a very interesting time-travel concept. Two friends, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, have the ability to enter photos and change events in the past. However, even the smallest changes can have a big impact on the present.
Link Click is an example of a donghua that combines a strong narrative, amazing cinematography, and a compelling story twist.
Big Fish & Begonia (Da Yu Hai Tang)
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Number: Movie (1 hour 45 minutes)
This donghua movie is highly recommended if you like emotional stories and cinematic visuals. The story is about Chun, a girl from the spirit world who travels to the human world and gets involved in a complicated destiny.
The production quality can be compared to Studio Ghibli’s animated films. The music and cinematography in this movie are guaranteed to touch the hearts of the audience.
Rakshasa Street (Zhen Hun Jie)
Genre: Action, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy
Number of Episodes: 2 seasons
This donghua is full of action and intrigue in the spirit world. The story follows Xia Ling, an ordinary girl who accidentally enters another dimension called Rakshasa Street, where humans and spirits live side by side. There, she meets Cao Yan Bing, the street’s guardian.
This donghua offers exciting fight scenes with characters who have strong emotional backgrounds.
Conclusion: Donghua Can No Longer Be Underestimated
Donghua is no longer just an alternative to Japanese anime. Chinese animation productions now have very competitive visual quality and storylines. With a variety of genres, from action, drama, to comedy and fantasy, viewers from all backgrounds can definitely find their favorite donghua.
If you are just starting to enter the world of donghua, the list above can be the perfect guide. Not only exciting, many of these donghua also contain cultural values, philosophy, and social criticism that are interesting to study.
Tips for Watching Donghua:
- Use official platforms such as Bilibili, WeTV, or Netflix for the best video quality and support the Chinese animation industry.
- Use Indonesian or English subtitles so that the storyline is easier to understand.
- Follow the donghua community on social media to get info on new season updates or other recommendations.
Hopefully this list can be a reference for you! If you have other donghua recommendations that you think are worthy of being on the list, write them in the comments column!