Chinese anime, also known as Chinese Donghua, are becoming popular among anime lovers fast. Although Chinese Donghua has been around since the 1930s, most anime lovers are used to the more popular Japanese anime.
However, with their immersive plots, which emphasize their vast cultural heritage and current way of life, Chinese anime is quite different from Japanese anime. Likewise, some Chinese anime are adaptations of Manga or Manhua. Therefore, to throw more light on these, I’ve made a list of some of the best Chinese anime of all time. Enjoy!
20. Wangpai Yushi
Wangpai Yushi is an original animated series that aired in 2014. Although it is a supernatural genre series, the anime has a relatively simple plot. Xiaoyan Huang and Ye Yan act as censorates who are top-ranking supervisory officers in China.
The story takes place in a world where night and day have become one. There is no distinction between the Ying and the Yang, with humans and monsters also coexisting. However, it is almost impossible to achieve perfect harmony, thus some mischievous animals love to cause fracas.
As such, humans must tame those animals. And at this point, Haung and Yen jump into the story, with duties to tame the creatures.
19. Da Yu Hai Tang
Next on our list, we have another extraordinary anime filled with lots of adventure and drama. This anime was released in 2014, and it is set in a world where mythical and magical beings exist.
Da Yu Hai Tang tells us the story of one such supernatural creature; a girl called Chun. In Chun’s culture, once one is old enough, one must undergo a rite of passage.
When Chun becomes old enough, she undergoes the rites which involve going to live in and experience the human world. Excitedly, Chun decides to enter the world of humans as a dolphin.
Eventually, Chun ends up in a fishing net. She struggles, but she is unable to free herself. Luckily, a boy comes along and frees her, but, unluckily, the boy drowns while trying to save her.
Overwhelmed with guilt and loss, Chun considers bringing him back to life at the cost of half her lifespan. But is it a decision that she will live to regret?
18. Mo Ri Shu Guang
If you enjoy watching brain-eating zombies chase people across the screen, then I’m sure you will enjoy Dawn of the World. This film is set in post-apocalyptic China. Most of the human population has turned into zombies, although some resilient humans are still trying to survive in terrible circumstances.
The series focuses on two characters, Meng Feng, a combatant and fighter, and Liu Yan, an engineer and a strategist. Thus with their ingenuity and the help of the surviving population, a dawn of hope emerges once again.
I guess it’s true what they say. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.
17. Hitori No Shita
Hitori No Shita follows the story of Chou Soran, a boy from a wealthy family whose grandfather died. Shortly afterward, he learns that his grandfather’s grave has been pillaged. Therefore, he embarks on a quest to find out why.
On his way, zombies attack him, but he is saved by a beautiful girl called Fuu Houhou.
After their encounter, we learn that Fuu and Soran are supernatural beings. Also that anyone who can use Ki and martial arts as a weapon is known as an outcast. At this point, Soran has exposed himself and is now being headhunted by people from different organizations. Fuu helps him to understand the reason.
This anime is quite good, and it features humor. It is a funny supernatural zombie anime.
16. Ze Tian Hi
After a mysterious meteorite crashes into Earth, some pieces of the meteor land on the Eastern Continent. Now, the residents must discover its purpose and also find a way and establish customs using the carvings on its body.
Much later, a young orphan Chen Chang Shang embarks on a life-changing journey and the unthinkable happens. Also, this 13 minutes anime is a story, a mystery, and a discovery. Consequently, the plot is in-depth, and the characters are unique.
15. Wo De Tian Jie Nuyou
This story unfolds in a world of cultivation. The setup is simple; the strong cultivators kill the weak cultivators to rise to the top in a classic, survival of the fittest arrangement. With the notion that the strong live, and the weak die, the entire world becomes very calculative.
Here, Ma Ying Xiong comes into the story, whose cultivation journey begins after saving a cultivator girl named Lu Zi and steals her powers. Sneaky! Okay, maybe not so slippery, seeing as it is an accident.
That notwithstanding, he must enter a contract to become a cultivator or die; talk about a rock and a hard place. Well, no one wants to die, so Lu agrees to become a cultivator.
Unfortunately, his choice has its consequences because Ma and Lu must now face an evil sage, who hunts them relentlessly, trying to possess their powers. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it because a couple of ecchi scenes also dented the more severe stuff. And who wouldn’t want to see that?
14. Meng Qi Shi Shen
This tremendous Chinese anime is based on a web novel of the same title, Meng Qi Shi Shen which means “adorable food goddess.” This anime aired in 2018. Oh well, Ye Jiayao is a girl out of time who finds herself in the body of Ye Jinxuan.
However, it has always been her dream to start a restaurant in Huai Song. Thus he is convinced she can achieve her goals and aim for the stars. Sadly, some villains do not want to see her succeed.
As such, they sow discord and mount controversy around her. But, will Ye succeed against her detractors.
Right now, fans are eagerly waiting for a new season. After all, who doesn’t love an anime about food, a resilient young girl, and a touch of romance?
13. Jie Mo Ren (The Devil Ring)
The title is pretty on the money, right. Well, you guessed right, Zhou Xiaoan wears a ring without knowing its origin. Pretty soon, a blood demon comes out of his mouth, calling him King Zhou of Shang. But, of course, he isn’t the King of anything; he’s pretty confused at this point.
The demon belongs to a race of vicious heart-eating zombies, and it talks a lot. Therefore, he reveals some strange historical truths that Zhou now has to deal with.
Eventually, Zhou learns about a secret group of Taoist priests that fight against the blood devils. Also, he knows about other beings who belong to a mysterious world and can blend unnoticed into human society. Now, this seems like a lot; well, what can I say? Just be careful about your choice of jewelry.
And speaking of choices, this is a pretty decent choice for a Chinese anime. Don’t mention.
12. Gin No Guardian The Silver Guardian
Who doesn’t love a guardian? The Chinese series is based on a Manhua of the same title. The tale tells the story of Suigin Ruki, a high school and gamer. Here, Suigin lives a pretty regular life trying to make ends meet until he decides to rescue a drowning cat one day.
Seeing as he doesn’t know how to swim, he almost drowns himself and has to be rescued by the beautiful Rei Ruki. Incidentally, Rei happens to be the daughter of his favorite games director, now he’d realize what a small world we live in.
Unexpectedly, the game gets canceled, and Suigin is devastated. But when a new game arrives, Rei gets kidnapped in it. Now, he must find her in repayment of the debt he owes.
This anime is a favorite of mine and several other people; it’s been viewed over 500 million times. Wow! There must be something scintillating there.
11. Mi Yu Xing Xhe
Uncharted Walker is a favorite with fans, the characters are spot on, and the storyline is excellent. It begins when a group of misfits awaken and realize they’ve been trapped on a desolate island.
Seeing as they’re surrounded by tribesmen trying to kill them, viruses, and several other hurdles, how will they get out of it alive? Talk about Jumanji, remember?
Anyway, the story ends with an incredible cliffhanger. Like all fans of Chinese anime, I’m waiting for the next season.
10. Yoa Shen Ji
Well, the animation may not be top-notch, but the storyline is good enough to include it on our list. Unfailingly, it would make your list of favorites.
In the beginning, Nie La is a weak demon spiritist. However, with great effort and determination, he grows his strength until he becomes powerful, standing at the pinnacle of the martial arts world.
However, disaster strikes, and Nie La loses his life during a fight with the Sage Emperor and other beasts. As a result, his soul is sent back to his 13-year-old self, and he again becomes that weaker person.
Even then, he strives to help those in need and protect his city by destroying the sacred family. Remember that this family destroyed the city in his past life.
9. Tong Ling Fei
The anime is also known as the Psychic Princess. Although the show is classified as a comedy romance drama, the story is not much of either. By the command of the emperor, Qian Yushang must marry Ye Youming.
But Qian fears she may be mistreated because the families are in a feud.
Qian Aotian decides to reveal his daughter, Qian Yun Zi, whom they hid because of her strange powers. Yun Zi agrees to make an appearance, only to suffer rejection at the hands of Qian Yushang.
However, he can’t resist her for long because she is charming, beautiful, and powerful.
8. Mo Dao Zushi
In this anime, all Cultivators strive to achieve a state of immortality known as Xian. However, there is a hidden demonic path or Mo Dao that Cultivators must evade. Wei Wuxia, a Cultivator, accidentally walks the path.
Consequently, he is plagued with misfortune until he meets his demise by his closest Ally. However, he is later reincarnated as a lunatic, and together with his colleague Lang Wangji, he set out on a mystical journey plagued with hurdles and intrigue.
Nevertheless, the two end up forming an unexpected bond.
7. Doupo Cangqiong
The story is about Xian Yan, a powerful young boy. Although no one knew the source of his immense power, everyone feared him and respected his family. He is also engaged to La Na Ya Ran, a girl from an influential family.
It’s all roses and sunshine until his powers begin to diminish mysteriously. Yikes! Three years later, he became weak, and society spits on his family. Not just that, La Na also wants to break up with him.
Unexpectedly Xian challenges her to a duel. The terms are simple: she wins, and she can break the engagement, he wins, and he can do whatever he wants with her. And as we say, may the best man or woman win.
6. Rakshasa Street
In Chinese, it is translated into Zen Hun Jie. It is a supernatural action anime that aired in 2016, and it is based on a Chinese Manhua. Nevertheless, if you love watching powerful spirits and humans fight each other, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Zen Hun Jie.
The entire plot of the anime is centered around Rakshasa Street; it is a place where humans and spirits live together. However, not every creature, whether human or spirit, can enter.
But as things turn out, Xia Long, the anime protagonist, finally enters Rakshasa Street, an act that will change her life forever.
5. Lan Mo De Hua
I love romance blended into any genre, anime inclusive. So if you’ve been hoping for some more romance, then you’re in luck because La Mo De Hua is a romantic, magic-themed anime. The series aired in July 2017.
The short romance anime is a story about Lan Mo and Lui Yi Feng. Lan Mo wants Lui to love her as much as she loves him, but he considers her a friend. Anyway, Lan Mo is not one to give up, and so she finds a magical hairpin with which she can alter her appearance.
She decides to use this hairpin to make Lui fall in love with her.
However, Lan Mo quickly realized that the plan was not enough for her. She wants Lui to fall in love with who she is without the hairpin. Can that work, or does she need to pull out another one from her bag of magic tricks.
4. Doulou Dalu (Soul Land)
The anime is set in Doulou, a place where every resident possesses an innate spirit. Therefore, some residents can harness their inner soul and become spiritual masters.
In continuation, the story follows Tang, a student of the prestigious martial arts clan and their best disciple in the use of hidden weapons. However, he abandons his clan in search of hidden lore. He takes a leap of faith into hell’s peak, only to find himself reincarnated in a strange world.
Finally, he contests in the spirit masters contest only to discover that he has a useless spirit. But then, is it too late to return?
3. Quanzhi Fashi
Life isn’t always fair to all. But, unfortunately, it is not acceptable to Mo Fan. Not only is his father a poor, destitute laborer, his sister is also crippled. Thus, Mo Fan must make ends meet by taking any job he comes across.
However, luckily or unluckily, fate intervenes, and Mo Fan is transported to another universe that looks much like his. Except, there, magic is placed above science.
In that dimension, students of magic are taught spells and how to use their skills to fend off scary beasts. Incidentally, when Mo Fan dreams about becoming a magician, he is accepted into the prestigious academy.
Although he is occasionally teased for being a poor man’s son, nothing can bring him down. Talk about grass to grace. Overall, the show has a good rating.
2. Ling Qi (Spiritpact)
Ling Qi is one of the top stories on our list. Although it was adopted from a Chinese Manhua with the original story altered, it is another fantastic supernatural anime. Nevertheless, it is still one of the best anime ever to come out of Chinese cinema.
Yang Jinghua, who is the protagonist of this series, is extremely poor. However, more bad luck is about to hit him. One day, he is involved in an accident from which he awakens to find out he has become ten years younger.
For a minute, Yang feels he has been reborn and can start living his life afresh; maybe he could be rich this time. But he is very wrong, Yang encounters a white-haired man who tells him he is dead.
This comes as a shocker to him.
Afterward, the man asks Yang whether he would like to join him for the rest of his spiritual life. Hopefully, he’d be rich then.
1. Quan Zi Gao Shou (The King’s Avatar)
The King’s Avatar was one of the best, if not the best Chinese anime but it is my favorite. Here, Ye Xiu is a star professional player in the game, Glory. Therefore, he was known as the “Battle God” due to his skills and unmatched record.
Eventually, he heeds his friends’ advice and leaves his career as a gamer behind. Now Ye works at an internet café, so he knows that the tenth server of the game has been released.
Immediately, Ye re-enters the gaming world as Lord Grim. And with his immense experience, he can beat most others, and now his aim of being the first to reach Glory’s peak is within his grasp.
