The 10 Best Anime Created in China

The Best Anime Here

✨ The 10 Best Anime Created in China | Top Donghua You Must Watch  Think great animation only comes from Japan? Think again. Chinese animation — donghua — has evolved dramatically, delivering stunning visuals, epic storytelling, and unforgettable characters.  In this video, we countdown the 10 best anime created in China, exploring what makes these series unique and why they’re gaining global attention. From action-packed fantasy to emotional romances and wuxia epics, donghua is redefining modern animation and challenging Japan's long-standing dominance in the genre.  🔥 What you’ll discover:   Top Chinese anime (donghua) everyone should watch  How China’s animation style differs from Japanese anime  Why donghua is rising in popularity worldwide  Stunning CGI, martial-arts storytelling & mythology-inspired worlds  Standout titles across fantasy, historical drama, and sci-fi  📺 Whether you’re new to donghua or already a fan, this list will open your eyes to China’s most impressive animated series.  💬 Comment below: Which Chinese anime should more people watch? Did your favorite make the list?  👍 Like & Subscribe for more anime rankings, donghua spotlights, and global animation analysis!   1. The Legend of Hei  2. Mo Dao Zu Shi  3. The King’s Avatar  4. Link Click  5. Scissor Seven  6. The Daily Life of an Immortal King  7. Soul Land  8. Big Fish & Begonia  9. Ne Zha: The Devil Boy  10. Heaven Official’s Blessing

Transcript

00:00China has seen an impressive boom in its Donghua, Chinese animation, in recent years.

00:06Series such as M.O. Daozhou Shur and Link click appear on global streaming platforms,

00:11attracting audiences beyond Asia. Fans praise the technical quality of these productions,

00:17which blend traditional Chinese aesthetics with cutting-edge 3D animation.

00:22Below we review the 10 most notable Chinese works, with a summary of their plot,

00:27the studio responsible, their popularity, and unique features.

00:31The Legend of Hei is a 2019 animated film directed by M.T.J.J., Ping Zhang, and produced by Joy Pictures.

00:40It is a prequel to the series The Legend of Luo Xiaohi, which recounts the adventures of the cat spirit Luo Xiaohi.

00:47After the destruction of his home, Xiaohi wanders in search of refuge,

00:52facing both humans and other spirits who distrust humanity.

00:56This feature film was made entirely with traditional 2D animation,

01:00resulting in a very striking visual style, even compared to that of Studio Ghibli.

01:06Its emotional story and environmental themes made it very popular in China.

01:11It grossed approximately $48.5 million at the box office,

01:16a high figure for Chinese animated film.

01:18HMCH, Hangzhou Huimi Cartoon,

01:21Studio participated in the production, backing its reputation for quality.

01:26The Legend of Hei stands out for its careful aesthetics and narrative sensitivity,

01:31earning positive reviews both in China and abroad.

01:35M.O. Dao Zushu is a Donghua series, 2018-2021,

01:40based on the best-selling novel by M.O. Xiangtongxiao.

01:43The plot follows the demonic cultivator Wei Wuxian,

01:47who was killed and then revived 13 years later in the body of another character,

01:53M.O. Xuanyu.

01:54Wei Wuxian will take advantage of this second chance

01:57to unravel the dark secrets that led to the destruction of his sect.

02:02This xinxia combines mystery, supernatural adventure, and touches of humor.

02:07Produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures and B.C. Mei Pictures,

02:12the series stands out for its high-quality animation.

02:15It has been particularly praised for how it blends an elegant traditional Chinese style

02:19with detailed 3D animation techniques,

02:22achieving perfect visual harmony.

02:25In terms of popularity, M.O. Dao Zushu broke records.

02:29The first season surpassed 1 billion views on Chinese platforms,

02:33with a rating of 8.9 on the Dubon network,

02:36comparable to major Japanese anime.

02:39The second season surpassed this figure with a 9.3 on Dubon,

02:43cementing its status as a phenomenon.

02:46The success was such that it became one of the most highly-rated series globally,

02:50gaining international fans thanks to its charismatic characters and intense narrative.

02:55The King's Avatar is a Dong-wa series released in 2017,

03:00based on a popular web novel by Hudailon.

03:03The story centers on Yishio,

03:04a prodigious professional esports player specializing in the online video game glory.

03:10After being kicked off his team,

03:12Yishio is forced to start from scratch working in an internet cafe.

03:16Without losing his passion,

03:18he creates a new character in glory and sets out to return to the top of the game.

03:23Produced by Tencent,

03:24with animators from G.Sime and Colored Pencil,

03:27this series combines action with the competitive world of video games.

03:31It was pioneering in that it was designed as a promotional tool for Tencent,

03:37including references to real games such as Honor of Kings.

03:41The series received a massive response.

03:43Its first episode on YouTube exceeded 3 million views,

03:47and on Chinese platforms,

03:49Billy Billy and Tencent Video.

03:51It accumulated more than 120 million views.

03:55This huge interest reflects the popularity of the King's Avatar,

03:59which led to the production of sequels and a spin-off feature film for the glory.

04:04In addition,

04:04its technical quality and portrayal of the gaming world won it fans outside China,

04:10especially when Crunchyroll released the official translation of its first seasons.

04:15Link Click is a science fiction thriller released in 2021.

04:19The series was written and directed by Li Haolang,

04:23produced mainly by Studio Land with help from Hailiners Animation League.

04:27Its plot revolves around Chung Xiaoshir and Lu Guang,

04:30two young people who run a very special photography studio.

04:34Using old photographs,

04:36Chung travels back in time to the exact moment the photo was taken,

04:40assuming the identity of its original photographer.

04:43He relives the memories of that moment to help his clients correct past mistakes,

04:48on the condition that he does not change the original story.

04:52The series combines mystery and supernatural elements,

04:56exploring the impact of small gestures over time.

04:59Link Click stood out for its emotional storytelling and fluid animation.

05:03It was very well received both in China and internationally.

05:07It aired on Bilibili, Funimation, and Crunchyroll.

05:11At the studio level,

05:12the project consolidated Studio Land,

05:15founded by Li Haolang himself,

05:17as a name to watch in Chinese animation.

05:20In short,

05:21Link Click stands out for its innovative time travel mechanics,

05:24and for being an emotional thriller with detailed art.

05:28Scissor 7,

05:29also known as Killer 7,

05:31is a comedy-in-action series released in 2018.

05:34Created by He Xiaofeng,

05:36it was animated by a Cher Fun Studio in collaboration with AHA Entertainment.

05:42The plot follows Seven,

05:43an amnesiac assassin who works as a contract hairdresser.

05:48Equipped with his immortal scissors and a carefree attitude,

05:51Seven takes on assassination jobs that are as absurd as they are humorous.

05:55The series stands out for its irreverent tone and its mix of martial arts and comic gags.

06:01It has been a pioneer in the international market.

06:04Scissor 7 was the first Chinese animated series to premiere as a Netflix original,

06:102020,

06:11which increased its global reach.

06:13Although we do not have official audience figures,

06:16word of mouth and good reviews,

06:18including nominations at international festivals,

06:21confirm its popularity.

06:22According to its own description,

06:24is a wuxia comedy dong-wa.

06:27In short,

06:28Scissor 7 shines for its distinctive visual style

06:31and for breaking stereotypes,

06:33turning assassination missions into crazy,

06:36heartfelt parodies.

06:38The Daily Life of the Immortal King

06:39is a series based on a novel by Ku Shuan,

06:42broadcast since 2020.

06:45Hailin'er's Animation League

06:46led the animation of the first season,

06:49with subsequent seasons by other studios,

06:51and the Bilibili platform is its main producer and distributor.

06:55The story tells the life of Wang Ling,

06:58a prodigious cultivator who,

07:00since childhood,

07:02has been advancing two levels every two years.

07:05At 16,

07:06he is practically invincible,

07:08but his biggest challenge is leading a normal high school life.

07:11The Daily Life of an Immortal King mixes

07:14xinxia action with everyday humor.

07:17Its success is partly due to its light tone

07:19and the identification with typical teenage problems,

07:23friendships,

07:24studies,

07:25brought into a magical context.

07:26It was very popular on streaming platforms.

07:30It premiered on Billy Billy,

07:31has been available on Netflix since June 2021,

07:35and Crunchyroll even produced an English dub in 2022.

07:38The series stands out for its colorful animation

07:41and its amusing contrast between the omnipotent protagonist

07:45and his mundane situations.

07:47As the references note,

07:49being a genius at cultivation

07:50doesn't make school life easy for Wang Ling,

07:53a hook that has captivated thousands of viewers.

07:56Soul Land is an action fantasy dong-wa

07:59based on a famous novel by Tang Jia San Xiao.

08:02The series follows Tang San,

08:04a young man from a martial clan

08:06who possesses two unique martial souls.

08:09Throughout the story,

08:11Tang San must grow up in a world

08:12where battles depend not only on strength,

08:15but also on strategy.

08:17In fact,

08:18one analysis highlights that Soul Land

08:20rethinks the purpose of its combat.

08:23Fights become puzzles where teamwork

08:24and intelligence often outweigh brute force.

08:28The series was produced by Tencent Animation

08:30and has multiple seasons, 2018 to 2023.

08:35It became a massive hit in China,

08:37attracting millions of viewers

08:39and contributing to the rise

08:41of the digital wuxia genre.

08:43Its characters,

08:43the Seven Demons of Shrek team,

08:46and creative power system

08:47won legions of fans.

08:49Soul Land is especially valued

08:51for its intelligent storytelling.

08:53As one review describes,

08:55characters win or lose,

08:57not because they are stronger,

08:59but because they are better at adapting

09:01or working as a team.

09:03This tactical approach

09:04sets it apart within the genre

09:06and has helped the saga,

09:08including subsequent adaptations

09:09in video games,

09:11become hugely popular

09:12both in China and abroad.

09:14Big Fish and Begonia

09:15is an epic fantasy animated film

09:17released in 2016,

09:20directed by Liang Xian and Zhang Chun.

09:23It was the first collaboration

09:24between Chinese studio B&T,

09:27Beijing and Light,

09:27and South Korean studio Studio Mir.

09:30The plot is inspired

09:31by Chinese mythology.

09:33Chun, a young girl

09:35in a mystical underwater kingdom,

09:37transforms herself

09:38into a red dolphin

09:39to experience the human world

09:41for a week.

09:42There she meets a boy

09:43who dies rescuing her

09:45during a storm.

09:46Devastated,

09:47Chun negotiates

09:48to bring the young man

09:49back to life,

09:51triggering events

09:51that link both worlds

09:53in a sacrifice

09:54of lives and loves.

09:55This film stood out

09:57for its beautiful

09:58hand-drawn animation

09:59with stylistic influences

10:01reminiscent of

10:02studio Ghibli films.

10:04In China,

10:05it grossed around

10:06$85.7 million,

10:08a remarkable success

10:10for a domestic animation.

10:12In addition to its visual appeal,

10:14the film stood out

10:15for its emotional story

10:16of love and sacrifice

10:18and for blending

10:19classic elements

10:20of Chinese culture,

10:21giant fish,

10:22ancestral rituals,

10:23into a modern animation.

10:26Its quality earned

10:27an international distribution,

10:29Netflix and theaters,

10:30and recognition

10:31as one of the great works

10:32of recent Chinese

10:33animated cinema.

10:35N'Zha is a 2019

10:36animated fantasy comedy film

10:39directed by Jiaozi.

10:40The film revisits

10:41the famous mythical character

10:43from Investiture of the Gods,

10:45reimagining him

10:46as a demonic child

10:47banished by fate.

10:49In the plot,

10:50little N'Zha is born

10:51with the destructive powers

10:53of a demonic orb,

10:54causing his people

10:55to reject him.

10:56Despite his curse,

10:58N'Zha struggles

10:59to become a hero

11:00instead of a villain,

11:01facing prophecies

11:02of destruction.

11:03It was produced

11:04by Qingdu Coco Cartoon,

11:06director Jiaozi's

11:07own studio.

11:09The film was

11:09a box office phenomenon.

11:11With a modest budget

11:12of $22 million,

11:14it grossed about

11:15$742.7 million,

11:18becoming the highest

11:19grossing animated film

11:20in China to date.

11:22It was also the first

11:23Chinese animation

11:24to be released

11:24in IMAX format

11:25and broke local

11:27box office records.

11:28It stood out

11:29for its high-quality

11:303D animation,

11:31irreverent humor,

11:33and positive message.

11:35Even someone marked

11:35by an evil destiny

11:37can choose their own path.

11:39In short,

11:40N'Zha combines

11:41Chinese mythology

11:42with modern entertainment,

11:43cementing its reputation

11:44as a classic

11:45of contemporary

11:46Chinese animation.

11:48Heaven Official's Blessing

11:49is a Donghua series

11:50released in 2020,

11:52adapted from another novel

11:53by M.O.

11:55Xiangtongxiao.

11:56The story follows

11:57Xie Lien,

11:58a former prince

11:59turned unfortunate god,

12:01and his mysterious companion,

12:03the powerful

12:04ghost Hua Cheng.

12:05After multiple rises

12:06and falls,

12:08Xie Lien forms

12:09a relationship

12:10with Hua Cheng

12:11full of supernatural

12:12adventures

12:13and romantic drama.

12:14The tone mixes

12:15comedy,

12:16BL romance,

12:17and epic fantasy.

12:18Production.

12:20The first season

12:20was animated

12:21by Hailiners Animation League

12:23and the second

12:24by Red Dog Culture House,

12:25under the supervision

12:26of Billy Billy

12:27as the main producer.

12:29It has been very well received

12:30for its detailed animation

12:32and emotional narrative.

12:34Although there are

12:35no official audience figures,

12:37it was distributed

12:37on Billy Billy

12:38and then on Crunchyroll

12:40and Funimation,

12:41gaining thousands

12:42of subscribers

12:43for its mystical atmosphere.

12:45A brief synopsis

12:46says that

12:46eight centuries

12:47after his fall,

12:49Xie Lien ascends

12:50to heaven

12:50for the third time

12:51and meets

12:52a mysterious ghost king

12:53who has been watching him

12:54for a long time.

12:56Fans highlight

12:56the polished animation

12:58and the chemistry

12:59between the main characters.

13:01Overall,

13:01Heaven Official's Blessing

13:02closes our list

13:03with a very popular anime

13:05among fans of

13:06Shinsha

13:07and fantasy romance

13:08in China.

13:09These were the ten

13:10most notable

13:11Chinese productions,

13:12each with its own magic.

13:14Which one would you like

13:15to see first?

13:16Leave us your opinion

13:17in the comments.

13:18Don't forget to subscribe

13:19for more content

13:20on anime

13:21and animation worldwide.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended