Summary
Anime has been a big part of the entertainment world for ages. With every new series, there’s always something fresh that takes the whole anime scene to the next level, raising what some might call the ‘standard.’ While most people think of Japan when they hear ‘anime,’ that’s not really the case anymore,especially with certain animegetting super popular thanks to Korean manhwa likeSolo LevelingandNoblesse.
There’s one type of animation that doesn’t get nearly as much love as anime typically does, even though it has some of the best stories and the most amazing animation out there — donghua. Donghua is basically anime that comes from China and usually features Chinese culture and traditions. While they are similar to anime in plenty of aspects, donghua comes in a variety of styles and concepts, sometimes making it even more diverse in terms of animation and storytelling.
2021
Episodes
11
Link Clickis a 2021supernatural mysterydonghua that stands out for having one of the most unique premises on this list. What makes it so different, not just from other donghua but also from most anime, is how it handles classic supernatural tropes like time travel and parapsychology in a fresh, non-generic way. The story follows two friends who run a shop called Time Photo Studio, where they take photographs from customers and essentially step into them to complete a specific task the said customer asks for.
The main characters, Cheng Xiaoshi, and Lu Guang, have strange abilities tied to time manipulation and altering reality. Cheng Xiaoshi can travel back in time by entering a photograph and possessing the body of someone in it, while Lu Guang has the power to read the photo and predict the exact events that will occur within 12 hours of when it was taken. Together, they use these abilities to help people resolve their regrets and find closure.
2018
26
Donghua may be categorized as a bunch of Chinese animated series, but they aren’t strictly classified as anime either — mainly because they aren’t always in 2D. In fact, some of the most popular donghua right now are 2.5D or fully 3D animated, breaking the mold of what ‘normal’ anime usually looks like.Soul Landis a 2018 donghua based on a web novel, that can be considered a standout example of such a series, considering the fact that it is fully done in 3D animation rather than the conventional 2D one.
Soul Landis an isekai storythat revolves around traditional Chinese martial arts. It follows the journey of a man who loses his life after obtaining forbidden knowledge, something that inevitably leads to punishment and death. After acting on his impulses and doing the unimaginable, he takes his own life, thinking he’s lived enough. But instead of finding peace, he’s reincarnated in a strange new world, inhabiting the body of a 6-year-old child with the power to control supernatural beings known as spirits.
2020
15
The Daily Life of the Immortal Kingis a 2020 donghua that shifts its narrative from being solely action to incorporating a little slice-of-life and comedy elements. It follows the story of Wang Ling, a seemingly normal 16-year-old high schooler whose biggest challenge right now is — well, high school. While that is mostly true, Wang Ling has a little secret that makes him different from average students: he’s practically invincible, with powers far beyond anyone’s comprehension.
At just six years old, he managed to defeat the demon king, and his powers have only gotten stronger since then. But, even with all his unbeatable strength and being the reincarnation of theuniverse’s most powerful being, his biggest problem and the only thorn in his side is high school — which apparently is harder than any legendary feat he’s done before.
2016
20
Spiritpactis a 2016 donghua based on a manhua of the same name that extensively incorporates spirit mastery themes in its premise — like a lot of other major donghua. It follows the story of two unlikely people brought together by unexpected circumstances whosesurvival is contingent on each other.
You Keika is a seemingly ordinary man with a seemingly ordinary life. He isn’t very financially stable and spends most of his time on part-time jobs to make as much money as he can. But then, as if things can’t get any worse, he dies in an accident and comes back as a spirit. That’s when he meets an exorcist who offers him a deal — he’ll keep You safe from humans, and in return, You has to help him deal with spirits.
2017
12
Anime that focuses on video games tends to lean into the whole isekai theme, where themain character gets transported into the gameworld — thinkOverlord,No Game No Life, andSword Art Online. That’s the usual route. But what’s less common is a story about the main character staying in the real world and going through an esports journey instead.
The King’s Avataris unique in that way. It’s a 2017 donghua based on the web novel of the same name, and there’s no fantasy twist of being sucked into the game world. Instead, it’s all about an esports player’s fall from grace and his grind to make a comeback, starting from zero in the massively popular online game Glory.
For those looking for a very hardcore donghua that focuses heavily on action and sci-fi,Swallowed Starmight be a very solid pick. It’s a 2020 3D donghua set in a very futuristic post-apocalyptic world with physically advanced humans and gigantic monsters on the loose. But, like most Donghua,Swallowed Starkeeps martial arts at the heart of its storydespite the sci-fi backdrop.
The show follows the story of Luo Feng, a recently graduated high-schooler who wishes to become a warrior in their calamity-ridden world. Their world has been hit by a virus known as RR virus that kills humans and turns other living forms into violently mutated creatures. These warriors are the only line of defense humans have against the mutated creatures and Luo Feng is prepared to lay his life down to become a part of them. What he doesn’t realize is, he might be even more important in the grand scheme of things than he realizes.
2019
God Troubles Meis a 2019 donghua that’s perfect for new donghua fans, especially with how laid-back and fun it is. Even though it leans heavily into a fantasy plot, nothing about it feels overly complex or hard to follow. It’sbasically a slice-of-life comedyfeaturing three totally unexpected characters who find themselves in a weird living situation — kind of like a sitcom.
The story centers on Su Moting, a half-monster, half-god who’s stuck with only the human traits from both parents. Her very non-human folks, wanting her to become more self-sufficient, decide to kick her out so she can hopefully learn some independence. This kicks off her journey as an independent person, which leads to her living with two even stranger roommates: an introverted cat monster and a super dramatic god who seriously lacks social awareness.
