Donghua is gaining popularity in the community of Japanese anime fans. This article examines ten Chinese donghua series with close links and similarities to Japanese anime. The selection of series ranges from travels of heroes and fights of supernatural creatures to heartfelt stories and light moments, so it can still be seen that the Chinese anime market is a diverse and pleasant-to-watch world.
Table of Contents
1. A Will Eternal (Yi Nian Yong Heng)
Plot Summary of A Will Eternal: Bai Xiaochun, clever and quick-tempered, is a loyal friend and keeps family high on his list of priorities. In truth, he has ulterior motives all the time as he is afraid of dying and, in short, desires to live forever. So, to this end, he starts off by lighting the Incense of Immortality, trying to summon the Immortals. Unfortunately, he ends up being hit by lightning numerous times until he meets Master Li Qinghou, who becomes his mentor in the search for magic power.
Similarities of this Chinese Anime to Japanese Anime: Such themes as the fictional search of an innocent character for adventure, fantasies and the personal evolution are seen in A Will Eternal as very often as they are in other lovable anime from Japan. Furthermore, the rose-colored artistic-animation and the reality-based detailed visuals and design in A Will Eternal can be comparable to the best Japanese anime, creating the highest aesthetic pleasure.
2. Dragon Raja (Long Zu)
Plot Summary of Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei had never thought that one day he will lead a peculiar and magnificent life. He usually played with his Starcraft trying to surpass himself in the game. But the mutual achievements he was proud of are nothing compared to his long-time imaginary plans taking a real form as he gets a scholarship for studying in Cassell College, located in Chicago. He, considering that it could be a kind of scam, first grumbles. He is not aware yet that by joining the college his life will completely change because he will be pulled into a series of adventures which will make him or break him. First of all, the mystery of the institute vanishes into the background once he learns about the dragons, and he gets to experience mind-blowing and uninvited adventures.
Similarities to Japanese Anime: Dragon Raja happens to showcase the protagonist being thrown to an entirely different and fantastic realm, to which he must get accustomed to cope with challenging situations. Anime, a very common motif used in Japanese Anime, tells a story when elements like advanced modern cities are introduced to the river monster and not to the high walls of medieval castles. The visually appealing graphics and vibrant action scenes blend seamlessly with the anime of the Japanese genre.
3. The Founder of Diabolism (Mo Dao Zu Shi)
Plot Summary: The Great Master Mo Dao, with his demonic ancestors, easily penetrated to different worlds, and had a completely corrupted way of life similarly far fun too for him, although to the ones who would hold a grudge against him that he then started looting. He then had no option but to fall into dignity when he is being caught to bits by the united clans all together who were going against the fire of the hell, or including his old despicable friend. In their quest to the top, the powerful clans united against him, the most trustworthy and presently most trusted shidi ever was also the one to first betray his master. In the body of a lunatic rejected by the family and then taken by Lan Wangji, the man who hated him and his friend, they start their baffling yet whimsical trip to discover who had a great time raising kids!" Such a scenario may look like it's going to work perfectly for all heroes, space-shakers, and specter-folk. This is the ultimate point of the building of the novel where, despite their mutual mistrust and vainglory, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji team up to find out the secret of life beyond and they even acquire a definitely unlikely and strange relationship as they face demons, ghosts, and the cultivators becoming personal on the way.
Similarities to Japanese Anime: The Founder of Diabolism is a combination of complex character relationships, complex world-building, and a combination of elements that go beyond just action, mystery, and humor which exists in many of the admired series of Japanese anime. The quality of art and animation definitely matches that of the top Japanese anime.
4. Link Click (Shi Guang Dai Li Ren)
Plot Summary: Link Click is about Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang who own a photography studio called "Time Photo Studio" in a modern, opulent city. Their work is far from ordinary, as they use their superpowers to enter their clients' photos and solve puzzles, thus acknowledging the secrets of the world of the secret-service, to the sneakery of rat-finks, stub of the weed, to the finding of the last supper. Every photo has its secret itinerary that they have to follow, bypassing the space-time distortions to be able to understand the way both world and law operate. Each new photo-try with the time portals overlapping with each other, we can see much that doesn’t add up. They appear around the cornice of the building and start their life in a different city. In addition, they embark on a quest of glances, of images and of pure emotions.
Similarities to Japanese Anime: Just like the Japanese anime, Link Click combines such themes as mystery, superpowers, and emotional depth. The idea of jumping inside photos to view different timelines and expose hidden stories is similar to the breathtaking storytelling of the most widely popular anime series. In addition, the detailed animation and engaging visual style of Link Click correspond to the high quality of a typical Japanese animation, just right that an enthusiast would want to watch it.
5. Fighter of the Destiny (Ze Tian Ji)
Plot Summary: In the beginning, a mystical meteor shower occurred which sent a portion of the original meteor to the Eastern continent. There were people who collected around this meteor for the puzzles it carried and the energy it delivered through totems and were tried to understand it. They made The Tradition and found the Way in all this riddle. After a few millennia, Chen Chang Shang, a young man of 14, comes to take his effects back and change his future. The piece of his promise, which he carried to the capital, was the beginning of his becoming an emerging hero.
Similarities to anime series from Japan: The protagonist as a young boy provided the thought of change has been said many times in previous Japanese anime series which is very common. On the other hand, group fighting, scouting, and teamwork are narratives that have been popular in high-quality anime. Meanwhile, the Donghua Fighter of the Destiny has used the color palette typically seen in good quality anime, thus improving the overall watch.
6. The King's Avatar (Quan Zhi Gao Shou)
Plot Summary: Ye Xiu, once the most well-known game expert of Glory, "Heaven's Fighter," was forced to retire. Nevertheless, when the Glory 10th server is released, Ye Xiu re-establishes a new character to stand at the pinnacle with a decade's experience and a considerable amount of self-made weapons. He is resolved to start over and rise up again, with his way back to the top including brutal battles, tactical battles, and seeking his iconoclasm within the environment of Glory.
The King's Avatar has several similarities with Japanese anime; The King’s Avatar is a show whose plot is mainly based on competitive gaming and a storyline that fights a protagonist for his place of redemption, a genre often seen in the Japanese anime segment. It directly connects to some of the main features of the competitive world such as high-action, strategic planning, and character growth, which are common in the anime world too. The film also has high-quality animation and a significant amount of detail, which are common in Japanese anime and provide a visually gratifying experience.
7. Spare Me, Great Lord! (Da Wang Rao Ming)
Plot Summary: The Lawn Mower Man with its plot, tells the story of Shizu as an orphan who becomes human metahuman. As the magic era dawns on humanity, an unwelcomed secret from his past is unveiled. Lü Shu's case is nothing like ordinary orphans who were thrown into a magic world. He is one of the main characters in the story, which focuses on his personal development, the situation he faces in the nation, and his relations with the whole world. Accompanied by his sister, the lovable Lü Xiaoyu, Lü Shu embarks on the journey to explore his miraculous abilities. As they traverse through new reality, they have many supernatural encounters, difficulties, and contacts from some of the most powerful beings in their country. Lü Shu must be made into a suitable wizard and deal with a continuously increasing list of enemies and rivals.
Similarly to Japanese anime: One cast has is a young person endowed with superpowers that must cope with an ongoing social transition, a recurrent theme in fictions in Japanese anime. The combination of personal growth, sibling relationships, and clashes with potent adversaries conveys anime-typical scenarios. The dynamic, eye-catching cinematography and the high-quality animation are just like the style of many Japanese anime, so it makes a good appeal for the fans of the genre.
8. Cinderella Chef (Meng Qi Shi Shen)
Plot Summary: Cooking legend down to an unexpected death, and the result is the dead of her own edibles, to her surprise she found herself in a different body – to the body of the dead woman Misfortune strikes when a renowned chef in her city and finds herself in the body of a dead body in ancient China. She must adopt the ways of ancient life while striving to make use of her culinary skills in her new life. On the other hand, her personal life and the quest for the inner part of her life embody not only the adventure but also a story filled with featured twisted and often surprising outcomes that will permanently alter a person's destiny.
Similarities to Japanese Anime: Cinderella Chef draws inspiration from the Chinese tradition of mixing both ancient and modern elements into one thematic form, a style often found in Japanese isekai where the setting does not change but a character from a different world or different time periods. This story tells the tale of a woman who has a passion for cooking and tries her best to keep her composure as she adapts to a foreign place as well as carries on with her business. In addition, it feels like a confirmation of the belief that anime narratives are composed of features like the main character's hardship being shown through relentless attempts and the utilization of creative ideas. In the same way, by employing strong visual aesthetics and highly-detailed animations, this show turns the novel into a visual story that is no different than Japanese anime.
9. Heaven Official's Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu)
Plot Summary: The Chinese Anime "Heaven Official's Blessing", follows Xie Lian, a heavenly deity who is forced to find his own salvation since he has been sentenced to live among the mortals and to protect them from the demons who haunt them. While guarding the mortal world, Xie Lian ends up linking with a demon and in their process of exorcism they uncover wrongdoings in the heavens. He not only goes through a lot of suffering, heartbreak and difficulties but also poses questions about what divine truly is.
Similarities to Japanese Anime: Heaven Official's Blessing contains themes of gods exercising their powers on earth and demystifying the hidden world of humans and gods like those depicted in countless Japanese anime. The storytelling, together with the development of the characters and the examination of the different worlds, whether they are divine or human ones, are all mirror images of the visual narrative style in some popular anime. On the other hand, the amount of exciting animation and the detailed painting in Heaven Official's Blessing make it an exciting anime to watch as it is. After all, anime that manages in its appearance to overpower strong Japanese anime are also few and far between.
10. Spiritpact (Ling Qi)
You Keika is the ever-decreasing heir of the well-known exorcist family but finds it hard to make ends meet in a world where robotics have flooded all walks of life. His life takes an unexpected twist after passing life just with a not-so-fast speed car racing along a highway. He dies and becomes the ghost of the car's victim. Driven by his aim to save as many human souls as possible, Tanmu Kei comes to his aid and commands You Keika to be his demonic ally. Together, they shape a rare bond and manage to deal with many supernatural challenges that occur.
The Spiritpact series is a combination of a huge paranormal atmosphere with the concept of it being based on storytelling and interaction sharing of the two men. As a regularly occurring phenomenon in Japanese Anime, however, the close relationship between the main characters will give You Keika and Kei the dynamic presence they have. Thus, the animation in Spiritpact is more detailed and stronger, combining the valid actors into a single move to resemble the expressions in the animation series of animes are famous for.
Lastly
Discovering donghua reveals a fresh world of animation for anime fans. The ten Chinese Anime here display the varied storytelling, captivating characters, and striking visuals that Donghua offers. Whether you seek grand adventures, supernatural conflicts, or touching tales, these Chinese Anime provide a rich and enjoyable watching journey.
