5 Addictive Chinese Anime Fans Will Binge Faster Than Anything Out of Japan

Jun 28, 2026 - 16:16

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5 Addictive Chinese Anime Fans Will Binge Faster Than Anything Out of Japan

Link Click and To Be Hero X Featured Image

Published Jun 28, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny.

Chinese anime, known as donghua, has grown rapidly in recent years, with major titles capturing global attention. Much like Japanese anime, donghua offers stories across all genres and for all age ranges, ensuring that there is a series that appeals to every viewer. Some of these donghua even offer experiences that can rival or even surpass some of Japan’s best titles, making them thrilling and worthwhile stories to discover.

Many of these series have a distinctive identity compared to Japanese anime, often offering different perspectives or approaches and eye-catching styles that aren’t found in Japanese anime. Donghua offers complex storylines and refreshing animation styles that push the boundaries of what animated storytelling can achieve. Some are even so addictive that audiences are almost certain to find themselves sucked into the narrative faster than any anime they’ve watched before.

Link Click

Originally released in 2021, Link Click follows Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, two young men who run a photography studio and have secret special abilities. Cheng Xiaoshi has the power to jump into photos, taking over the body of whoever took the image and exploring the past, while Lu Guang has the ability to see up to 12 hours after the photo was taken, allowing him to act as a guide.

Together, the two take on jobs to solve mysteries and gain information. However, they must be extremely careful not to alter the past, or it could have dire consequences for the present. The series starts off as a series of isolated cases before growing into a larger narrative filled with tragedies and unforeseen twists that test their bond. Audiences who enjoy stories that balance suspense and tension with emotional drama will be immediately drawn into the series.

Link Click captures attention from the very first episode and doesn’t let go, continuously raising the stakes and maintaining momentum to create a truly unforgettable experience. As a story that combines time travel with mystery and high stakes, Link Click stands out as an absolute must-watch that is complemented by its beautiful watercolor-like backgrounds. The series can be streamed fully on Crunchyroll with either subtitles or English dubbing.

The Fated Magical Princess: Who Made Me a Princess

Athanasia from Who Made me a Princess Donghua adaptation

The Fated Magical Princess: Who Made Me a Princess is a new fantasy donghua based on the popular webtoon Who Made Me a Princess. Recently released in late 2025, the series follows a woman who is reborn as Athanasia de Alger Obelia, a princess whose tragic fate ends with her execution by her own father, the cold and distant Emperor Claude. With memories of how her story is destined to play out, Athanasia aims to change her fate and charm her father to avoid her doomed fate.

Using her intelligence and knowledge of future events, Athanasia carefully avoids the circumstances that would ultimately lead to her downfall. The bond she forms with her father, Claude, serves as the emotional backbone of the story, as his icy exterior gradually melts away in response to his affection for his daughter. Paired with other memorable characters like the powerful magician Lucas, Athanasia’s story is filled with meaningful relationships that might just be enough to overwrite her predetermined destiny.

The Fated Magical Princess is perfect for fans of fantasy, drama, and romance, as it effortlessly combines familial and personal bonds while constantly adding stakes and complexity. Athanasia’s effort to overcome her original destiny and understand her immediate family in the process creates momentum that keeps pushing the story forward in unpredictable ways. The series can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

To Be Hero X

To Be Hero X is a superhero donghua released in early 2025, which takes place in a world where power is directly influenced by public trust and belief. Heroes can rise or fall depending on the public’s perception, with their status ranked according to these Trust Values. The story is a non-linear anthology that follows the top ten heroes before a tournament takes place every two years to determine the strongest among them, who will earn the title of “X.”

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The story explores the cost of heroism in a society where heroes’ lives are dictated by corrupt hero agencies and the public, who have the power to influence each hero’s personality and abilities, and if the public’s belief is strong enough, it could even alter their appearances. To Be Hero X doesn’t shy away from exploring the cost of such influence, allowing the story to dip into darker territory.

Fans of superhero anime will find that To Be Hero X is action-packed, comedic, and layered. It stands out for its exploration of power and identity, as well as its unique, experimental visuals that seamlessly blend 3D animation with various 2D styles. The series even added an interactive fan voting feature that determined the characters’ in-universe Trust Values and ranking. The series can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

Battle Through the Heavens

Battle Through the Heavens is a 3D-animated series, first released in 2017, adapted from a cultivation fantasy novel. It takes place in a world where strength determines status and survival, and centers on Xiao Yan, a once-promising martial artist who loses his abilities and becomes an outcast within his own clan. His downfall is marked by public humiliation when his engagement is broken, leaving him to fall further to the bottom of the hierarchy.

However, rather than falling into despair, Xiao Yan rebuilds his cultivation through disciplined training after discovering Yao Lao, a spirit that resides within a ring left by his mother. The narrative gradually expands as he grows into a powerful fighter, with large-scale conflicts and escalating power tiers. While the donghua debuted in 2017, many fans advise skipping this first season due to outdated animation and story deviations, and to instead begin with the 2022 3-part remake Battle Through the Heavens: Origin.

The series is built around continuous advancement, ensuring that it is full of high-stakes confrontations and conflict. Anime fans who enjoy power fantasy will enjoy what Battle Through the Heavens has to offer and may find a new love for 3D animated series. The donghua can be streamed for free on YouTube through Yuewen Animation English, or it can be bought digitally on Amazon Prime.

Renegade Immortal

Renegade Immortal was released in 2023 and is a 3D-animated series adapted from a popular web novel. The story follows Wang Lin, a young man who is born with limited talent, yet must survive in a brutal cultivation war where strength and resilience are necessary. Unlike traditional narratives and protagonists, Wang Lin begins his journey at a severe disadvantage and faces tragedy and betrayal, with a storyline that is known for its dark, gritty elements.

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Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) became one of the most-watched anime on Crunchyroll. The story takes place in a world where humanity lives behind massive walls to protect themselves from giant humanoid creatures. What are these creatures called?

AKaiju BTitans CHollows DDemons

✓ Correct! The giant humanoid creatures are called Titans. In the original Japanese, they’re referred to as “Kyojin” (giants). Eren Yeager’s quest to destroy all Titans after they breach Wall Maria became one of the most gripping storylines in anime history.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Titans. Kaiju are giant monsters from Japanese cinema like Godzilla, Hollows are the enemy creatures in Bleach, and Demons appear in series like Demon Slayer. In Attack on Titan, these towering humanoid creatures are specifically called Titans.

Studio MAPPA has become one of the most prominent anime studios in recent years, producing several massive hit series. Which of these popular anime was NOT produced by MAPPA?

AJujutsu Kaisen BAttack on Titan: The Final Season CChainsaw Man DDemon Slayer

✓ Correct! Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) is produced by ufotable, not MAPPA. Ufotable’s stunning animation quality — especially the breathtaking fight sequences — became a hallmark of the Demon Slayer franchise. MAPPA produced Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and Chainsaw Man.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Demon Slayer. Demon Slayer is animated by studio ufotable, renowned for its gorgeous visual effects. MAPPA has produced Jujutsu Kaisen, took over Attack on Titan: The Final Season from WIT Studio, and animated Chainsaw Man.

Solo Leveling became a massive hit anime in 2024 after being one of the most popular manhwa (Korean comics) in the world. The story follows a weak hunter who gains the unique ability to level up. What is the protagonist’s name?

AJin-Woo Sung BSung Jin-Woo CKim Dokja DYoo Joonghyuk

✓ Correct! Sung Jin-Woo is the protagonist of Solo Leveling. Originally the weakest E-Rank hunter, he gains the power of the mysterious System, allowing him to level up infinitely. His transformation from the “World’s Weakest Hunter” to the most powerful Shadow Monarch captivated millions of readers and viewers.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Sung Jin-Woo. Jin-Woo Sung reverses the name order (Korean names place the surname first). Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk are protagonists from Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, another popular Korean series. Sung Jin-Woo is the iconic Shadow Monarch of Solo Leveling.

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrate the best in anime each year. Which anime won Anime of the Year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards?

AJujutsu Kaisen Season 2 BFrieren: Beyond Journey’s End COshi no Ko DVinland Saga Season 2

✓ Correct! Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End won Anime of the Year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. This beautifully contemplative series about an elven mage reflecting on mortality and the passage of time after her hero party’s quest ends charmed audiences and critics alike with its unique, introspective storytelling.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. While Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi no Ko, and Vinland Saga Season 2 were all critically acclaimed, it was Frieren’s meditative exploration of time, memory, and connection that captured the top prize at the 2024 ceremony.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is consistently rated as one of the greatest anime of all time. The story follows two brothers who attempted a forbidden alchemical technique. What taboo did Edward and Alphonse Elric commit?

ACreating gold BHuman transmutation (trying to revive their dead mother) CDestroying a Philosopher’s Stone DKilling a homunculus

✓ Correct! Edward and Alphonse attempted human transmutation to bring their deceased mother back to life. The attempt failed catastrophically — Edward lost his left leg and then sacrificed his right arm to bind Alphonse’s soul to a suit of armor. This event drives the entire series as they search for the Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is human transmutation — specifically, attempting to resurrect their dead mother. In the world of FMA, human transmutation is the ultimate taboo in alchemy. The brothers’ failed attempt cost Edward his limbs and Alphonse his entire body, setting the stage for their epic journey.

Spy x Family became a worldwide phenomenon with its wholesome yet action-packed story of a found family. The father, Loid Forger, is secretly a spy. What is his spy codename?

AAgent Dusk BTwilight CShadow DNightfall

✓ Correct! Loid Forger’s spy codename is Twilight, and he’s considered the top agent of Westalis’s intelligence service, WISE. His mission, Operation Strix, requires him to build a fake family — leading him to adopt the telepathic Anya and marry the assassin Yor, creating one of anime’s most beloved found families.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Twilight. Agent Dusk and Shadow are fictional names, while Nightfall is actually the codename of another WISE agent, Fiona Frost, who has a crush on Loid. Twilight is Westalis’s greatest spy and the heart of Spy x Family’s charming story.

Crunchyroll merged with another major anime streaming service to become the dominant platform for anime. Which streaming service was absorbed into Crunchyroll?

ANetflix Anime BFunimation CHIDIVE DAnimeLab

✓ Correct! Funimation was merged into Crunchyroll after Sony’s acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T in 2021. The merger consolidated the anime streaming market, bringing Funimation’s massive library of dubbed anime together with Crunchyroll’s simulcast catalog, making Crunchyroll the world’s largest dedicated anime platform.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is Funimation. Netflix Anime is part of Netflix and operates independently, HIDIVE is Sentai Filmworks’ streaming service, and AnimeLab was a smaller Australian service. Funimation — once Crunchyroll’s biggest rival — was fully absorbed into the Crunchyroll platform.

Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli are legendary in the anime world. Miyazaki’s final film was released in 2023 and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. What is the title of this film?

ASpirited Away 2 BThe Wind Rises CThe Boy and the Heron DPonyo Returns

✓ Correct! The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka) was released in 2023 and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2024. The deeply personal, surrealist fantasy film was widely considered Miyazaki’s farewell masterpiece, exploring themes of grief, imagination, and the passage between worlds.

✗ That answer needs more filler training! The answer is The Boy and the Heron. Spirited Away 2 and Ponyo Returns don’t exist. The Wind Rises was Miyazaki’s previous “final” film from 2013. The Boy and the Heron marked his true farewell, winning the Oscar and cementing his legacy as anime’s greatest storyteller.

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Wang Lin is forced to bend his morals and become a cultivator who will do evil deeds in the name of protecting those closest to him. He develops a ruthless, strategic, unemotional thought pattern that further corrodes his moral compass. Renegade Immortal is a fast-paced series that does not hesitate to explore darkness and the cost of power, war, and violence. The storyline also does not hesitate to explore the consequences of each decision, with victories often coming at a high personal cost.

The tone gradually escalates, and the story’s central appeal comes from its raw, realistic portrayal of survival in a harsh world. With an exploration of psychological transformation and a morally complex protagonist, Renegade Immortal is a gripping series for those who enjoy uncompromising stories. The series can be streamed on Crunchyroll.