Romance is not for everyone. Personally, I find the constant array of happy ever after storylines a bit of a drag. Luckily for us non romantics, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Donghua uses Chinese myth, legends, and history to create stories that are often hidden gems.
Table of Contents
The list of 11 Donghua meet the requirements of no romance. So, without any further ado, let’s begin our list.
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Table of Content
11. Heibai Wushong (The Unparalleled Black and White)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
13/20 |
5/10 |
7/10 |
25/40 |
Shuangsheng Lingtan is based on the story of the Chinese Grim Reaper. When someone dies, their spirits arrive at Fenghu City to be sorted into good and bad by Worries. The Worries work in pairs, one wearing Black and one wearing White.
Xiaohei and Xiaobai are two young Worries, who prefer to mess around than do their job. Their role is to help keep balance between the worlds of the living and the dead when they can be bothered to do it. However, despite being layabouts they still want to become the strongest Worries they can be.
Unfortunately, weak characters spoil this donghua. The brothers have unstable emotions–resulting in decisions that make no sense at all.
10. Duan Nao (Die Now)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
16/10 |
5/10 |
7/10 |
28/40 |
The Cerebrum Universe is made up of a massive number of universes, also called the Telencephalon Cosmos. In case anyone is wondering, these are the control parts of the human brain.
At the beginning of the story, several killings take place which act as a catalyst that begins to show the secrets hidden within this massive universe. The story covers everything from betrayal, full on galaxy wars, hidden conspiracies, and sacrifices.
When faced with their own weakness, humanity has no choice but to make a final stand for survival.
9. Xiyouji Zhi Dasheng Guilai (Monkey King: Hero Is Back)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
16/10 |
5/10 |
7/10 |
28/40 |
The Monkey King is a classic figure in Chinese Storytelling. The Monkey King, Sun Wukong is known for his mischief whose actions annoyed the Gods who banished him to a prison of ice within a mountain as punishment for his ways.
500 years later, monsters attack a village, and a child monk named Liuer runs to the mountains to escape, taking a baby girl with him. In doing so, the Liuer accidently releases the Monkey King back into the world. Although his powers are reduced due to his time in the ice cage and a Buddha’s Seal put on him by the gods, Sun Wukong goes on an adventure with Liuer to rescue children taken so trolls can gain magical powers.
Joined by Pigsy¸ who Sun Wukong turned into a pig after beating him in a fight, the group embarks on a quest to defeat the trolls and save the children.
8. Zhen Hun Jie (Rakshasa Street)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
13/10 |
7/10 |
8/10 |
28/40 |
Rakshasa Street is also known as Requiem Street, a place where evil spirits are disposed of. For over 1,000 years the street has been under the protection of the Cao family, headed by General Cao. All is well until General Cao and his wife disappeared and did not come back. Now the protection of the street is left to their sons, Cao Bing, and Cao Xuan Ling.
On Rakshasa Street, spirits and humans can live together, but only humans who are Rare Soul Users are able to come to the street, with their Guardian Spirits. One day Xia Ling, a normal university student, has a chance meeting with Cao Bing and Cao Xuan Ling and her life changes.
7. Shao Nian Ge Xing
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
14/10 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
30/40 |
Also known as the Great Journey of Teenagers, this story follows the main characters on their journey to find their place in the world. Set in the world of Beili, the story picks up 12 years after the world was attacked by a Demonic Cult who, following their victory, agreed to stay away for 12 years. Well, now that the 12 years is up, the demons are back!
Xiao Se and Lei Wu Jie meet by chance during a commotion with bandits, Xia Se’s inn is destroyed by Lei Wu Jie. Now indebted to Xia Se for the damages to his inn, Lei Wu Jie suggests they head to Snow Moon City to enable him to get some money from the rich and powerful Jiang Nan Lei family. Travelling together they are attacked by assassins looking for a Golden Coffin and get into many adventures before they reach their destination.
6. Shuangsheng Lingtan (Twin Spirit Investigators)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
17/20 |
6/10 |
7/10 |
30/40 |
Shuangsheng Lingtan is the story of twin brothers, Xiaotu and Xiaohu who are investigators of the supernatural. The brothers live by a motto that there is always more to the world than meets the eye!
They take on a job which should be an easy case of haunting a pair of twins, but it did not go as well as they hoped. Investigating the haunting of twins, you might say they should have seen this coming but following their investigation, Xiaotu and Xiaohu suddenly became the new targets of the malicious spirit.
As their case becomes more complicated, they must tread carefully down a path filled with hardships and danger to uncover the secrets the spirits are hiding.
5. Wan Jie Shen Zhu
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
17/20 |
7/10 |
7/10 |
31/40 |
Ye Chen was onto a good thing! An ancient god who fell from his place in the world of the gods, he finds himself in a world where although peaceful, the strong can become powerful. The world is made up of hundreds of countries and thousands of states, where the powerful rule.
Ye Chen spends hundreds of years establishing himself and his power, to the point that many think that such a thing is a legend. However, the world of the gods begins to move closer and closer to his world and his peaceful life is shattered as he is forced into battles against the other gods to preserve his own legend and status.
4. Quan Zhi Gao Shou (King’s Avatar)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
18/20 |
7/10 |
6/10 |
31/40 |
Ye Xiu was an outstanding online gamer, with sponsors and a team until he retires. Though he’s already working at an internet café, and no longer plays under his old character. He was actually the legendary player behind ‘Battle God’ account in an online game called Glory.
When Glory launches its 10th Server, he is drawn back to the game but as a new character called Lord Grim. He soon gains the interest of other players for his unusual skill levels for a newbie. Now without his sponsors and old team, Ye Xiu starts again, forming a new team of talented new players and continues his journey through Glory until he reaches God’s Summit at the peak of the game.
3. Wu Geng Ji
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
18/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
34/40 |
When the current Emperor of the Shang Dynasty, Zi Zhou refuses to submit to the Will of the Gods as it is hurting his people, the god’s are not happy. Zhan Ge, who serves the god’s for his own purposes, is sent to deal with the matter.
The Wu Jifa, Emperor of the land bordering that of the Shang people, undertakes a crusade to punish Zi Zhou for his disobedience. Outnumbered and overwhelmed, the Shang are about to fall when Zhan Ge enters the battle on their behalf.
As he rides towards Wu Jifa, easily breaking through his defences, it looks as though Zhan will succeed in his mission to protect the Shang. Suddenly a god descends from Heaven, landing in front of him and victory may not be as easy as he hoped.
2. Doupo Cangqiong (Battle Through the Heavens)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
18/20 |
8/10 |
8/10 |
34/40 |
Doupo Cangqiong is a world where the rules created by the strong are considered the law. A land without magic, a person’s ability to cultivate and use their Dou-Qi will set their place in life. A person who has reached the higher ranks of Dou-Qi, will be more powerful than those of lower ranks.
Xiao Yan was a prodigy until he no longer was. All his power disappeared when he was 11 years old. Scorned by everyone he knows, and threatened with eviction from his clan. Xia Yan then decides to take his destiny into his own hands.
He vows he will no longer be seen as trash, and he will find a way to regain power and become an expert in cultivation. Battle Through the Heavens is the story of an underdog who refuses to accept his place in society and will not allow his life to be determined by the opinions of others.
1. Douluo Dalu (Soul Land)
| Plot |
Character Writing |
Animation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
17/20 |
8/10 |
9/10 |
34/40 |
Tian San is a prodigy of the Tang Outer Sect. He is unmatched in his use of the disciplines and is on the path to greatness. That is until he gets greedy and follows forbidden lore that speeds up his ascension.
Reaching the pinnacle of knowledge, he throws himself from Hells Peak to end his life, except it does not work. Tian is reincarnated into a world where innate spirits possess people. The strongest become Spirit Masters and are nobility.
Now the son of a blacksmith, Tian takes the Spirit Master test at the age of 6 and is possessed by a Blue Silver Grass Spirit, a lame spirit to have. However, despite this, his control of spirit power is strong and helped by memories of his past life he works at becoming a powerful Spirit Master.
This anime has amazing art and one of the best fight sequences ever, so I highly recommend this!
Which Donghua Have You Read? Do You Think Is The Best?
Chinese Donghua is less known than Japanese anime but that does not mean it should be ignored. Its stories are based on myths and legends from Chinese folklore which, in itself, is fascinating. It is worth watching and will give you a look into the ancient stories of China through anime style stories. I recommend giving donghua a chance, you may find new stories and characters to invest in.
