What’s up fellow Daoists, Sci-Fi nerds, and casual lurkers!

Lately, it feels like we are living in the absolute golden age of Chinese animation. The visual fidelity we’re getting from top studios right now is making standard 2D anime look like a slideshow. But with dozens of weekly, continuous ("year-ban") series running right now, the watchlists are getting bloated.

Whether you are suffering from cultivation fatigue or just looking to branch out, here is a curated breakdown of the Top 10 ONGOING Donghua you should be tracking right now, split strictly by genre.

Traditional Xianxia & Brutal Cultivation

If you like your main characters cutthroat, rational, and surviving on pure grit.

• 1. A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality (RMJI)
  • The Vibe: The gold standard of realistic cultivation. Han Li remains the king of "safety first," running away from fights, and using his brain instead of thick plot armor.
  • Why watch now: The ongoing animation and fight choreography are unmatched. It feels less like a cartoon and more like an epic live-action martial arts film.
• 2. Renegade Immortal (Xian Ni)
  • The Vibe: The anti-RMJI. If Han Li is cautious, Wang Lin is pure, unadulterated ruthlessness.
  • Why watch now: The pacing is lightning fast, and it does not shy away from the brutal, unforgiving nature of the cultivation world. Watch this if you're tired of MCs who forgive their enemies.

Sci-Fi & High-Tech Fantasy

When you want flying swords, but you also want mechas and laser cannons.

• 3. Swallowed Star
  • The Vibe: Earth gets ravaged by monsters; humanity fights back with mech-suits and genetic evolution, eventually moving out into the deep cosmos.
  • Why watch now: Studio Sparkly Key continues to flex their CGI muscle here. The space battles and scale of the universe are genuinely mind-boggling right now.
• 4. Ling Cage: Incarnation (Season 3)
  • The Vibe: Post-apocalyptic dystopia mixed with cosmic horror.
  • Why watch now: One of the most unique narratives in the entire medium. It’s dark, philosophical, and has some of the best monster designs out there.

High-Budget Xuanhuan / Action

Peak hype, massive power scaling, and budget-melting visual effects.

• 5. Battle Through the Heavens (BTTH)
  • The Vibe: The godfather of modern 3D donghua. Xiao Yan is still out here collecting heavenly flames and humbling arrogant sects.
  • Why watch now: Even if the story occasionally hits classic tropes, the continuous weekly release schedule means you always have a high-octane fight waiting for you on the weekend.
• 6. Perfect World
  • The Vibe: Shi Hao fighting literally the entire universe. Non-stop, wall-to-wall hands.
  • Why watch now: If you want intricate dialogue and deep political plotting, look elsewhere. If you want gods getting punched through mountains every single episode with Hollywood-level particle effects, this is your holy grail.
• 7. Apotheosis
  • The Vibe: A masterclass in how to elevate a generic manhua into a visual masterpiece.
  • Why watch now: The character designs, lighting, and fluid hand-to-hand combat choreography put most seasonal shows to absolute shame.

Hidden Gems, Drama & Masterclass Storytelling

For when you actually want incredible plots, deep lore, and actual character development.

• 8. The Demon Hunter
  • The Vibe: Dark fantasy, historical aesthetic, and incredible emotional weight.
  • Why watch now: The ink-wash art style transitions during peak emotional/action beats are breathtaking. It proves 3D donghua can have a distinct artistic soul.
• 9. Tales of Herding Gods
  • The Vibe: An MC raised by a village of eccentric, disabled "villains" who turn out to be legendary powerhouses.
  • Why watch now: It’s incredibly fresh, brilliantly funny, and flips a lot of standard progression tropes entirely on their head.
• 10. Sword of Coming (Jian Lai)
  • The Vibe: High-concept Eastern philosophy meets martial arts.
  • Why watch now: It requires you to actually pay attention to the dialogue and world-building, rewarding you with an insanely rich narrative and spectacular animation.

💬 Let's Argue In The Comments:

1. What did I miss? What sleep-hit ongoing series am I criminal for leaving off this top 10? Drop your recommendations below!