Beginner Donghua Show Recommendations
Many people believe that there isn’t much interesting Chinese content available. They often compare it to popular East Asian languages like Japanese and Korean. However, this belief is far from true. There is actually a wealth of compelling Chinese content out there.
The challenge is that much of it is less known in the Western world. A lot of this content hasn’t even been translated into English. This makes it hard to find and even harder to be aware of, especially if your Chinese skills aren’t strong enough to navigate the Chinese internet.
For beginners, searching for Chinese content online can be daunting. That’s why I’m writing this article—to help you discover great resources.
I have spent about 3000 hours learning Mandarin Chinese over the past 20 months. According to Refold’s guidelines, I reached Stage 3 in just 15 months. During this time, I have:
- Watched numerous Chinese dramas and donghua (Chinese animation)
- Listened to podcasts
- Read manhua, web novels, and novels
I’ve explored a lot of Chinese content, even when my language skills were limited. Donghua, in particular, has become one of my favorite ways to immerse myself in the language. I hope this post will help you save time and avoid some of the frustrations I faced while searching for good content.
Here are my top donghua recommendations for beginners. These selections are easy to understand yet engaging enough to keep your interest.
Lan Mo’s Flower (蓝漠的花)
- Country: Mainland China
- Season Available: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Matching Subs: Yes
Lan Mo is not your typical girl. She’s gluttonous and a bit of a tomboy. But everything changes when she finds a magical hair clip in a mysterious trinket shop. The shop vanishes the next day, leaving her with a powerful secret.
With the hair clip, Lan Mo can transform into a beautiful and feminine young lady. This new look might finally catch the attention of her childhood friend and crush, Liu Yifeng.
However, keeping the clip’s secret is not easy. She faces challenges from:
- Liu Yifeng’s many admirers
- A mysterious stranger named Xia An
As Lan Mo navigates these complications, she begins to wonder if her possession of the hair clip is more than just a coincidence.
Lan Mo’s Flower is an older animation by donghua standards. However, it remains one of the best choices for beginners.
Here’s why it’s a great fit:
- Simple Story: The narrative is sweet and easy to follow.
- Daily Life Vocabulary: It uses vocabulary that beginners can understand.
- Short Episodes: The show is brief, making it easy to watch.
- Standard Romance Plot: The story is straightforward and relatable.
While experienced learners might find the storytelling too simple and the animation a bit dated, Lan Mo’s Flower is perfect for those who want something more mature than children’s shows like Peppa Pig. It offers a great balance of comprehensibility and engaging content.
Spicy Girl (麻辣女配)
- Country: Mainland China
- Season Available: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Matching Subs: Yes
Since childhood, Su Xiao has often been pushed aside. Her frightening aura makes people wary of her. Now, as an actress, she finds herself typecast in villain roles.
One day, she crosses paths with Xiao Jian. He is a well-known investor and actor.
While watching a scene between Su Xiao and his manager, he decides to take action. To keep him quiet, Su Xiao signs a contract with him.
I started watching this donghua with some skepticism. I expected it to be just another cheesy romance show filled with fanservice.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. Spicy Girl quickly became one of my favorites in the donghua slice-of-life category. Here’s why:
- Well-Written Characters: The characters feel real and relatable.
- Engaging Plot: The story keeps you interested from start to finish.
- Solid Animation Quality: The visuals are impressive and enjoyable to watch.
These elements make the show easy to binge-watch, even for beginners.
Plus, the opening and ending songs are catchy. You might find yourself humming the tunes long after an episode ends!
Start to Be a Star Today (今天开始做明星)
- Country: Mainland China
- Season Available: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Matching Subs: Yes
Qin Ze is a young man starting university. He has always been a talented singer. However, after a traumatic experience, he can no longer sing in public.
One day, his twin sister, Qin Ya, who is a popular singer, changes everything. She asks Qin Ze to step in for her.
This moment could change his life forever.
Start to Be A Star Today is a donghua that I approached with low expectations. I was wary after reading the synopsis. Shows with similar themes often fall into predictable, clichéd traps.
However, this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Here’s what I liked about it:
- The plot was well-handled.
- It had genuine humor in the right moments.
- There was enough heart to keep viewers invested.
- The ending was satisfying and mature.
- The animation is among the best in the slice-of-life genre.
Overall, I came away more than satisfied with the show.
Twin Spirit Detectives (双生灵探)
- Country: Mainland China
- Season Available: 1
- Difficulty: Medium
- Matching Subs: Yes
There is always more to the world than meets the eye.
This is the motto of twin brothers Xiaotu and Xiaohu. They are paranormal investigators. For them, what terrifies others is just another day at work.
Usually, they can separate their daily lives from their job. However, everything changes when they investigate a haunting involving a pair of twins.
During this investigation, they experience a series of bizarre events that challenge their understanding of the supernatural. Suddenly, they find themselves becoming targets of the hauntings.
It’s a journey that will test their beliefs and their bond as brothers.
Twin Spirit Detectives is a bit more challenging than the three shows mentioned earlier. However, I found it easy to follow as a beginner. It was so engaging that I ended up binge-watching it in one night.
Here are some key points about the show:
- The vocabulary is mostly everyday language.
- The crime and mystery terms are clear and easy to understand in context.
Even though it was produced in 2014, the animation quality stands out. It is still better than many current animations worldwide.
The soundtrack and atmosphere are exceptional. The sound direction shines, especially in the horror scenes.
- Long, drawn-out drones build suspense.
- Intense sound effects and orchestrated crescendos heighten the tension.
In these moments, Twin Spirit Detectives can be genuinely frightening.
So, if you’re easily scared, be cautious! Don’t make the same mistake I did by watching it in the middle of the night.
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