Lucky Sahani

Anime

Two traditions, ranked by everyone else.

I watch across both Chinese and Japanese animation, which are far more different than the word "anime" suggests. These are the ten best-regarded of each from my list — ordered by world rating rather than by my taste.

Chinese

Donghua

Cultivation epics, mostly — long runs, and a rating pool far smaller than the Japanese side, which is worth holding in mind when comparing the two columns.

  1. 01Link ClickShiguang Dailiren20218.70196k
  2. 02Lord of MysteriesGuimi Zhi Zhu20258.6186k
  3. 03Grandmaster of Demonic CultivationMo Dao Zu Shi20188.4490k
  4. 04Battle Through the HeavensDoupo Cangqiong: Nian Fan20228.404k
  5. 05Throne of SealShen Yin Wangzuo20228.104k
  6. 06Swallowed StarTunshi Xingkong20208.075k
  7. 07A Will EternalYi Nian Yong Heng20207.986k
  8. 08Soul LandDouluo Dalu20187.9414k
  9. 09Martial UniverseWu Dong Qian Kun S620257.92676
  10. 10The King's AvatarQuanzhi Gaoshou20177.85186k

Japanese

Anime

The canon, more or less. Every one of these is rated by hundreds of thousands of people at minimum.

  1. 01Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood WarBleach: Sennen Kessen-hen20228.98397k
  2. 02Gintama20068.93429k
  3. 03Frieren: Beyond Journey's EndSousou no Frieren S220268.84293k
  4. 04Vinland Saga20198.781091k
  5. 05Haikyuu!!Karasuno vs Shiratorizawa20168.77885k
  6. 06One Piece19998.731556k
  7. 07Attack on TitanShingeki no Kyojin20138.583109k
  8. 08Demon SlayerMugen Train20208.531201k
  9. 09Jujutsu Kaisen20208.492049k
  10. 10Ranking of KingsOusama Ranking20218.48407k

On the numbers

Scores are MyAnimeList, read in September 2026. Where a search resolved to a particular season or film rather than the whole run, that entry is named underneath — and the vote count is there because a 7.92 from a few hundred people is a different claim from an 8.58 from three million.