10 Donghua To Sink Your Teeth Into This Halloween

6–9 minutes

10 Donghua To Sink Your Teeth Into This Halloween

I need to talk about donghua, specifically eerie donghua.

Chinese animation has been quietly producing atmospheric, unsettling, and genuinely creative work that Western audiences often ignore simply because it isn’t Japanese anime. That’s a mistake. Donghua approaches supernatural horror and dark fantasy with distinct aesthetic sensibilities rooted in Chinese mythology, and this Halloween is the perfect time to see what you’ve been missing.

What exactly is donghua?

The word donghua simply means “animation from China,” just as anime refers to animation from Japan. The two industries evolved separately, shaped by different cultural storytelling traditions. The medium’s potential for horror, however, is equally rich, and often overlooked.

Chinese horror thrives on the intersection of folklore, philosophy, and atmosphere. Where Japanese horror leans toward psychological dread and surrealism, Chinese horror often grounds itself in morality, balance, and spirits that mirror human failings.

10 Eerie Donghua To Sink Your Teeth Into

I am realising my lists, even though only featuring 10 series, get a tad long. I thought I would provide a table of contents for those who don’t want to do a lot of reading.

The below goes into detail for each anime, like its genre, darkness rating, what it is about and why the donghua made this list.

Darkness Rating Guide:

Deeply haunting – Emotional dread and lingering unease.
Disturbing themes – Mature, psychological, or violent content.
Quietly chilling – Atmospheric and melancholic rather than graphic.

Link Click [时光代理人 / Shiguang Dailiren]

Genre: Psychological thriller, supernatural mystery
Darkness rating: Deeply haunting

Cheng Xiaoshi from Link Click holding a phone, looking tense against a brick wall backdrop in a suspenseful urban scene. A young man with spiky white hair holds a phone to his ear, displaying a concerned expression. He stands inside a room with exposed brick walls and a green window, hinting at a dramatic moment. A young man with spiky white hair holds a phone to his ear, displaying a concerned expression. He stands inside a room with exposed brick walls and a green window, hinting at a dramatic moment.

Available on Crunchyroll and BiliBili.

It begins as a time-travel mystery and deepens into something far darker. Two men run a photo studio that allows clients to revisit moments from the past, but tampering with memory comes at a cost.

The show’s melancholy quickly turns unsettling as each case reveals the weight of regret and consequence. Link Click’s use of colour to distinguish timelines is masterful, and the tension builds naturally into something chilling.

White Snake & Green Snake

Genre: Dark fantasy, tragic romance
Darkness rating: Deeply haunting

Xiaobai and Ah Xuan standing under falling leaves with a glowing teal lantern from White Snake: The Origin.

Available on hoopla and Netflix.

These two companion films reimagine classic Chinese legends with breath taking animation. The love between a snake demon and a human man becomes a story about identity, reincarnation, and the violence born from fear.

Their visual beauty hides a deep melancholy, reflections on love, loss, and the monstrousness of prejudice. White Snake introduces the myth, while Green Snake follows with vengeance and self-discovery.

Fog Hill of Five Elements [雾山五行]

Genre: Dark fantasy, mythic horror
Darkness rating: Deeply haunting

Wu Shan, the Fire Envoy from Fog Hill of the Five Elements, with glowing cyan eyes and ethereal wings against a misty night sky. An ethereal character with long, spiky hair and pointed ears, depicted against a dark, mystical background. The character has glowing blue eyes and the wings partially visible, suggesting a supernatural theme for an eerie donghua,

Available on bilibili.

One of the most visually stunning donghua ever made. Warriors harness elemental powers to defend humanity from monsters, and every frame looks like a moving painting.

The short first season feels like a fever dream, elegant, haunting, and full of implied menace. The monsters are beautiful and grotesque, their presence always hinting at something larger lurking behind the mist.

Rakshasa Street [镇魂街]

Genre: Supernatural action, horror
Darkness rating: Deeply haunting

Xia Ling standing before the ghostly gates of Rakshasa Street under a violet sky. A character stands at the entrance of a dark alley, framed by an ornate archway, with a purple-tinted sky and misty surroundings adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Available on bilibili and Rakuten Viki.

A world where spirits linger and chosen guardians protect humanity. Rakshasa Street draws heavily from Chinese history and mythology, creating a spirit realm that feels both epic and eerie.

Each confrontation is beautifully choreographed, but the atmosphere, that sense of decay and divine order collapsing, is what stays with you.

Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire [烈火浇愁 / Lie Huo Jiao Chou]

Genre: Supernatural investigation, horror
Darkness rating: Disturbing themes

Shen La confronting Duanmu in a dark ritual scene surrounded by glowing spirit chains and talismanic symbols from Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire. A dark fantasy scene from a donghua, featuring a ghostly figure bound by chains and a character holding a weapon, set against an atmospheric blue backdrop with mysterious symbols.

Available on Crunchyroll and BiliBili.

Part supernatural investigation, part moral allegory. Firefighters who can see and combat demons protect a city haunted by unseen forces.

The muted colour palette and heavy linework build an oppressive, almost noir mood. Each case blends emotional resonance with genuine horror imagery.

If this caught your eye, I’ve done a fist five episode breakdown of its haunting world, exploring how grief, guilt, and desire drive its supernatural narrative and you can read it here, Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire: Episode-by-Episode Impressions and Future Expectations

Ling Cage (灵笼)

Genre: Post-apocalyptic horror, psychological
Darkness rating: Disturbing themes

Mark and Ai Liang aiming their guns in a tense underground standoff from Ling Cage, set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters. A tense scene from a Chinese animated series featuring two characters, one with silver hair aiming a handgun and another with dark hair and a serious expression, both prepared for action in a dimly lit environment.

Available on BiliBili

Humanity survives on a massive airborne fortress while monstrous creatures dominate the wasteland below. What begins as dystopian survival horror evolves into existential dread as the truth about the world’s collapse emerges.

The body horror and psychological weight make this one of the bleakest donghua available. It asks uncomfortable questions about what remains human when survival demands monstrosity.

Since the Red Moon Appeared (从红月开始 / Cong Hong Yue Kaishi)

Genre: Dystopian supernatural horror, psychological thriller
Darkness rating: Disturbing and relentless

Lu Xin from Since the Red Moon Appeared staring ahead with calm determination under dim red-tinged light, reflecting the psychological horror and dystopian tone of the series. A close-up of a young male character from a donghua, featuring short, styled hair and a serious expression against a dark background.

Available on DonghuaStream.

When the Red Moon Incident struck, it didn’t just scar the sky, it rewrote reality. Those whose minds mutated emit a corrosive plague of thought and fear, draining hope from the living. Inside the sealed city walls, a special agency recruits those who can master their own twisted energy, tasked with cleaning up the contamination before it consumes everything. Our protagonist, Lu Xin, signs up for the most dangerous division, because staying safe means doing the impossible.

This is horror boiled down to pure survival: claustrophobic walls, untrustworthy minds, and a red moon that watches. It’s perfect for a Halloween night when you want that uneasy churn of dread, the kind that keeps you glancing over your shoulder long after the credits roll.

Fairies Albums (Bai Yao Pu)

Genre: Supernatural mystery, dark fantasy
Darkness rating: Quietly chilling

Tao Yao from Fairies Albums resting her chin on her hand with a knowing smile in a softly lit room, reflecting the donghua’s quiet supernatural mystery. A character from a donghua with dark hair and a contemplative expression, resting her chin on her hand in a dimly lit room.

Available on bilibili and YouTube.

Each story unfolds like a forgotten folk tale. A travelling doctor records the lives of spirits and mortals in his “Fairies Album,” uncovering the grief that binds them. What begins as compassion for the supernatural becomes a haunting reflection on guilt, memory, and the fragile line between love and obsession.

Fairies Albums thrives on atmosphere rather than jump scares. Its soft, painterly style contrasts with the tragedy of its tales, turning quiet moments into something profoundly unsettling. It’s the kind of horror that lingers not in shadows, but in the ache of empathy, a perfect companion for long, reflective nights.

X&Y (Aiyou de Mishi / 爱幽的密室)

Genre: Psychological mystery, surreal thriller
Darkness rating: Intense and enigmatic

X from X&Y standing under a blood-red moon with hair flowing in the wind, symbolising the surreal mystery and emotional tension of the donghua. A character in a dark setting with flowing hair, set against the backdrop of a large full moon, conveying a sense of mystery and intrigue.

Available on bilibili and Crunchyroll.

A haunting exploration of human perception and identity, X&Y weaves together abstract storytelling and vivid, dreamlike imagery. The narrative follows two strangers drawn into a psychological maze where reality and illusion blur. It’s part noir puzzle, part existential study, the kind of story that lingers in your mind long after watching.

It’s not overtly horror, but its sense of unreality and emotional unease captures the quiet dread that defines the season. Every episode feels like decoding a nightmare painted in neon light.

Lord of Mysteries (诡秘之主, Guimi Zhi Zhu)

Klein Moretti from Lord of Mysteries illuminated by eerie teal light, raising his glowing hand with a confident smile in a supernatural steampunk setting. A character from a donghua, depicted with a confident smile in a dimly lit setting, with ethereal light illuminating parts of their face and hair.

Genre: Dark fantasy, supernatural horror, steampunk
Darkness rating: Deeply atmospheric and haunting

Available on Crunchyroll and WeTV.

Set in a Victorian-inspired world, a secret tarot club uncovers the sinister workings of mystical Beyonders and shadowy cults. With Lovecraftian horror influences and enigmatic occult mysteries, it weaves a tale dense with suspense, otherworldly powers, and dark intrigue.

The series masterfully blends supernatural dread with steampunk aesthetics, perfect for viewers craving layered horror and complex dark fantasy narratives.

Why Chinese horror feels different

Xuan Zang wearing a ritual mask with ornate patterns and symbolic markings, from Rakshasa Street, a dark fantasy Chinese donghua. A character from a donghua, dressed in vibrant attire adorned with jewelry, wearing a mask with a fierce expression, featuring long hair styled with braids.

Chinese horror and dark fantasy often pull from spiritual philosophy and traditional mythology. Instead of faceless curses, you’ll find jiangshi (hopping corpses), huli jing (fox spirits), and restless souls bound by moral imbalance.

These aren’t just monsters, they’re embodiments of cultural and ethical principles. The stories ask what it means to restore balance between life and death, human and spirit, chaos and order.

Animation studios like Bilibili, Tencent, and Youku have raised production values dramatically in recent years. Fluid combat, intricate environments, and painterly visuals rival the best of Japanese anime while maintaining a distinctly Chinese identity.

More than monsters

A serene landscape featuring a traditional Chinese house with a thatched roof, surrounded by lush trees and a tranquil atmosphere, capturing the essence of classic Chinese storytelling. Sunlit traditional Chinese thatched house surrounded by trees and soft golden light from Fairies Albums, a supernatural Chinese animation.

The greatest strength of modern donghua lies in its willingness to merge action, horror, and philosophy. Every battle carries moral weight; every ghost carries a reason for lingering. Taoist and Buddhist influences bring existential reflection to supernatural conflict, transforming horror into meditation.

I’m not saying donghua is better than anime. I’m saying it’s different, and that difference deserves your attention. These stories reinterpret darkness through their own cultural lens.