Listen to this articleWe are all familiar with Japanese and American cartoons. But over the past decade, Chinese cartoons have made their mark.
Many Chinese animated films have won the hearts of many audiences. Now your kids can easily watch award-winning, top-rated Chinese cartoon characters.
The ten Chinese cartoon characters made it to our list for many good reasons.
1. 阿凡提 – Nasreddin
阿凡提, or Nasreddin, is a popular cartoon character among all Chinese people.
The Nasreddin series, titled The Story of Afanti, consists of 14 episodes. It started production in 1979 and was completed ten years later.
The main character is Nasreddin, a humorous guy who hates evil practices.
He took advantage of his wisdom to protect poor people and avenge the stupid and greedy rich man named Bayi.
2. 葫芦兄弟 – The Calabash Brothers
The Calabash brothers rose to fame for their starring role in the Calabash Brothers animation series, which consisted of 13 episodes.
This category is about the Calabash brothers, who possess superior abilities. These brothers fought against the demons to protect their loved ones.
Since this animation series was broadcast in 1986, children all over China and many other countries quickly fell in love with it.
3. 哪吒 – Nezha
Nezha was an outstanding student of Taiyi Zhenren. He reconstructed Nezha’s body using blossoms and lotus leaves. Taiyi Zhenren also trained Nezha, making him a mighty warrior.
Nezha has been famous since 1979 thanks to the animated film Prince Nezha Conquers the Dragon King. Its storyline revolves around his fight with the Eastern China Sea’s Dragon King, Ao Guang.
4. 小乾坤 – Heavenkid
The heaven kid is a cartoon that refers to ancient China’s culture.
This cartoon tells an adventure of a cherubic immortal and his two mortal mates.
Then he sacrifices his life and helps these two friends to meet the modern era’s challenges to repay their debts.
Heavenkid offers countless valuable moral lessons to children, allowing them to learn compassion, caring, and fluency in Mandarin.
5. 三毛 – Sanmao
Sanmao is the main character of Wanderings of Sanmao, a fictional TV series from China. Sanmao is an orphan from Shanghai who used to wander around.
The plot of this series revolves around Sanmao, a miserable guy who has suffered a lot in search of warmth and happiness.
6. 沉香 – Chen Xiang
The story is about a boy named Chenxiang, whose mother is Sanshengmu, a goddess, and his father, Liu Yanchang, a mortal.
Since their marriage was forbidden, Erlang Shen, his maternal uncle, and a god, punished them by murdering Liu Yanchang. Then Sanshengmu escaped and gave birth to Chen Xiang.
After that, Erlang Shen jailed Sanshengmu under a mountain. Then Chen Xiang has to go through countless adventures with many beloved characters from Chinese mythology in his quest to save his mother.
7. 大头儿子 – Big-Headed Kid
Big-Headed Kid is the main character in Big-Headed Kid and Small-Headed Father. The name of this animated series may sound weird, but it includes each episode which is only 5 minutes long but enough to make it a huge hit.
This animated series’s main story revolves around a young boy’s daily life in modern-day China. This interesting cartoon show is top-rated among Chinese children because it can be closely related to their lives.
8. 熊 出沒 – Bonnie Bears
Bonnie Bears is a cute Chinese animated series with a length of 13 minutes each episode. This animated series has been translated into many different languages.
The content of this series is about two bears named Bramble and Briar, who try to save their home forest by preventing Logger Vick from destroying the trees.
This helpful animated series provides a valuable message about protecting the environment.
9. 马良 – Ma Liang
Ma Liang is a famous figure in a Chinese folk tale. This guy grew up and lived in a village. Because of his poverty, he couldn’t go to school.
Ma Liang is very fond of painting. One day, he happens to receive a paintbrush with magical powers, which can shift anything he draws into reality.
One day, an evil emperor learned a strange story about Ma Liang. So he captured Ma Liang and asked him to make a Money Tree for him.
So, how will Ma Liang deal with this evil and greedy king? The cartoon Ma Liang and his Magic Brush for more information.
10. 查理 和萝拉 – Charlie and Lola
Charlie and Lola is a fantasy animated film produced by the British but dubbed in Chinese for children to understand.
As its name suggests, the key characters of this series are Charlie and Lola. Charlie is Lola’s kind and loving older brother, and Lola is an energetic little girl.
FAQs
Which Chinese Cartoons Can Help Learn Mandarin?
- 孙悟空 – “The Monkey King.”
- 阿凡提的故事 – “The Stories of Avanti.”
- 大耳朵图图 – “Big Ear TuTu.”
- 你好, 凯兰 – “Ni Hao Kai-lan.”
- 小企鹅宝露露 – “Pororo the Little Penguin.”
- 天行九歌 – “Nine Songs of the Moving Heavens.”
- 小鲤鱼历险记 – “The Adventures of Little Carp.”
- 大头儿子和小头爸爸 – “Big Head Son & Small Head Dad.”
- 超级飞侠 – “Super Wings.!”
- 宝莲灯 – “Lotus Lantern.”
- 哪吒 – “Nezha.”
- 我的朋友熊小米 – “Our Friend Remy Bear.”
- 淮南子传奇 – “The Legend of Huainanzi”
What Is Chinese Anime Called?
Chinese anime refers to animations made in China or are Chinese adaptations of Chinese manga (Manhua). It is usually called Donghua.
The Bottom Line
You’ve got your hands on the ten most lovable Chinese cartoon characters. Do you know any other Chinese cartoon characters that deserve the honor?
Who do you like the most? Let us know through the comments section.
Thank you for reading!
