Pokémon Journeys: The Series may be one of Netflix’s most popular anime, but the show has nothing on this unexpected hit series. The animated adaptation of a Chinese novel has a commanding lead on the Pokémon anime, proving yet again that anime doesn’t have to come from Japan to perform well among fans.
The Daily Life of the Immortal King’s second season ranks as the 10th most popular airing anime on series tracker MyAnimeList. In comparison, Pokémon Journeys is only the 41st most popular anime currently airing.
The Daily Life of the Immortal King is a fantasy slice-of-life adaptation of Chinese writer Kuxuan’s novel of the same name. The series follows a powerful wizard who navigates everyday life while going through high school. Alongside Pokémon, The Daily Life of the Immortal King also outperforms the brand new slice-of-life series Selection Project and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S’ short animated episodes.
The Daily Life of the Immortal King‘s popularity may befuddle some anime fans used to seeing Japanese series dominate MyAnimeList. However, animated series from China, or donghua, are increasingly gaining popularity. In September, an immensely popular donghua adaptation of Chinese novelist MXTX’s fantasy romance series Mo Dao Zu Shi surpassed One Piece as MyAnimeList’s top airing anime. Several other Chinese anime are also surpassing Pokémon Journeys: The Series for popularity, including animation studio Soyep’s fourth season for fantasy show Ling Jian Zun, Tencent’s martial arts-themed The God of War Dominates, and Bilibili’s historical romance No Doubt In Us.
The three series clock in as the 30th, 32nd, and 34th most popular airing series, respectively, all surpassing Pokémon.
While Pokémon Journeys: The Series may not be the most popular airing anime on MyAnimeList, Netflix certainly has nothing to fear over donghua’s growing popularity. The Daily Life of the Immortal King’s first season is available to stream on Netflix, as is another MXTX series, Heaven’s Official Blessing. The anime landscape may be changing, but if MyAnimeList is any indicator, it’s a welcome sign from viewers and streamers alike.