If you want chinese bl historical anime, the closest match is usually historical danmei donghua: Chinese animation adapted from male-male romance novels. Start with Heaven Official's Blessing if you want the clearest romantic fantasy feel, or The Master of Diabolism if you prefer mystery, cultivation, and darker plot layers. The main thing to know before watching is that the romance is often more restrained on screen than in the novels.
Best historical danmei donghua
Historical danmei donghua can look similar from the outside, but the viewing experience changes a lot by title. Some are romantic xianxia stories, some are wuxia power struggles, and some work better as supernatural adventures with a danmei foundation.
- Most romantic on screen: Heaven Official's Blessing.
- Best for plot-heavy viewers: The Master of Diabolism.
- Best lighter entry: Scumbag System.
- Best for action and ensemble energy: Legend of Exorcism.
- Best road-adventure feel: Dinghai Fusheng Records.
Heaven Official's Blessing
Heaven Official's Blessing follows Xie Lian, a fallen crown prince who ascends again, and Hua Cheng, the ghost king whose devotion gives the story its emotional pull. It is polished, gentle, and easy to follow even if you are new to xianxia terms.
This is the safest first pick for viewers who want romance to feel central. The donghua still keeps things restrained, but the longing, loyalty, and visual framing make the relationship hard to miss. If you want beauty, myth, and emotional softness before dense clan politics, start here.
The Master of Diabolism (Mo Dao Zu Shi)
The Master of Diabolism, also known as Mo Dao Zu Shi or Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, is better for viewers who enjoy puzzle-box storytelling. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's bond matters deeply, but the donghua spends a lot of time on past tragedy, cultivation clans, moral conflict, and a mystery that unfolds gradually.
Choose it when you are in the mood to pay attention. It is not the simplest entry, especially because names, timelines, and sect politics arrive quickly, but the payoff is strong if you like darker fantasy with emotional weight.
Thousand Autumns
Thousand Autumns is the wuxia-leaning choice. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi are compelling because their relationship begins through pressure, ideology, and testing rather than immediate tenderness.
The appeal is not "obvious romance first." It is watching two very different men challenge each other's beliefs in a martial world full of political calculation. If you prefer sharp dialogue, moral tension, and character contrast over soft romantic scenes, this one may suit you better than the flashier fantasy titles.
Scumbag System
Scumbag System is the comedy break in the lineup. Shen Yuan wakes up inside a web novel as the villainous teacher Shen Qingqiu and has to survive the story's absurd logic while dealing with Luo Binghe.
- Good if you like isekai or transmigration: the setup is quick to understand.
- Good if cultivation drama feels intimidating: the jokes explain the tropes as they mock them.
- Less ideal if CG animation bothers you: the visual style can be a hurdle for some viewers.
Legend of Exorcism
Legend of Exorcism, based on Tianbao Fuyao Lu, follows Kong Hongjun as he joins the Tang-era Exorcism Department and faces supernatural threats with a team. It is a danmei-based story, but the donghua often feels like historical fantasy action first.
Pick this if you want demons, missions, and group chemistry rather than a slow romantic spotlight. It works especially well for someone watching with a friend who is more interested in monsters and adventure than BL, because the action gives the story an easy hook.
Dinghai Fusheng Records
Dinghai Fusheng Records follows Chen Xing, the last Great Exorcist, and Xiang Shu, the protector who becomes central to his journey. It has a travel-adventure rhythm, so the relationship grows through danger, duty, and trust instead of staying fixed in one court, sect, or heavenly realm.
It is a good second or third watch if you liked the supernatural side of Legend of Exorcism but want more of a journey format. The emotional payoff is steadier than it is dramatic, which can be a plus if you prefer earned partnership over instant intensity.
Which historical BL donghua should you watch first?
The best first watch depends less on which title is "biggest" and more on what you usually finish. A romance-first viewer and a mystery-first viewer may have completely different best starting points.
Start with Heaven Official's Blessing for romance and fantasy
Start here if your ideal first watch is beautiful, emotional, and not too difficult to enter. The fantasy setting is rich, but the central bond gives the story a clear emotional anchor from early on.
This is also the better choice for a low-friction first experience. If you are trying danmei donghua for the first time after mostly watching Japanese anime, Heaven Official's Blessing is less likely to overwhelm you with terminology or complicated faction history.
Choose The Master of Diabolism for mystery and cultivation
The Master of Diabolism is the better first pick if you like layered mysteries, morally complicated leads, and stories where past events slowly change your understanding of the present.
It is not the best "casual background watch." Names, timelines, and clan relationships matter. If you enjoy pausing, remembering details, and watching a plot click into place, that extra effort becomes part of the fun.
Watch Scumbag System for comedy and transmigration
Choose Scumbag System when you want something easier to binge. The modern-reader-trapped-in-a-novel premise gives you a quick way into cultivation tropes without asking you to take everything seriously from the first episode.
Pick Legend of Exorcism for demons and team-based action
Legend of Exorcism is the most comfortable entry if your priority is movement: missions, monsters, a historical capital, and a cast that works as a team. It has danmei roots, but the screen experience is energetic enough for viewers who mainly want supernatural action.
If you are unsure whether you want a romance-heavy story, this is a practical middle ground. You get the historical danmei source background without needing the romantic thread to carry every episode.
Choose Dinghai Fusheng Records for historical adventure
Pick Dinghai Fusheng Records if you like journeys more than fixed-location power struggles. The changing locations help the world open up gradually, and the lead relationship develops through shared danger rather than constant romantic emphasis.
How much romance do these donghua show?
Most historical danmei donghua show less direct romance than their source novels. That does not mean the relationships are imaginary; it means the animation often relies on loyalty, framing, sacrifice, and emotionally loaded dialogue instead of explicit confession or physical intimacy.
For a viewer who wants unmistakable romantic payoff, the safest path is often watch first, then read the novel if the characters hook you. For a viewer who mainly wants fantasy adventure with emotional tension, the donghua may already feel satisfying enough.
The source novels contain canon danmei relationships
The original novels behind these titles are danmei works, so the central male-male relationships are part of the intended story. If the donghua feels restrained, the novel is usually where motivations, inner thoughts, and romantic development become clearer.
Some titles place romance closer to the center
Heaven Official's Blessing is the clearest example of a donghua that still feels romantic even with restrained presentation. The story gives the lead bond enough visual and emotional focus that most viewers do not need extra explanation to understand its importance.
Scumbag System is different: it uses comedy and meta storytelling, so the romantic reading grows through character dependence and changing power dynamics rather than a grand romantic atmosphere.
Others focus more heavily on action and worldbuilding
The Master of Diabolism, Legend of Exorcism, and Dinghai Fusheng Records often push plot engines forward: investigations, exorcism, travel, battles, sect conflict, or political danger. The relationships still matter, but they share space with larger fantasy structures.
This is where expectations matter. If you go in wanting constant romantic scenes, these may feel indirect. If you like action or mystery with a strong emotional bond underneath, the balance can work very well.
The original novels provide the fullest romantic story
Read the novels if you want the clearest version of the romance. Adaptations may compress arcs, soften explicit material, or shift attention toward action and worldbuilding, while the novels usually give more complete emotional context.
Conclusion
The best choice is the one that matches your patience and mood: Heaven Official's Blessing for romantic fantasy, The Master of Diabolism for dense mystery, Scumbag System for comedy, Legend of Exorcism for team action, and Dinghai Fusheng Records for historical adventure. If the on-screen romance feels quieter than expected, that is normal for many danmei adaptations; follow the title that interests you most into the novel when you want the fuller relationship.
