April flipped the Chinese animation world on its head. For half a year, Renegade Immortal ruled every chart. Fans thought it would never fall. Then the latest weekly streaming data arrived—and the king was dethroned. Not by a big-budget sequel or a long-awaited return, but by a show many didn’t see coming. Even Sword of Coming, with its near-perfect 9.8 Douban (豆瓣) score, couldn’t crack the top three. And get this: a series that stopped airing new episodes six months ago still pulls in over thirty million weekly views. This is April’s Guoman (国漫) ranking—raw numbers, no fluff. Let’s meet the winners.
The Demon Hunter Season 3 (沧元图3)
The Demon Hunter Season 3 didn’t just win—it dominated. Weekly views: 37.71 million. Reservations before release: a record-breaking 9.374 million. Douban score: 8.6. The show airs exclusively on Youku, and it has redefined what Chinese fantasy animation can look like. Adapted from I Eat Tomatoes’ novel, it blends Peking opera mask motifs with ink-wash backgrounds. The result is a visual style the studio calls New Guofeng (新国风).
But looks alone don’t explain its run to the top. The action sequences run at a buttery 60 frames per second. The soundtrack mixes Suona (唢呐) with distorted rock guitars. Every fight feels like a ritual. The protagonist, Meng Chuan (孟川), isn’t a cocky hero—he’s a young painter forced into battle. His growth feels earned, not handed to him. April’s new arc threw him into a conspiracy that threatens his entire sect.
Why did it beat veterans like Renegade Immortal? Timing helped. But more than that, The Demon Hunter solved a problem many action shows ignore: emotional weight. Viewers don’t just watch for the sparks—they stay for the quiet moments between clashes. That balance made it April’s most-watched Guoman series.
Renegade Immortal Yearly Series (仙逆年番)
Renegade Immortal Yearly Series held the throne for months. In April, it slipped to second—but don’t call it a defeat. Weekly views: 37.22 million. Douban score: 8.9. Only half a million views separated it from the new champion. The show airs on Tencent Video, and its core philosophy remains intact: “To follow the mortal path is ordinary; to go against heaven is immortal.”
Wang Lin (王林), the antihero at its heart, doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t beg. He kills when necessary and shows mercy only when it serves him. April’s new episodes pushed him into an even deadlier chase. Heavenly tribulations, sect assassins, and old enemies—all converge on him at once. His response? Double down on his forbidden cultivation technique.
The series’ staying power comes from its refusal to sugarcoat its protagonist. Wang Lin is not a good person. He is a survivor. That raw honesty resonates with an audience tired of squeaky-clean heroes. Even in second place, Renegade Immortal remains the benchmark for mature Guoman storytelling.
Sword of Coming Season 2 (剑来2)
Sword of Coming Season 2 scored a ridiculous 9.8 on Douban. That’s not a typo. But in April’s viewership race, it landed third. Why? Not because it’s worse—because it demands patience. The show doesn’t bombard you with explosions. It seduces you with lines like “When in doubt, ask the spring breeze.” That’s pure Chinese philosophical poetry, and it has won over a cult following.
Chen Ping’an (陈平安) continues his escort mission with a student tour group. Episode 13, titled “Spring Breeze Asks the Sword,” has been called the best dialogue-driven scene in Guoman history. No flashy aura bursts. No screaming power-ups. Just two characters trading words that cut deeper than any blade. The watercolor aesthetic supports this mood—soft, dreamlike, but hiding sharp edges.
So why not number one? Sword of Coming Season 2 is a slow burn. It rewards repeat viewing. Monthly total views for Q1 hit 344 million, but weekly numbers dipped slightly in April as new episodes paced themselves. For viewers seeking meditation over mayhem, this is their show. And with a score like 9.8, its reputation will outlast any weekly chart.
A Mortal’s Journey: Outer Sea Storm (凡人修仙传：外海风云)
Here’s the wildest stat of April: A Mortal’s Journey: Outer Sea Storm hasn’t aired a new episode in half a year. Yet it pulled over thirty million weekly views. Cumulative streams: 6.33 billion. Bilibili score: 9.7. The show airs exclusively on Bilibili, and its production quality explains the obsession.
The “Outer Sea Storm” arc delivered combat animation so fluid it looks like motion-capture. Han Li (韩立) fights with his Wind Lightning Wings and Devouring Gold Insects—gear that feels both magical and mechanical. Every punch lands with weight. Every dodge has physics. This is not the flashy, particle-heavy style of most fantasy shows. It’s gritty, grounded, and brutal.
How does a show on hiatus stay relevant? Word of mouth. Fans keep recommending specific fight scenes as entry points. New viewers binge the existing episodes, then join forums to dissect each frame. The production team hasn’t announced a return date, but the numbers prove that quality content doesn’t need constant updates to stay alive. A Mortal’s Journey: Outer Sea Storm is the sleeping giant of Guoman.
Battle Through the Heavens Yearly Series (斗破苍穹年番)
Battle Through the Heavens Yearly Series is the old guard that refuses to fade. Monthly views in April: nearly 40 million. Douban score: 8.1. The franchise has weathered criticism over animation dips and pacing issues. But the fan base remains one of Guoman’s most loyal. Why? Because Xiao Yan (萧炎) is a household name.
April brought the “Pure Lotus Demon Fire” arc—a major turning point in the novel. Xiao Yan’s power level jumps dramatically. But the real headline was Queen Medusa’s character model upgrade. The redesign went viral on Chinese social media within hours. Fans who had dropped the show came back just to see her new look. Combined with the emotional payoff of Xiao Yan finally controlling the demon fire, the arc delivered both nostalgia and fresh thrills.
Battle Through the Heavens will never win awards for subtlety. It’s loud, masculine, and unapologetically crowd-pleasing. But that’s exactly why it survives. In a genre where shows try to out-philosophize each other, this one just gives you a powerful underdog, cool flames, and a snake queen in stunning CGI. Sometimes, that’s more than enough.