A trailer for the upcoming anime adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries is online now, treating fans of the series and those new to Maomao’s world. It presents a humble and intelligent girl as she navigates political intrigue and tries to do her job of healing the sick. There is only a vague 2023 premiere date announced, so fans will have to be content with this trailer until then.
Toho Animation Studio and OLM (formerly Oriental Light and Magic) have also set up an official Twitter account and home page for people to visit and learn more about the series. They could also find beautiful art, such as the key visual below.
The manga artist Nekokurage has also offered his congratulations on Twitter with the upcoming The Apothecary Diaries anime adaptation.
A Healer in the Palace Who Seeks the Truth
The Apothecary Diaries is set in an unnamed Eastern country reminiscent of Ancient China. Maomao is an unassuming girl who lives with her father, a highly skilled apothecary who teaches her everything she knows. They lived in the red-light district, a potentially unsafe area, as Maomao discovers when she is mistaken for someone else, abducted, and sold into slavery at the palace.
Maomao initially planned to keep her head low and work in the harem quarters until she was freed. However, her keen insight and intellect, coupled with her curiosity and a sense of justice, see her becoming embroiled in a dire situation wherein the emperor’s children born to his harem members are mysteriously dying soon after birth. Their mothers are in just as much danger. Though someone suggests that it is a curse, Maomao suspects otherwise and concludes that it is poison.
After saving the lady and her newly born daughter, Maomao is discovered by the clever eunuch Jinshi and made the lady’s attendant, thus pushing her into further dangers that will require her skills and intellect to survive.
The Apothecary Diaries Origins
The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) began as a novel series by Natsu Hyuga. Online posting started on October 27th, 2011, and it’s currently ongoing. Shufunotomo obtained the publishing rights and turned it into a light novel with illustrations provided by Touko Shino. Publication began on August 29th, 2014, and like its novel counterpart, it’s an ongoing series with twelve volumes out thus far.
The series was eventually adapted into manga and published by Square Enix on May 25th, 2017. It is likewise an ongoing series with ten volumes out so far. Itsuki Nanao joined Natsu Hyuga on the writing team, and Nekokurage took over illustrations.
A spin-off series began on August 19th, 2017, titled The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Palace Intrigue Solving Notebook (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Maomao no Koukyuu Nazotoki Techou), and Minoji Kurata took to illustrating the series. Like all the others, this is an ongoing series, with fifteen volumes available for fans to purchase.
Are you excited about this anime adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries? Have you been following the series since its earlier novel or manga versions? Do you think Maomao is prime waifu material? Let us know in the comments below.
