2023 fall | Episodes: 24 | Score: 8.9 (287436)
Updated every Sundays at 01:05 | Status: Finished Airing
Type: TV
Producers:Dentsu | Square Enix | Nippon Television Network | TOHO animation | Shogakukan | Imagica Infos
Streaming: Crunchyroll | Netflix
Synopsis
Maomao, an apothecary's daughter, has been plucked from her peaceful life and sold to the lowest echelons of the imperial court. Now merely a maid, Maomao settles into her new mundane life and hides her extensive knowledge of medicine in order to avoid any unwanted attention. Not long after Maomao's arrival, the emperor's infant children inexplicably begin to experience grave symptoms—almost as if a curse has been cast. The curious Maomao easily solves the mystery and, to remain out of the limelight, attempts to leave an anonymous tip. Unfortunately, the dashing and perceptive eunuch Jinshi sees through it and manages to single her out. In recognition of her talent, Maomao is promoted to lady-in-waiting for the emperor's favorite concubine, Gyokuyou. As Maomao continues to remedy the numerous ailments afflicting the imperial court, her pharmaceutical expertise quickly proves indispensable. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Voice Actors
Ootsuka, Takeo
Yuuki, Aoi
News
01/03/2025, 08:45 AM
Here are the North American anime, manga, and light novel releases for January. Week 1: January 7 - 13 Anime Releases Dead Mount Death Play Part 2 Blu-ray Naruto Com...
03/23/2024, 10:53 AM
The 24th and final episode of the Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) television anime announced a second season on Sunday, revealing a teaser visual (pi...
12/25/2023, 08:48 AM
The official website of the Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) television anime unveiled two additional cast, theme songs, and a promotional video for i...
10/01/2023, 09:12 AM
The official website of the Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) television anime revealed additional cast, theme songs artists and the main promotional ...
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09/29/2023, 08:06 AM
In this thread, you'll find a comprehensive list of television anime acquired for simulcast release during the Fall 2023 season. Anime series licensed for home ...
09/22/2023, 10:51 AM
In this thread, you'll find a comprehensive list of Fall 2023 titles with an accompanying promotional video, commercial, teaser, or trailer. This post will be u...
02/15/2023, 06:06 PM
TOHO animation opened an official website for a television anime adaptation of Natsu Hyuuga's Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) light novel on Thu...
Reviews
SpaceBeebop
Half of the first season is good. As the chapters progress, the story becomes increasingly worse. The characters don't feel real, they have so many changes in personalities and appearances. It has many nefarious characters and ridiculous stories as if they were taken from science fiction and with zero realism. The detective aspect is the worst, and the anime focuses entirely on the pleasure house, and having servants as slaves, the hierarchy is horrible. and there comes a point where the anime has no meaning, but rather focuses on everyday and boring things. I'm not going to deny that I enjoyed watching it and it has greatquality in the animation and sound, but we keep going more and more of the same and it ends up boring.
Omelettea
Not to be dramatic, but I would DIE for XiaoMao. I'd die protecting her and let her use my corpse for her little experiments. Usually, I would write a review from a general perspective; critiquing the art style, storytelling or the adaptation from manga to anime. I would consider whether the information presented in the anime is sufficient and engaging to reel newcomers to its original manga or novel. Yada yada all that boring stuff. Unbiased. But... My apologies, but I am incapable of writing a general review as my current state is an emotional whirlwind-torn between the bitter sweet sadness of it ending and the overwhelmingjoy that the characters have left imprinted on my heart. Not often I find an anime where I would immediately decide that "this is the story that I'm going to follow for the rest of my life". This anime has brought joy into my life. I will forever be grateful for the author and will continue to support them for as long as the anime/manga's lifetime. Dear Hyuuga Natsu, Arigatou Gozaimasu. This is a personal review. As someone who admires the richness of olden eras, particularly the opulent and culturally rich epochs of asian history. I would want nothing more than to enjoy watching anime that offers these types of genre. Not all is worth my attention, but this one did. Without spoilers nor context, this is all I'm writing. My expressed admiration. I love you MaoMao. "Would you recommend this?" I'm required to choose this. So I'll just choose Recommended. If you have similar taste as mine, people who enjoy learning about historical times; asian cuisine and medicine, comedy, mystery, drama, romance; then sure go for it. If this is way out of your original scope of taste in anime, it may not be for you. If you're not picky and enjoys anime of many sorts genre, sure this one's not bad. Either way, have a nice day~
Ryan_the_Bread
Am I a fucking asshole or does this shit suck? I suppose both can be true, but that doesn’t ease the sheer fatigue that enduring The Apothecary Diaries, fraught with truly horrendous flaws as it is, can bring upon a person. From the response online, I’d anticipated a mature period piece; y’know, a historical drama with sprinklings of mystery tied together through investigations performed by an, if the internet is to be believed (which it obviously isn’t), exceptionally interesting and compelling protagonist... And I’m going to just have to start assuming that anything released in the last ~5 years with a score of 8 or aboveon here is just flagrantly bullshit, because c’mon – utterly shallow and perfunctory character dynamics, a setting that’s not near as interesting as its potential should have it be, bogus mysteries and resolutions and a protagonist for which the label of “Mary Sue” has never been more fitting are, on a macro scale, just a small sampling of what leads The Apothecary Diaries to absolute ruin. Starting off light, this show is not nearly as pretty as fellow commenters would have you believe; the animation seldom reaches territory beyond basically just fine, and the character design (perhaps besides the unusual garb) is about as bog standard as it gets. The environments are maybe *a bit* more detailed than your standard anime, but how they’re realized is completely conventional. To make that make sense, I’ll point out that I’m talking about art DIRECTION, not style. The art STYLE is basically a dime a dozen. Were it not for the show taking place in 15th century China (or at least some approximation), there wouldn’t be any sort of unique visual identity to speak of. How that’s all portrayed (the direction) is mind-numbingly uninspired. Seldom are the visuals used to elevate or enhance what’s being discussed; everything is terribly plainly shot. Even now, I’m struggling to recall any interesting or potentially probing shots – nothing’s communicated visually that isn’t arduously explained through dialogue. The entire composition of the show is flat, and thus watching it is often tremendously boring. I wouldn’t usually go on for multiple paragraphs JUST about the art of a show, but I feel like what people think of it as and what it actually IS couldn’t be any more in conflict. It’s shot flatly, the characters move like Half-Life 1 scientists and their designs are ordinary to the point of, I don’t know, me feeling it necessary to spend multiple sentences discussing it. The environments work, but they never inspired a sense of awe in me or anything. It’s not even like the looming red walls of the palace are used to convey anything on their own besides it just being what old Chinese palaces ACTUALLY looked like. In short, I was always annoyingly aware that I was watching a 2D show; the sense of dimensionality is severely lacking. Truthfully, everything else wrong with the show (and there’s A LOT to cover there) stems from one thing and one thing alone: its protagonist, Maomao. What a monstrous ego one must have to either write a self-insert protagonist like this, or to watch the show and earnestly relate to her. What, I ask you dear reader, what could POSSIBLY be compelling about a character whose buffs are so great that they, time and again, negate ANY tension the story’s trying to build? Maomao’s a character whose mere presence necessitates the rest of the cast having to have the mental acuity of a steaming pile of dog shit. Maomao’s skills are so numerous, her reputation’s so grand, and her flaws so non-existent that it’s almost offensive that the show ever tries to get me to care about her, let alone become seriously invested in what she does and what happens to her. I’d liken her to an RPG character with maxed out stats, but I think comparing her to playing with developer tools enabled is more appropriate. Nobody is allowed to be smarter than Maomao - nobody is allowed to be better at ANYTHING than Maomao. Who the fuck is she to be inventing the tit job before numerous seasoned courtesans did, and with a flat chest and intact hymen? Before anybody thinks otherwise, Maomao is NOT a resourceful character – there’s never a conclusion she reaches that isn’t wildly speculative and insultingly quick. Her asspulling massive amounts of knowledge on subjects she hasn’t previously displayed experience in (and honestly just shouldn’t know anything about – she’s a fucking 15th century serf for goodness sake) is NOT how to write resourcefulness, improvisation, whatever. Generally, good detective work (or at least *interesting to watch* detective work) involves more than a cursory glance at the crime scene and sees a good amount of twists and turns as the case evolves. The Apothecary Diaries, utterly inept as it is, lacks these things wholesale. It can be something that happened miles away that Maomao had no prior knowledge of, but she’ll always almost immediately jump to an absurd, and ALWAYS correct, conclusion based on next to no evidence. When the precedent is set early on that the investigations are more performative than anything, because Maomao is obviously ALWAYS going to get her man... Well, what the fuck should I give a shit? Her deductive abilities are like L, Columbo and Poirot on steroids, and she’s never emotionally invested in what she’s doing besides. It’s basically anti-drama; there’s no reason for me to care what happens next because the status quo is so obviously never going to be disrupted, and even if it was I’m afraid I don’t care enough to muster any emotion. Hell hath no fury like a ludicrously poorly written anime protagonist. Should call Maomao “Dale Earnhardt” with how she’s intimidatin’ everyone. Seriously, she’s like 4ft nothing and effortlessly giving everybody the business. Colossally muscular soldiers, veteran prostitutes, her superiors – doesn’t matter, everybody better watch out when Maomao’s mad. Of course, she shows no fear or trepidation when the time comes to mercilessly put someone (regardless of their position relative to her own) in their place. That’d be displaying weakness (i.e. HUMANITY) and, for some reason that escapes me completely, that’s not a strategy the writer ever deigned to use. There’s a scene early on where Maomao, in her oh so righteous defiance, open hand slaps and KNOCKS OUT one of the empress’ right-hand ladies for her incompetence. You think the woman she slapped ever tries to get revenge? Of course not, Maomao’s too scary :( You think Maomao faces any punitive measures? Of course not, she’s ALWAYS right and justified in her actions. You think Maomao ever reflects on and regrets what she’s done because although she was “correct” she handled it unprofessionally? If you think that’s what would happen, then I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. This is not a character any sane person would honestly believe is interesting to watch. I can count on one hand how many actual “flaws” Maomao has in-universe, and that’s only because I can curl my fingers to look like a zero. There’s something to be said for aspirational characters; characters a viewer aspires to be like, but she’s even a terrible example of that. Superman is an aspirational character too (assuming Maomao is actually meant to be aspirational – I just think the author’s a hack lacking in self-awareness), but he actually reflects on things he’s done and what he could’ve done differently. Self-doubt creeps into his mind the same way it does with you or me. There’s something to relate to there, even though his circumstances are far more exceptional than yours or mine. Maomao’s confidence (in anything) is never shaken and all of her flaws are self-inflicted. Fellas, is choosing to be ugly relatable? No? People don’t feel like they choose to be ugly, but rather think of it as an affliction? Wild. Couldn’t be Maomao. Despite the fact that she’s beautiful in everyone’s eyes in-universe with or without her freckles, she chooses to put them on to lessen the chances of being abducted or raped. This shit drove me up a wall because: 1 – It didn’t fucking work. She gets abducted, like, 2 minutes into the first episode. 2 – How is this NOT offensive towards actual victims? Because, what, people who aren’t conventionally attractive never face these things? Years of research contradict that, but go off I guess. Not like nuns, children, the elderly, men, and even fucking animals have ever been the victims of sexual assault. It’s also at odds with her characterization otherwise. So you’re telling me Maomao, whose reaction to being kidnapped was no more intense than the mild irritation I experience when I’m told to pull the car around because my order in the McDonald’s drive thru is taking a little long, puts on fake freckles every morning to avoid that exact thing happening? One would think that if it’s a true, deeply held fear of hers, then her reaction to it ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO HER would be a little more than just, “Damn, caught me slippin'.” The, like, ONE time Maomao actually fails something it’s bullshit. Jinshi (her superior, eunuch – it’s a whole thing) makes her take an exam for... something. I honestly can’t remember; I needed as much herb as Maomao was playing with to get through this shit. Anyway, she fails the test spectacularly. Now I, naively, thought this might lead to some strife within Maomao that’d have her questioning her abilities. I might be incapable of learning. Or I was just giving the show way more credit than it ever deserved. It doesn’t lead to her feeling self-doubt or anything because, “Why would you expect me to pass? It doesn’t have anything to do with my abilities.” I’m crashing out, man. This is a very uncreative person’s idea of a well-written and intelligent character. She’s never limited by her own abilities, only a lack of resources and the morons surrounding her. One of those morons is the aforementioned Jinshi, who acts as an unwanted love interest. He’s a “eunuch”, and I put that in quotations because I never believed for a second that this dude didn’t have a dick. Okay, so the way Maomao and Jinshi’s dynamic works is thus: Jinshi is the subject of considerable swooning from all of the other girls in the palace. He’s just soooooo dreamy, even in spite of the whole not-having-a-dick thing. The only girl he actually wants, however, is the emotionally vacant and standoffish Maomao. Maomao, despite being wanted by the single most desired man in the palace, doesn’t give a shit about him (the author insert here is frickin' killing me) and just wants to test poisons. That’s it, really. Lest you think their relationship sees actual development, their feelings towards each other basically don’t change from the first episode to the last. Maomao never gets to properly “liking” Jinshi and Jinshi never takes the fucking hint. It’s a tiring dynamic that wasn’t at all worth committing to the screen. So when you have an extremely emotionally distant, near-clairvoyant super genius who’s never once bothered by anything anybody does or says to her, who barely seems to take joy in most of what she does and only does a lot of that because people she hates ask her to, then you probably shouldn’t be surprised when someone watching doesn’t care about or connect with her in any way. This all came to a head for me when she gets cracked with a bat and is sent flying down a flight of concrete stairs... Only to just not register the pain and continue arguing with her attacker, who is made to step aside because NOBODY can beat Maomao’s facts and logic. What was probably meant to have me concerned for her well-being, instead, led to me jumping out of my chair and shouting, “LET'S GOOOOOOOO!” Now, lest you think that’s overly callous, I’d like to remind you that I was never once swindled into believing in Maomao as a real person, let alone anything approaching a well-realized and sympathetic character. The entire climax (if you can even call it that, bleh) to her arc about finding out what really happened to her parents, in her own words, DOESN'T IMPACT HER EMOTIONALLY. She finds out the truth and just kind of goes, “Whatever, I don’t really give a shit.” What an abortion of a protagonist. Oop, but what the fuck do I know - it’s the 23rd highest rated show on this site. Fuck me. Y’know, in a better show, Maomao not being emotionally affected or phased by ANYTHING would be a huge sore spot for her. It’d be treated as a massive character flaw, tantamount to sleepwalking through life. Not here, though. “I’m crushingly lonely and can’t let anyone into my heart, but I highkey just don’t give a fuck.” Awesome way to endear your protagonist to viewers. Jeezus. Like, if someone puts a razor blade in my salad and my tongue finds it before my eyes do, I’m probably not going to be super jazzed to finish the rest of that salad. Maomao is the razor blade in this metaphor, and the salad is the show. I could also compare her to a cancer that’s running roughshod through someone’s body, destroying everything in its path and making it impossible to ever have fun. I think it’d stand to reason that most of the people who do like Maomao like her in a pretty shallow way. That’s not a dig; she’s a shallow character. It’s probably similar to how I like Z Broly – he looks cool as shit and has awesome one-liners; he’s a whole mood. Thing is though, I’m not about to pretend he’s anything more than that. Maomao, by my count, is an expert botanist, chemist, metallurgist, carpenter, doctor, toxicologist, florist, homicide detective, makeup artist, calligrapher, sex advice giver (despite being a virgin oh my god this show’s so fucking bad), and dancer. If that’s a believable 15th century Chinese serf’s skillset to you, then I just... I don’t know. With all that knowledge, you think her internal thoughts would be a bit more interesting, but nah. “Wow. This room’s really hot. It must be because that stove’s been left on.” Like gee, what stunning insight. Writing like this is truly unparalleled in the medium. Listen, I’ve got more to cover, so if you don’t agree with anything I’ve said then feel free to verbally abuse me in my comments section. Or, you know, make a compelling argument for why you think I'm wrong. Don’t hit that “confusing” button, we all know it ACTUALLY means “disagree” and nothing I’ve said here is all that confusing. We speak the same English. Anyway yeah, the show’s quest to make me give a hoot about ANY of the characters was doomed as soon as I saw that nobody was allowed to be smart except for Maomao. I mean, duh, right? If 95% of the cast just exists for Maomao to be snarky to and annoyed by, and they’re shit blisteringly stupid besides... Yeah. *fart noise* Remember Dora the Explorer? Remember how she’d always ask for YOUR help to locate, like, a map or an island or whatever? Can you imagine how enlightened I feel to know that actually trying to help her is pointless? You see, with or without your input, her ass is always gonna find what she’s looking for. Linear entertainment! It’s a foregone conclusion that she and Boots will always get what they’re after, so why bother to be invested? For a reason BESIDES it being a children’s show, anyway. The Apothecary Diaries is basically just that: kiddie baby corner. You’d have to have never consumed a fictional story to believe that anything’s going to significantly challenge Maomao after, like, episode 3. But it’s weird, then, that it covers topics like prostitution, rape, murder, etc., because covering such mature topics is totally at odds with how dogshit and immature the writing is. Speaking to which, the main antagonist, Lakan, gets his own Disney animated movie sympathetic backstory to show you just why and how he came to be a complete bastard. He’s supposedly smart, but he does also agree to a game of Go that’s so obviously rigged against him that it’s shocking it wasn’t played for laughs. Also, I feel like most of his buildup as a villain was just him walking into a room, saying something weird and ominous, and then just walking out. Never cared about him or what he was up to. A few miscellaneous things before I depart: - In episode 10 there’s a pretty (unintentionally) funny scene where Maomao covers up most of her face to help somebody remember her quicker... despite that person already having seen Maomao’s full face. This doesn’t make any goddamned sense. - Maomao tries growing roses at some point and has to hurry baskets of them to a greenroom when it starts raining. She says something to the effect of, “Shame you can’t control the weather.” I’m disappointed she never tried to, seems like she probably could. - Someone say “comedy”? This show is where comedy goes to die. It shares a sense of humor with Your Lie in April, meaning that it’s impressively unfunny. I’m not sure when slapstick, pseudo-chibi gags became the anime standard for comedy, but I’d really like to move on from it. Sometimes Maomao is depicted like a cat for comedic effect. Because curiosity killed the cat and Maomao’s curious, kinda? I wish this cat would kill itself. - One could make an argument that Maomao’s “oppressed” by her society, but I wouldn’t entertain it. I think she’s oppressed by her society in the same way that white men are “privileged” in America. Like, yeah, most of the richest men here are white old dudes, but the majority of white guys are too busy losing money on crypto or killing themselves for me to consider it real “privilege.” - At one point Maomao, seemingly, intimidates Jinshi via astral projection. Is she fucking 1998 Undertaker? - What could possibly be the message to take away? What did Maomao learn that could be applied to our lives? “Be good at everything and, uh, profit?” Utterly baffled at the success of this show. Mediocre art and animation, limp and grating character dynamics, possibly the worst protagonist I’ve ever bore witness to in the medium, and a shockingly uninteresting and poorly plotted, uh, plot. But, again, 23rd highest rated anime on this site. Outrageous. Sucks to have my “old man yells at clouds” moment before I’m even old enough to rent a car, but good god anime will never improve so long as shit like this is hailed as the second coming of Christ. Show this to any film buff and they’ll, rightfully, call it the piece of shit that it is. I implore any self-described otaku out there to get out of the anime bubble for even just a little bit (or at the very least watch some shows or movies that came out before 2018) to see what you’ve been missing out on. I assure you that this is not the peak of storytelling and character writing. So yeah, The Apothecary Diaries... Get off my lawn.
Nyohoho123
This anime is so incredible in all aspects, that i had to write a review about it. Plese, if you are thinking if you should watch it or not, give it a chance, I'm certain you will not regret it. Let me say something, I'm surely not a fan of historical anime, and thought i wouldn't like this show when I first encountered it. How of a fool I was. The plot is a 10/10, the characters too, the subtle romance is so cute i can't even describe it. Maomao is such a good character, and her love for what she does is amazing and contagius.The mistery of this show is very good too, making you think about everything that is happening. The lore of each character is equally interesting and touching.
nope_e
Back in 2023, I watched 13 episodes of season 1 and thought this was my favorite show of the year. For various reasons: the animation is gorgeous, the level of details is amazing. The soud mixing is also great and makes you feel immersed in the universe. So the production value is great. I recently rewatched the first 13 episodes and finally finished season 1 and my opinion unfortunaly changed. So why did my score went from 8/10 to 6... First, the writing of the characters. This is actually a procedural show; each episode focused on an event that happened in the imperial court. Jinshi, the male lead,is the one who works for the Emperor so he has to resolve the issues int he court. But guess what? He never does cause that something that Mao Mao, the female lead does, every.single.time. At first, I was so thrilled to have an anime that had such an intelligent main character - it usually something that is restricted to male characters. Women often in animes, are either angry or too naive (tsundere vs the naive one). So it was refreshing to get away from those stereotypes. But after 24 episodes, I realized that it was all Mao Mao ever was. Someone who was better than everyone else, at everything. sciences, cooking, investigating (sorry Jinshi) to the point that none of the other characters can grow and neither can she. She's perfect so where do you go from there? It took me a while to realize that cause at first Mao Mao didn't feel that perfect. She is blunt and isn't very good with people or emotions, she's not the prettiest...Until she is. As the season progressed, I realized that every Mao Mao"default" ended up not being one. She is dense? That juste make the male lead loves her even more! She's not cute? Wait, she ends up being one of the most beautiful girl on the show (and that's not the male lead biais, that something EVERYONE notice about her). Basically, the show had the chances to have a female lead that wasn't perfect and work from there. But no, Mao Mao is actually...a Mary Sue. There is almost no progression for her in the first season despite its 24 episodes. And it's shame because I've seen so many people praising this character "we finally have a good female character". But a good female character is supposed to have flaws, strangely (actually because of misogyny) the audience LOVE when a female character has no flaws and isn't aware of her beauty or how the male protagonist, who is surrounded by beautiful and nice women, only see her. Actually, there is been this theme in the show that is bugging me: most women in the show don't like Mao Mao which is an other misogynistic move. Heck Mao Mao do believes she's above everyone else and the story actually is making her right about that. She has almost no conversation with anyone, no even Jinshi, because she already knows everything so she never learns from anyone. That makes the other characters feel useless since they are always so lame next to her. You have to wonder how the court could even work before she appeared. It makes everone so one dimensional, only Jinshi gets to shine a little because he actually has an arc on his own. Male characters get to have 96523 mangas, animes or even movies when they act like dumbasses, jerks but still get love by the audience. For a good reason, it makes those characters more rounded, they have flaws like everyone else. Women? They have to be perfect (but they shouldn't be aware of their perfection). Like I said at the beginning, it's a procedural show so what makes you invest are the main characters. But it's hard to feel anything when the characters aren't developped or doesn't grow one bit, espacially the lead. I would recommend to watch Yatagarasu instead. It's a similar setting, but the characters and the intrigues are better written :).
Kranst
An intriguingly grounded interwoven story that works its strengths to the maximum, convincing you that medical and historical themes are much more interesting than you might initially believe. The surface-level episodic nature of each installment draws you in, while the stellar presentation and intelligently written characters make you stay. Maomao is an excellent example of a hardworking, smart, and dynamic female lead. The author is not afraid to have her face adversity and earn her accomplishments. Dialogue animation is on point, the humor is solid, and the music is expressive. The Apothecary Diaries is well worth your time, so please go give it a chance.
SuequinhaK
Apothecary Diaries presents us with a refreshing setting reminiscent of imperial China, following the story of a female apothecary. The best way to describe the show is like watching a passionate writer with many ideas throw them into a blender. Fortunately, it wasn't blended to the point of becoming slop, but it still needed work on its characters and story. Unfortunately, the focus was on pointless decorations such as a pretty male lead and good visuals. I'll get straight to the point. Apothecary Diaries is a mediocre mystery and a weak romance. The drama and comedy were at least entertaining. Fortunately, there's still a message ifyou can ignore its numerous issues, such as the commoner and noble dynamic and the interpersonal problems such a dynamic brings, which is the only reason i don't consider the show a waste of time. There weren't enough scenes depicting commoners suffering though. The immersion is overall okay, except for the protagonist being too scientific for the time period. Speaking of which, Maomao, is pretty entertaining. There's a problem with her though, the show relies TOO MUCH on her being Sherlock to move the story forward, to the point it's borderline lazy writing. She also has a little too much internal dialogue, not allowing viewers to think for themselves in emotional moments. The only other character that came close to being interesting was the antagonist in the later part, but the setup and payoff involving him were incredibly weird and rushed. The handsome male lead was almost fully pointless and only served to push Maomao into engaging with the plot or as the butt of jokes (at least they were funny). Everyone else don't matter as characters, and act like faceless pieces for the plot or to show the dynamic i mentioned earlier, which you'll find ironic considering the antagonist's "condition". "Should i watch this?" If you're just looking for a relaxing show to pass time, watching a cute protagonist with bittersweet themes, you'll like it. If you're looking for an engaging mystery or romance show, don't waste your time. Also, disclaimer: Don't watch it with the lens of modern day sensibilities. Remember, its setting is still similar to imperial China (as much as the protagonist's mindset is way too scientific). This means women aren't treated well, but it helps in immersion.
Jonsitoa
One of the best female protagonists in any anime, she is similar than Freiren, both are strong and very smart beautiful women, there are not a lot of main leads like these two and in the same year 2023-2024 we have both that are excellent This show has a lot of complex characters and its true the episodes can feel episodic, its not that bad because everyone in the show it's somehow connected to each other, the storylines are powerful and some are tragic and that makes the journey very enjoyable, there is not a villain villain here, there are just bad and good people, thereare some nasty personality's here overall a great anime 9/10.
Edenharley
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is without a doubt one of my favourite shows in recent memory. From its incredibly immersive and vibrant setting to the absolute joy that were the characters ESPECIALLY Maomao (I'll get to her later) this anime absolutely delivered on basically every aspect it set out to. Every episode was so engaging and the way every plot point culminated towards the end was just wonderful to see and it was so much fun slowly piecing things together as it went on. Now. I have to talk about the protagonist of this show, Maomao. Oh my goodness is she one of the absolute best we'vehad in a loooong time and probably my favourite female protagonist ever, I cannot even begin to explain how thoroughly entertaining and refreshing she was from start to finish. So wonderfully well written, so lovable, so unique, so expressive so damn cute it was such a joy to follow her through whichever mystery or even simple task she'd carry out because it always remained interesting and everything she did was explained and contextualised through her own words which helped even further to showcase her intelligence. I cannot stress enough how refreshing it was to follow someone so human, with obvious flaws and perhaps worrying things she does that help to even further humanise her because she's certainly not perfect and they don't pretend like she is. I absolutely adored the soundtrack in this show, every one of those vocal insert songs made my playlist and Hana ni Natte NEEDS to be talked about I cannot understate how much that has become an all time favourite OP for me, no idea Ryokuoushoku Shakai were even capable of making music like that and I was a pretty big fan even prior to this. Even the non-vocal OSTs were wonderfully used and added so much to every scene. The art and animation were nothing short of stellar either, from how beautiful the palace grounds were to even the small details in scenes it was all so immersive and of course I absolutely adored all of the visual gags especially Maomao's hilarious expressions. Overall I really have no complaints with this show, it was such a breath of fresh air and kept me consistently enthralled since the very first episode. Absolute must watch!
RuiFimusu
This series, despite being fictional should be really amazing for non-fiction fans. It's a historical setting, shown from an alternative point of view. Most of what we read in history books tends to focus on men, emperors, fighters, knights, presidents, but we rarely hear about the stories of their mothers, their sisters and lovers. Apothecary Diaries gives an interesting outlook on the lives of women, not limited to multiple taboos such as the red light district. The storyline is well thought-out. We go through multiple mysteries, while showing short stories of periodical characters. These small stories combine into a few longer chapters, with the additionof potential romance between Maomao and Jinshi and trying to guess which Concubine will become pregnant next. What will stuck to me the most in this anime is all the events surrounding pregnancy. The voice acting and directing were top notch in the moments of sorrow the characters had to endure. It was a very realistic portrayal of a suffering mother, while providing an additional peek at the reactions of her environment such as other family members, friends etc. These type of situations were able to reveal to us a lot about different side characters. The main character is one you could see as a role-model. I find it really inspiring that Maomao prefers to tend to her hobby than to ever get involved in trouble, but she still choose to do it because of her empathy. She is very well aware of hierarchy of the rear palace, and decides to go out of her way to help the ones who work the hardest. This procedure was able to expose us to various historical facts about different occupations, that one could look up and learn more about if they become interested. The animation is very squishy and pretty. A great fit, as the topic of beauty and one's appearance is explored almost constantly within the story. Smooth work of the animators really put the emphasis on various dances, and ceremonies presented to us during the story. The colors within the character designs are used in a smart way. It's the psychology of color in action: we get to experience a feast for our eyes, while obtaining hints to the characters personalities and status. The soundtrack is my favorite within the season. I didn't expect such an energetic and vibrant opening show just for some mystery anime, but I'm really glad that happened. I also really like how there was little "AMVs" within few episodes. To some it might have been a bit cheesy, sure, but in my opinion it's a good thing. It made these moments more memorable. Overall, I think everyone should try watching this series. It's genres and target audience are still a topic of discussion, so hey, if it seemingly tackles so many genres, why not try to see it yourself? There's a big chance it will be a jackpot for your taste.
adrianwhy
Apothecary Diaries is a a unique blend of mystery, intrigue, and historical fiction set against the backdrop of an ancient imperial court politics. This anime offers a captivating glimpse into a world of intrigue and power, with a clever and resourceful heroine who consistently defies expectations. The biggest standout of this anime is the protagonist, Maomao. Maomao is, in the simplest terms a unique blend of Gregory House and Sherlock Holmes - but a female protagonist done right. She is downright a complex character that doesn't always adhere to social norms or expectations. She often acts based on her own judgments and insights, even ifit means going against the grain or employing unorthodox methods. Yet, she acts with the wisdom of not overstepping the boundaries of imperial hierarchy norms and knows when to choose her actions or words carefully. Breaking the recent norms of Hollywood's overemphasis of strong female lead that is all too perfect - She is neither a damsel in distress nor a traditional heroine; instead, she navigates a male-dominated world with cunning and strategy, often outsmarting those using her strengths at her disposal. This anime on a surface level is series of mysteries or challenge that Maomao has to overcome. Without giving too much away, it is subtly contributing to the larger purpose or narrative. This is in my opinion, what makes Apothecary Diaries an underrated anime as it slowly builds up the story with complex interwoven incidences and plots that serves a a bigger purpose - and many wrongly dismissing it as yet another slice of life anime with mysteries that doesn't have a overarching purpose. The animation is beautiful with the right choice of color palette to compliment the setting, and not forgetting the unique beat of the OPs and mellow renderings of the ED (which is one of my fav ED tracks of 2023 season) . I highly recommend this anime if you welcome the setting of historical fiction with loads of mysteries & puzzles and realistic strong female protagonist. Personally, I would rate this anime an easy top 5 best anime of 2023 .
BrickToast
The Good: This show get's a LOT right. The characters, the setting, the music, the colors, it's all loving crafted, animated, and produced. Like the many varied flowers found in both the Pleasure District and on the Rear Court, the overall feel and vibe of this anime is seductive, comforting, and alluring. The Big Flaw: Where does this show fall short then? Writing. Writing writing writing. Once past the opening episodes, the flaws of the writing starts to become pretty noticeable. It's not bad compared to other anime, just aggressively average. Mystery Cases: Some of the episodes follow a sort of episodic mystery-case style format which is a greatvibe but the actual cases themselves are laughably amateur and tropey. Our protagonist is always in the right place, always has the right knowledge or skill, and always figures out the solution at the perfect time. The show tries to play up the mystery angle but is also too anxious to lose the viewers so they hold our hand through everything. There's only ever like two or three clues that they constantly emphasize (Oh that object has always been here. Oh we don't touch that object. OMG the puzzle needs the object!). Overall Plot: There were a couple (beautiful) scenes and major plot points where it was abundantly clear that the author had the climactic scene in mind and then tried to work backwards to guide the story to that scene. Unfortunately, the plot lacks any actual finesse. As a viewer you pretty much feel like you're being dragged along familiar plot points leading to big reveals that are abundantly obvious. Interestingly, I didn't get the feeling that the writing is lazy; you can really feel the care and the love poured into the setting and characters. I think it really is just a lack of craft. Good writing is difficult. Overall: If you're looking for a mature cast, individual, non-tropey female characters set within the backdrop of a beautifully intoxicating rear court, I really recommend this show. If you're looking for smartly-written mystery and palace intrigue, you will end up disappointed. I give Kusuriya a solid 7.5 for a potentially incredible show held back by very average writing.
olokinprime
Imagine a show released on the same season as Sousou no Frieren and just as acclaimed. Fall 2023 anime slate was stacked, and this show and Frieren were the two twin jewels of that batch. Probably because it had something different to offer and did it very well. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto or The Apothecary Diaries is so good but it's so hard to pin down everything good that's going for it, but I'll try to list a few things why this series has become one of my favorites. I hope it will also help you decide if this show is for you. 1. It scratches that SherlockHolmes itch that I can't seem to get, even from anime that features Holmes in them. Maomao, like Conan Doyle's detective, is into pharmacology (or chemistry), and has almost no interest for other fields of common sense. Both are astute observers, and excellent in the art of disguise. However, without elaborating further, Maomao has the better backstory and a more interesting personality. 2. This anime is a period piece set in the Inner Palace of the Emperor's harem of a China pastiche. It looks like China, smells like China, and even has a broken economy like it, based on surplus of silver it probably received from trading from the West which has access to the silver mines of the Americas, but it is not China. Still, it is certainly an interesting setting and period for me. 3. The mysteries and puzzles are well conceived and original. It's a joy to see one presented and solved in an episode. I hope that's enough to spark an interest for you to try this show. The production values are high, and it has an amazing story to go with it.
eksratu
I watched this show while it was airing and found myself drawn in by its strong character writing, eye-catching visuals, and subdued humor (a far cry from the over-the-top gags I often expect from anime). As the episodes went on, the mysteries got deeper, and I began to appreciate the intentional shot compositions, the fun callbacks, and even the slick opening themes. There was a lot to love about Kusuriya no Hitorigoto. I don’t want to overhype this show, because it’s not for everyone. But for me, it hit all the right spots and quickly became a personal favorite. I highly recommend giving this showa try.
MarlsMarsBars
Cour 1: Besides Frieren, Apothecary Diaries is the most hyped up new anime to air during the Fall 2023 season, and I can definitely see why the source material was received well. What makes this anime one of the best of this season has to be because of the main character in Maomao. There is so much character work for her, I don’t think there’s a single moment where I was not bored of her character in this half of the season. Maomao is funny, smart, while also having motivations and desires that add a level of grounded-ness to her, and because of this, we getsome great scenes of her sharing to both other characters and us viewers a lot of meaningful goals for her as an apothecary and a servant in the inner palace. Speaking of, the drama and politics of this anime with all of the consorts and nobles have a lot of intrigue to them, so much so that there is always something engaging taking place, no matter where the show is currently focused on. The anime is very episodic which I like since this gives the show an episode or two to focus on whatever incident occurred, giving both the characters and us audiences a plethora of opportunities to see Maomao do her apothecary duties in various ways, learning about medicines and drugs that are driving these storylines forward, and having the protagonist act as an audience surrogate to learn about the struggles of other people living and working in this palace. The only minor complaint that I have for this anime so far has to be that the first few episodes that aired together felt a little rushed for me. Apothecary Diaries opens with Maomao before she was kidnapped and sold to be a worker in the palace, but there isn’t a lot of time for us to soak in all of the plot points that are just dumped on us: Maomao being kidnapped and having her life completely change by being a worker in a palace, how that affects her and the people she left behind, Maomao adjusting to her new life, etc. I know this is only minor, but to be completely honest, the first few episodes that aired together felt a bit like a fever dream. It’s not to the point where I’d say it’s bad or you should watch this anime while drunk or anything, but I would have liked it to be just a little bit better paced. Outside of that, watching Maomao do her thing with drugs and help solve the abundance of mysteries definitely keeps me going with this anime and wanting more each week. Cour 2: The second half of The Apothecary Diaries takes a slightly different approach to what we saw in the first cour, and for the most part, it worked out well. Instead of Maomao dabbling in drugs, the latter half of this season puts more emphasis on the mystery elements of this series while also delving deeper into the backstories of some of the most important characters in this anime. Newer side characters like Lakan are given ample screen time to not only add more depth to this series, but to also tie-in to the central characters and create some very compelling narratives. I actually prefer when this show throws Maomao and Jinshi through the ringer and have them solve daunting mysteries and uncover some very dark and tragic backstories that surround everyone and everything in the Imperial Palace. Outside of this anime focusing less on the herbal and medicinal side of things, you’re basically getting the same thing in this half of the season as you did in the first: mysteries and good characterization. However, one issue that I have with this cour that is a slight drawback for this show is how information is conveyed to us. There are times when the characters go on very long bouts of exposition that could have very easily been drip-fed to us in a more engaging manner. For example, the episode with the three brothers has a very interesting premise and conclusion, however the characters in the episode repeatedly explain what the dynamic between these three siblings is like. We’re led to believe that these three brothers used to be close to one another but grew distant as time went on, with the father’s will seemingly being the key to bring them back together, but it’s hard for me to be emotionally invested in this narrative when the characters have to exposition-dump their upbringing and the relationships they had with one another instead of giving us at least a flashback or two. This is one example of a few where there are some slight cracks in the writing. Ultimately, this doesn’t stop The Apothecary Diaries from being a really good drama and mystery anime to follow. Overall, I really liked what I saw from this anime, and I’m fully on-board for the second season.
KikiSohma
It has been quite some time since a new series has grabbed so much interest and hooked viewers, eagerly awaiting the next episode. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, or The Apothecary Diaries, managed to gain a lot of traction and has easily become a favourite for many members. However, is it worth the hype and praise? Short Version: The short answer is yes, very much so. The story is unique, unpredictable (in a good way) and really allows watchers to enjoy putting the puzzle pieces together while falling in love with a wide cast of characters. Many aspects are believable and felt real including relationships, situations and the answersto the mysteries. The show is very beautiful and knows how to use it's medium very well. The art and music aid in the storytelling and really make the show feel alive. Furthermore, the openings and endings were wonderful and also unique to this type of show. As a whole, it was a breath of fresh air and very enjoyable. The only negative that comes to mind is that a couple of scenes could have had a little better animation to make them pop and to make it a perfect 10/10. Nevertheless, the show was a real pleasure to watch and the sequel is highly awaited. A very worthy 9.7 out of 10 (the score is rounded up for submission as 9.7 was not an option). Detailed Version: The story was fresh and very intriguing. The plot lines for the mysteries were not predictable and everything made sense once the answer was explained. There are also some hints dropped that help viewers come to their own conclusions as to where the story may be headed in this season and what might occur in the following season. The cast of characters are really fleshed out and the character designs were very pretty and unique. There were a wide variety that all had their own reason for being a part of the story and were brought to life with amazing voice acting skills. There is also equal attention to both male and female characters both for story building and even the eye candy is only done in appropriate settings or to characters that would be more sexualised given their circumstances (e.g. the courtesans). Maomao very quickly became a favoured character due to her mischievous character and how she ends up teasing Jinshi. However, none of the other characters were left out (in terms of screen time) and many are fond of the side characters too. Nothing felt out of place. Relationships (both platonic and romantic) between characters felt very real. They felt as though they had been nurtured over time as though they were emulating relationships in real life. Unlike many anime titles, the romantic subtext was done in a way that was believable. The characters almost feel as though they have real heart and soul. The openings and endings were both visually and audibly beautiful and unique for this type of show. The same can be said for the art and music throughout the show. A minor negative is that a couple of scenes could have been given a little more love animation wise to really sell the scene. That's not to say the animation is bad at all as every frame was still beautifully done to match a scene. The art and music really know how to use the medium of anime to draw out the ambience and feelings that stick with you after each episode ends. It was such a pleasure to watch, as such, this anime is deserving of a very worthy 9.7 out of 10 (the score is rounded up to 10 for submission as 9.7 was not an option). The sequel is highly awaited for and due to come out next year.
Alisson07
"The Apothecary Diaries" or "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto", an anime that pleasantly surprised me and, in my opinion, ranks among the best anime of 2023/2024. The anime is set in imperial China and tells the story of Maomao, who was kidnapped and taken to the emperor's palace. From there, we begin to learn more about her personality and traits, along with the unfolding of the story, revealing an intricate web of interconnected events and mysteries. Technical Aspects: Plot = 9.8/10 In my view, the anime presented no flaws in the plot. The way events connect and some mysteries are gradually unraveled shows meticulous and insightful writing. It's been along time since I've seen such a well-constructed plot. The anime is rich in elements such as investigation and mysteries. It's literally a butterfly effect, where a small event can lead to something big or be intrinsically linked to something that has already happened! As for the narrative, it has many comedic elements while also being serious when needed, although it may seem somewhat unpretentious in some episodes! Art (Character Design, Backgrounds, and Animation) = 8.6 The art of the anime is beautiful, with characters that are very well drawn and animation that is extremely consistent and fluid from beginning to end, which is rare for a 24-episode anime. The backgrounds were also very good, although they did not reach the level of detail found in films like "Kimi no Na wa". The only downside was the CGI, which stood out a bit from the rest of the animation and caused some unease. Character Charisma and Development = 8.7 Maomao is, in my view, the best waifu of 2023/2024. The character is very fun, charismatic, and easily wins you over. It's almost impossible not to like her! Her romantic partner is also a captivating and enjoyable character, and the interactions between the two are very pleasant! As for the personal development of each character, in this aspect, the anime does not deliver as much. You can sympathize with the characters and feel some of what they feel, but the work does not usually delve deeply into their feelings, leaving it up to the viewer to interpret what they feel or think and the reasons for it! This is cool for an anime that focuses on mystery! Just don't expect major dramatic developments of the characters with the anime delving into their thoughts, emotions, and motivations very clearly! Script/Storyboard and Direction = 9.1 The anime has beautiful framings and a very commendable immersion of the story. The weighty scenes really convey the feeling they need to convey. The rhythm and execution were done with great care, making the anime truly deserve many points for it. Even in episodes where there were no major revelations, the anime maintained good quality using other elements like comedy, having excellent comedic timing in these scenes, and a great power to generate memes with Maomao's facial expressions and reactions. The series manages to grip you, captivate you, and leave you interested in the story, making you feel part of it! Soundtrack and Audio = 8.5 In this aspect, I believe the anime delivered something within expectations. Nothing absurd like Sawano or Masaru Yokoyama level, but the soundtrack is good, although I don't believe it to be an extremely outstanding point in the work. There are some scenes with cool tracks that deserve to be seen with affection, but they are not emblematic and striking. In this aspect, I've seen works that had a greater capacity to be striking. Another point in this topic would be to highlight the Openings and Endings, which are excellent songs, especially the first Opening and the first Ending. They are truly songs to listen to on repeat for a long time! Conclusion: If you're looking for an anime with cool characters, mystery, investigation with a hint of romance, and a very well-constructed and written plot, you'll definitely love this work! Just don't expect a series where absolutely all mysteries are interconnected and all subplots are relevant to the main plot, that said.. I highly recommend it and I'm looking forward to a future continuation.
Marinate1016
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is hands down one of the best anime I’ve ever seen. Boasting some of the most gorgeous character designs and visuals, as well as masterful direction. But that’s not what makes this show great. Its characters, mystery, historical setting, down to earth story and pharmaceutical aspects make it one of a kind. It’s a perfect example of simplicity being the ultimate sophistication and is rightfully highly regarded. At the end of the day, Kusuriya is very much a slow burn historical mystery anime with a lot funny character interactions. It starts slow with Maomao being thrown into life in the palace initially againsther will, solving medical cases and crimes, but we quickly realise this is part of a much larger plot that ends up being grander than anyone could have imagined. The author is a master of giving audiences just enough to keep them interested, while hinting at the bigger picture. The cases Maomao solves are all really interesting for the most part and while seemingly unconnected, usually form part a bigger web of conspiracy. If you have ever seen classic detective shows, there’s a lot of similarities with Kusuriya. The way Maomao’s able to manipulate people to get the answers she needs and reverse engineer murder tactics is brilliant. You combine that with her being genuinely adorable and hilarious, and you’ve got a recipe for a great time. You can’t talk Maomao without bringing up her relationship with the male lead Jinshi. It’s one of my and many other peoples’ favourite things about the show. I LOVED their dynamic so much. It’s playful, natural and the seiyuus made every interaction feel authentic. What’s more important is that while there’s some obvious romantic tension there, at least from Jinshi’s side, it doesn’t dominate the story or dictate Maomao’s personality. She is very much her own woman, just trying to survive from day to day and learn about new medicines and poisons. It’s so rare in Shoujosei, so I have to praise it every time I see it. Making good characters first and worrying about the relationship aspect second is the way to go. As such, it makes the moments they do have together much more valuable and precious. While their relationship starts as one of boss and employee/servant, Jinshi quickly develops a tremendous amount of respect for admiration for Maomao and wants to learn as much as possible about her. It’s a really fun ride that easily cracks my top 5 ships. Just nonstop laughs and chemistry whenever they’re together. It’s not just Maomao and Jinshi though, the consorts of the rear palace, eunuchs, characters like Lakan, people back in Maomao’s hometown etc., are all so well done in this. With it being such a small setting, mainly taking place within the confines of the palace, the author is able to really flesh out a number of characters. It never feels too claustrophobic of a setting either. This world is very much alive and constantly buzzing with new rumours and goings on. I touched on it before, but the gradually unfolding mystery has to get talked about again. It really is well done. There are so many secrets behind these palace walls. Character backstories, jealousy, assassination plots, you name it. It feels like something out of a Kdrama but in the best way possible. The author manages to make you second guess and challenges your preconceived notions of the story as well. For example, there’s a major character in the final third of the season that I absolutely hated and was sure he’d committed an awful crime. But, in the second to last episode we get some information on this character that not only made me change my opinion of him, but damn near made me want to apologise for the slander I’d been writing in discussion threads. It was one of the first times I can ever recall being properly bamboozled by an author like that. By now it’s probably clear, I love the plot and historical Chinese setting here. But you can’t talk about this show without giving praise to the studio for the job they did on the production! It looks GORGEOUS. Bright, shiny, it’s just such an aesthetically pleasing show. Not a lot of action, but the animation is more than good enough and the direction is top class. The OST brings the story to life as well. A mix of ancient Chinese inspired stuff and more modern tones. Really just a cool vibe. Can’t recommend Kusuriya enough. These last 6 months we’ve been blessed with not 1, but 2 of the greatest anime of all time with Kusuriya and Frieren and it’s been an honour to watch them both. Hard to say which I enjoyed more, but they’re no doubt both must watches for any fan of the medium. Kusuriya gets 10, out of 10.
Mcsuper
Having grown up in a household filled with family that loved Chinese period dramas, they were virtually inescapable for me. Someone in my family was always watching the hottest new period drama, and eventually, I also began to watch them with my family, and I got hooked on them quickly. At this point, the tropes in those shows were all too familiar to me, so count me surprised when I watched *The Apothecary Diaries*, and almost immediately thought of what a breath of fresh air this was. It has probably the best female character of 2023, and while it definitely was overshadowed by a certainother heavy hitter, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, this anime still had enough going for it to merit a lot of discourse in the anime community, and in my opinion stood up to its opponents in both the Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 anime seasons very well. This series has very riveting mystery elements, while staying light-hearted and comedic at times, and all encapsulated in a fictional inner palace, modelled after a Chinese setting. As I have mentioned earlier, I am no stranger to Chinese period dramas, and I always find it interesting how gender is portrayed in these shows. In the older Chinese dynasties, the Imperial Chinese harem system was very prevalent and common, and the inner palace, babymaking and the objectifying of women, with them being handled and passed around as gifts, was what life was dedicated to. For that reason, I find it intriguing that in this portrayal of the inner palace, we see the perspectives of women with agency, solving problems, being involved in the politics of the palace, all in quite a thoughtful way. Also, the existence of a particular character in the show as a test of loyalty to the emperor struck me as a different twist to the whole system, a unique take on this fictional Chinese setting. The mystery elements were done well, as it was interesting to see how this series introduced a lot of mysteries, but didn’t outright provide the answer, or culprit to the viewer. We get the reasons why people were caught up in issues, or in some cases, how they ended up dying, but the viewer gets left questioning whether or not the intuition of the main character was actually accurate. Things are not answered right away, but eventually, the series calls back to those mysteries that the viewer might have forgotten, and weaves them together for a great pay-off. Some of the episodes, especially in the early parts of the second half, were not as interesting when I first watched it, but knowing how it set up for the pay-off, in hindsight, it did made a lot more sense, and that indeed, every moment, even the duller ones, had some effect on the bigger picture. The main protagonist, Maomao, makes the entire show for me, and was the main reason I enjoyed this anime as much as I did. She was such an endearing, captivating main character that had a really dynamic personality that could range from her not giving a bother about getting kidnapped at the start of the anime, yet throughout the series, really investing herself in the mysteries of the palace setting, and through her endless thirst for knowledge (and poison), we got to see her go to great lengths to achieve whatever goal she set out to achieve on any given day. Her voice actor, Aoi Yuuki, performed spectacularly to bring out the varied tones to match up with her multi-faceted personality, and she really made Maomao come to life in the best way possible. She reminds me of other protagonists I have seen in Chinese period dramas, but her character writing was more unique compared to any others, and I am glad she had her own ambitions she was able to achieve, rather than just being a tool for the emperor or her superiors. All the other characters also shined in their own ways, and even the ones that only show up briefly, end up being memorable. The art and animation in this show was not flashy, but still very highly detailed and intricate to really flesh out the setting. The character designs were varied and were unique while staying true to its Chinese identity. The more subtle movements were handled with care, such as the little mannerisms that befit the Chinese setting. The covering of the mouth with their sleeves as they enter a room, and how the characters eat their food are just some examples of that in action. Little details like that really impressed me, as it showed how much care the staff put in to making sure they stayed true to Chinese culture. The music further elevated the material to new heights. Sure, the overall visual quality isn’t at a level of the powerhouse shounen anime, but with the resources the staff had at their disposal, they did a phenomenal job. Overall, this was a fantastic series, along with one of the best main female characters I have seen in a while. While not every mystery or every episode hit as deeply, whenever they did, it was excellent, riveting, even bone-chilling. If you have any interest in Chinese dramas, or even if you don’t, there will likely be something you will find that intrigues you. With a Season 2 confirmed for next year, I couldn’t be more excited to see more of this wonderful series.
KANLen09
The Apothecary Diaries - A masterclass at how to do a mystery-drama series, yet sprinkle in some tough thematics and establish a hidden ship within the midst. If you'd told me 6 months ago that novelist Natsu Hyuuga's Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries, would, like the hype that came from Sousou no Frieren a.k.a Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, come to be a strong AOTS contender, I would have chuckled it off to think that a series based on a fictional country in Imperial China during the Tang Dynasty, would be a good show and nothing more. But nope, this 2011 Syosetu work-turned-2014 LN serieswith 14 volumes and counting to its name, with the anime being a fraction of what the series has to offer (with the first 2 volumes adapted), it has a matching quality as that to Frieren, with both shows that started last Fall and ended in Winter this season, it truly is experiencing yet another golden era moment for anime in achievements with the two juggernauts pitting each other in the heated battle as outstanding AOTS shows back-to-back. And what a fight it was, dubbed the battle of the Maomao-Frieren female GOATs. Much like the series' namesake: The Pharmacy's Monologue, or even better, the Apothecary's Soliloquy, a lot of people easily get both terms mistaken and/or mixed up. Simply put, a monologue refers to a long speech delivered by a character during a conversation, while a soliloquy refers to the act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of listeners and a formal speech is made directly to an audience. And that is the result of one young girl, who found herself within a mix of proportions gone wrong: Maomao, who was mysteriously kidnapped by bandits and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. The said girl was previously working as an apothecary (modern-day pharmacist/chemist) in the one of the brothel houses of its capital's red-light district and courtesans, and her wanting to keep a low-profile within the 4 walls of the Imperial Palace by looking like an average low-class family's daughter, while retaining her curious and eccentric personality to work there for all her life without none the wiser. But as rumours within the Imperial Palace goes, when one is heard, the news travels far, and this got to Maomao's ears, concerning the Imperial Emperor and his children in a grave matter of life and death. Using her trusty apothecary skills, Maomao may have been the servant to root out the cause and effect, but instead of pushing her into the background and continuing her anonymous approach, she became the opposite instead: the forefront of scrutiny, heralded by an influential eunuch who singles her out, sentencing her to...more work, but this time, within the 4 walls of the royal court. It's easy to see why Maomao absolutely dominates the MC objective, and with literate perfection to the detail that it makes her one of the best girls of the Fall 2023 season alongside the immortal elven mage Frieren herself. Both girls are rooted in their respective philosophies; done things which seemingly would be normal in the face of the public eye that will change circumstances in the future; have their respective idiosyncrasies that makes them fan-favourite characters in the long run; and the most important of all: make changes within the subtlety of ways, not to impress anyone but themselves and the closest people that would be charmed by their ways. Maomao is very lovable due to her cat-like cunning ways of handling against the people who challenges her in terms of the mystery cases (hence her Chinese name, which translates to Cat-Cat). Moreover, her passion for all things poison, makes her a valuable entity within the Imperial Palace as an unofficial forensic pathologist within the palace intrigue of medicine, plants and even basic chemistry, leading to her even serving as a lady-in-waiting for the Imperial Emperor's concubines. Also, like her low-profile status, Maomao is a very beautiful girl when her facial facade breaks, and intentionally chooses to be ugly to maintain her status quo against everyone people from her fellow courtesans at the Verdigris House, to the Imperial Palace's rear palace, where she faces her biggest pet peeve. And that Pet Peeve is Jinshi, the authoritative eunuch who managed to scout Maomao for her effort in breaking the curse of the Imperial Emperor and his children. He is the epitome of a dashing white knight for all of the servants, though this will not work in Maomao as she experiences perception so mind-numbing that it causes her to shiver and shun like an angry purring cat when Jinshi takes into her affection, often showing him her plain disgust and resent for involving her in the palace intrigue. But still, as a romance connoisseur, you know it when you see a ship sailing, and be it as it may that both him and Maomao's ranks within the rear palace is quite the divide, but their interactions sell and sail their relationship as it is: throughout all of the testings from self-infliction of poison and medicine from Maomao, to Jinshi's definite closeness to his most favorited guinea pig, these two working alongside one another to uncover the Imperial Palace's mysteries hook, line, and sinker, makes the duo one of, if not the strongest unofficial couples that I've ever seen in anime. But Maomao is not done yet, oh no. Beneath both her and Jinshi, lies a cast of colourful characters (once again, like Frieren) that bolsters their reputation together as a master-and-apprentice team that cannot be defiled: - The close servant of Jinshi: Gaoshun, as well as the Imperial Emperor's concubines: Gyokuyo, Lihua, Lishu, Ah-Duo, with their respective servants. To Maomao, there is definitely a love-hate relationship between those who support and/or despise her for her facade of a normalcy, one that's not willing to be underestimated. And through it all, Gaoshun is quite the reliable assistant to Jinshi, as well as the concubines, of which Gyokuyo lies closest to Maomao. - The friends close and distant: from Maomao's working place of the Verdigris House of the famed "Three Princesses" of Meimei, Pairin and Joka, to the friends that become part-and-parcel of her life: Xiaolan and Lihaku. I would say that this group of people are what you consider the jokers, yet act their part when friendship comes into play as a plot device to shield the illusive apothecary out of her dilemmas. - The people whom Maomao call her own family: part-obvious, part-hidden. The obvious with said girl living with her adopted father Luomen, who was a former court doctor and was banished from the rear palace after a series of mistakes, he is the only person whom Maomao calls family. The hidden: Lakan and Fengxian, which their secrets open up only resentment for the smart and perceptive girl, that's all I'll say for mild spoilers. Much ado to VA Atsumi Tanezaki (Spy x Family's Anya Forger) doing an outstanding job for Frieren's character, this can be applied to VA Aoi Yuuki for her role as Maomao, the titular girl who seems like a careless poison lover externally but hides her secrets well internally. Man, nothing gets me more pumped by the Best Girl battle between Maomao and Frieren for 6 months straight from Fall 2023 to Winter this year, but the majority will say that Maomao tickles their fancies more due to her character distinguishment, and they're not wrong at all. Maomao is an incredibly talented young woman who does the bare minimum, and like a well-framed colleague, documents everything and leaves no traces behind if there's any situation or circumstance that could come backfiring at her. She's all about the fine details, and nothing more, leading up to an excellent VA job well done. If the superb voice casting doesn't sell you on why this show is a MUST-watch, the production is simply stunning...and I know I'm going to sound like a parrot, but the animation even rivals that of Frieren as the clear two best shows of the 6 months we've watched for both Fall and Winter back-to-back with exceeding expectations of consistent Triple A quality. If you didn't know, Toho Animation may be the producer for both Kusuriya and Frieren, but also can dab into the animation space with their very own in-house studio (renamed after acquiring a major stake on animation studios TIA (Toho Interactive Animation), ILCA and Anima (famous for Yami Shibai: Theatre of Darkness)) which with the collab from studio OLM, makes the former show look like a beautiful and gorgeous main course platter of food that is both disgustingly staggering and phenomenal to even think about touching it in all of its astonishing magnificence. This is only made possible by the passion and tremendous hard work of director Norihiro Naganuma, famous for directing Fall 2017's Mahoutsukai no Yome a.k.a The Ancient Magus Bride, handling the major reins all by himself: directorialship, series composition and storyboarding for episodes. And this time with this show, he does all of the above, while coaching rookie director Akinori Fudesaka in the process. How in God's name do you have someone like Norihiro Naganuma come out of his currently dwindling tenure to once again be a tour de force of a director who STILL has his dedicated craft after close to 7 years of nothing, this show has been put under the absolute justification of the correct and rightful ownership of hands. The music, like the animation, is also outstanding. Compared to just Evan Call with Frieren, Kusuriya has Satoru Kousaki (of Monogatari and Beastars fame), Kevin Penkin (of Made in Abyss fame), and Alisa Okehazama (of The God of High School fame). 2 legends plus an up-and-coming composer, you couldn't have asked for an OST so rich it exudes Oriental Sounds that perfectly replicate Imperial China, and as a Chinese myself, this OST is a massive respect to the source material's foundations. As for the theme songs, the 1st Cour's pairings of Ryokuoushoku Shakai's OP "Hana ni Natte" (lit. Like A Flower)" and Aina The End's ED "Aikotoba", serve as a great start to the anime with its upbeat and catchy songs, as well as the dazzling vibrant colours of character symbolism from Maomao's POV. Sadly, the 2nd Cour didn't fare this well one bit with Uru's OP "Ambivalent" and wacci's "Ai wa Kusuri" (lit. Love is Medicine), being uninspiring pieces of music and visuals (though strikingly good). It's such a great time in anime where two shows with completely different thematics, duke their battles out for the AOTS position for 2 seasons straight, and the one common ideal is that both shows are masterpieces of their own right. There's a lot to like and love about Frieren, and the same can be said about Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries as well. With a strong cast of characters heralded by an even unassailable duo where mysteries yonder the heart abound in a "life is not a bed of roses" theme, this show has been nothing but a consistent byproduct of "knowledge equals power", plus the unfathomable animation to boot, so much that it has earned its spot as a triumphant showpiece. The Maomao-Frieren duo are unshakable, and this show is a work of wonder in a sensational way.
Animanga