The Apothecary Diaries is a fantasy anime based on the manga written by Natsu Hyūga and Itsuki Nanao with artwork by Nekokurage. The show’s first season was directed by Norihiro Naganuma and a joint production of Toho Animation Studio and OLM.

Maomao (Emi Lo) is an apothecary living in the red light district of her nation’s capital and even works in a luxurious brothel. She is kidnapped while collecting materials for her adopted father Luomen (Stephen Miller) and sold to the palace. Despite trying to keep her head down, she gets the notice of the Emperor’s concubine Gyokuyō (Molly Zhang) and becomes her taste tester. She encounters the high ranking eunuch Jinshi (Kaiji Tang) who takes an odd liking to her, noting her analytical skills, her knowledge of botany, and her weird obsession with poisons. Maomao soon becomes embroiled in several investigations within the palace and it soon becomes apparent that many conspiracies haunt the royal family.

I admittedly struggled with the genre of this anime. It has so many facets. It could be considered fantasy since it takes place in a fictional realm, without magic, though it is clearly based on ancient China. It could be a mystery since Maomao uses her skills for investigation. It could be considered romance since there is a “will they, won’t they” with Jinshi. That is not a frustration, mind you, it is actually one of the most interesting aspects of the show.

Maomao is a very compelling character. She is stoic, serious, and analytical about things, except for sweets. When promised one, she gets uncharacteristically excited. You enjoy watching as she tries to keep her down and also maintain her duty as a lady-in-waiting. Jinshi is also a pretty interesting character. He is popular among the concubines and their female servants as he is very handsome. As he employs Maomao, he seems to get jealous when she helps other eunuchs. The show seems to be hinting that he is more than the show lets on.

Now, the show does have many mature themes. One of the characters is a child bride from the previous emperor’s harem, but the current Emperor is disgusted by that behavior, so he simply cares for her and has one of the other concubines watch her. Also, Maomao’s brothel is a frequent place the show goes to and they describe some unsavory activities there. I only mention this for those who are squeamish as some of the moments are unexpected.

Toho and OLM do an amazing job with the animation. The character designs, background work, and opening/closing themes are done fantastically. I applaud their hard work and attention to detail. I can say the same about the music. The show’s soundtrack worked perfectly.

Personally, I only got into this anime at my super cute wife’s behest since she was a fan of the manga. I ended up enjoying it a great deal as well. It leaves you with a sense of satisfaction Maomao solves mysteries and we learn more about her past, including her real parents. That was a surprise I did not see coming.

I was not surprised that this series got a second season. It is beautifully drawn, has compelling characters, and mysteries that pull you into the plot. It is no wonder that audiences are warming up to this anime.

Check out the trailer below:

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Crude humor, Foul language, Frightening images, Thematic elements, Some inappropriate sexual themes

This review is based on the dub from Crunchyroll.

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