# The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries (Japanese: 薬屋のひとりごと, Hepburn: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, "Apothecary's Soliloquy") is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga [ja] and illuShino.the story is from chinese ming dynasty. by Touko Shino. Since 2011, it has been serialized online on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. In the following year, it was acquired by Shufunotomo, who initially published the series as a novel with a single volume in 2012 and then as a light novel series in 2014.
It has been adapted into two manga series in 2017, with one published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan, and another one published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X. The light novel is licensed digitally in North America by J-Novel Club and in print by Square Enix. The manga illustrated by Nekokurage is also licensed by Square Enix. An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM aired from October 2023 to March 2024. A second season premiered in January 2025.

## Synopsis

Set in a fictional country based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty, and often referencing knowledge closer to the late Ming dynasty, the series follows Maomao, a young girl working as an apothecary in a red-light district, who was kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as an indentured servant. She still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work there until her two years of servitude are over. After learning that the emperor's newborns and concubines are critically ill, she begins to investigate the cause. Using her experience as an apothecary, she successfully solves the mystery of their illness. Even though she intended to remain anonymous, her actions catch the attention of Jinshi, an influential eunuch. She then undertakes the solving of mysteries for the royal court.

## Characters
### Main characters
#### Maomao (猫猫)

    Voiced by: Aoi Yūki (drama CD, anime) (Japanese); Emi Lo (English)
    The plain-looking daughter of an apothecary who lives on the outskirts of the city, and provides her services to a brothel in the capital and its courtesans. After being kidnapped by bandits who sell her to the Imperial Palace, she is accidentally dragged into palace intrigue, using her knowledge of poisons, medicine, plants, and basic chemistry to become an unofficial forensic pathologist, in addition to becoming a lady-in-waiting and poison taste-tester for one of the Emperor's concubines. While Jinshi is in love with her, she does not reciprocate at all, often looking at him with disgust, resenting his ways of involving her in palace intrigue. Instead she prefers to spend time testing out different poisons and medicines on herself. Even so, she often helps him solve whatever mystery he brings to her attention.

#### Jinshi (壬氏)

    Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai (drama CD), Takeo Ōtsuka (anime) (Japanese); Kaiji Tang (English)
    A eunuch who runs most of the administration of the rear palace, where the Emperor's concubines and their respective staff reside. Both men and women alike are attracted to his visage, but he finds himself attracted to Maomao, the only person he has met who is not enamored by him. Later it is revealed that Jinshi is not a eunuch, he merely pretends to be one to hide his identity as the Emperor's younger brother while consuming anaphrodisiacs on a daily basis. Behind his face lies a shrewd mind that tries to balance his duties to the Emperor while improving his own station within the Imperial Palace.

### Imperial Palace
#### The Emperor's Concubines
##### Gyokuyō (玉葉)

    Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa (drama CD), Atsumi Tanezaki (anime) (Japanese); Molly Zhang (English)
    Known as the Precious Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines and is the emperor's favorite. She has bright red hair and brilliant jade green eyes and is the mother of an infant daughter and, later, a son. She took Maomao as a Lady-in-waiting as thanks for warning her about the poisoned makeup. She is also one who supports Jinshi and Maomao. She resides in the Jade Pavilion in the Rear Palace.

##### Lihua (梨花, Rifa)

    Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa (Japanese); Trina Nishimura (English)
    Known as the Wise Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. She has dark blue hair and gave birth to his heir. However, when her head lady-in-waiting disregarded Maomao's warning about her poisoned makeup, her infant son died and she herself nearly passed away. After Maomao later nursed her back to health, she became more friendly to her. She later gave birth to a healthy son. She resides in the Crystal Pavilion in the Rear Palace.

##### Lishu (里樹, Rīshu)

    Voiced by: Hina Kino (Japanese); Reshel Mae (English)
    Known as the Virtuous Consort, she is the youngest of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. Due to political reasons, she becomes the mother-in-law of the older Pure Consort. She has food allergies but her ladies-in-waiting think she is just picky with her food, making it one of the reasons to subtly bully her (along with the fact that she is the consort of two emperors) until Maomao suggests death from food allergies is as bad as poisoning and could lead to the execution of those responsible. She resides in the Diamond Pavilion in the Rear Palace.

##### Ah-Duo (阿多, Ā Duo)

    Voiced by: Yūko Kaida (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)
    Known as the Pure Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines, who resides in the Garnet Pavilion in the Rear Palace. She has a close relationship with Lishu. It is implied that she is the mother of Jinshi. She would later leave the rear palace to live in a detached palace in the south.

##### Loulan (楼蘭, Rouran) / Shisui (子翠)

    Voiced by: Asami Seto (Japanese); Suzie Yeung (English)
    Ah-Duo's replacement as the Pure Consort. Behavior-wise, she is aloof and seems not to care, and has the most number of ladies-in-waiting, seemingly overshadowing the emperor's favorite concubine. She masquerades as a girl dressed in servant's clothing and has a fascination for plants and insects.

#### Other members
##### Gaoshun (高順)

    Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda (drama CD), Katsuyuki Konishi (anime) (Japanese); Alex Hom (English)
    Jinshi's loyal attendant, often supporting him and Maomao more quietly.

##### Guen (虞淵)

    Voiced by: Mitsuru Ogata (drama CD), Mitsuaki Kanuka (anime) (Japanese); Jim Foronda (English)
    Guen is the palace's doctor, whom Maomao refers to as a quack. Though he was a bit hesitant around Maomao, he comes to accept and befriend her later. His family is a purveyor of high-quality paper to the palace.

##### Jiaojiao (嬌嬌)

    Voiced by: Mari Hino (drama CD)

##### Lihaku (李白, Rihaku)

    Voiced by: Kenji Akabane (Japanese); Seth Fuentes (English)
    A soldier who happened to give Maomao a hairpin during the garden party. She requested him to escort her outside of the palace walls in exchange for time at the Verdigris, which caused misunderstanding on Jinshi's part.

##### Xiaolan (小蘭, Shaoran)

    Voiced by: Misaki Kuno (Japanese); Bree Han (English)
    A servant at the rear palace who is Maomao's close friend. Whenever she and Maomao comes together, she sometimes share the latest gossip and intel from all over the palace.

##### Fengming (風明, Fonmin)

    Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka (Japanese); Sally Vahle (English)
    Ah-Duo's lead lady-in-waiting whose family owns an apiary. Despite her showing as an exemplary and respected lady-in-waiting, there is a secret behind her, which could be the reason Lishu fears her, even with just the mention of her name.

##### Lakan (羅漢, Rakan)

    Voiced by: Takuya Kirimoto (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo (English)
    He is said to be a tactician of the emperor's army. He is a face-blind, monocle-wearing official and the head of the La clan, to which Maomao belongs, as he is her biological father.

##### Suirei (翠苓)

    Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka (Japanese); Veronica Laux (English)
    Suirei is a former court lady in the outer court. She is Loulan's half-sister, the first daughter of Shishou.

##### Rikuson (陸孫)

    Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama (Japanese); Charles Nguyen (English)
    A subordinate of Lakan who is sent to become Gyokuyou's aide.

##### Anshi

    Voiced by: Mamiko Noto
    The empress dowager. She gave birth to the current emperor.

##### Hakū (白羽)

    Voiced by: Satomi Satō

##### Kokū (黒羽)

    Voiced by: Hitomi Ueda

##### Sekiu (赤羽)

    Voiced by: Miku Itō
    Hakū, Kokū, and Sekiu are Gyokuyou's latest addition to her staff of ladies-in-waiting. They are from the same hometown as Gyokuyou.

### Others
#### Meimei (梅梅), Pairin (白鈴) and Joka (女華)

    Voiced by: Megumi Han (Japanese); Rebecca Danae (English) (Meimei)
    Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu (Japanese); Ciarán Strange (English) (Parin)
    Voiced by: Hiroki Nanami (Japanese); Monica Flatley (English) (Joka)
    The "Three Princesses" and most famous courtesans of the Verdigris House (緑青館, Rokushō-kan) brothel where Maomao grew up figures. Pairin is the oldest and the most popular of the three, a sex demon with a voracious appetite. She later becomes Lihaku's love interest and is an expert at dancing, while Meimei is the second-youngest, much more emotional and was Fengxian's apprentice, known for her skills in board games and poetry. Joka is the youngest and significantly more aloof and reserved, known for her skills in music and poetry, although she dislikes men. Maomao views all three as her older sister figures due to the three of them raising her since she was a child, although she views Pairin as more of a mother to her due to the latter having been her wet nurse when she was young.

#### Madam (やり手婆, Yarite Baba)

    Voiced by: Kimiko Saitō (Japanese); Wendy Powell (English)
    An old woman who owns the Verdigris House brothel and offered Maomao a place to work, treating her like a granddaughter. She has a deal with Maomao not to make her a courtesan as long as she sends the princesses plenty of rich customers from the rear palace.

#### Luomen (羅門, Rwomen)

    Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka (Japanese); Stephen Miller (English)
    Maomao's adoptive father. She later knew from court records that he is a former court doctor who was banished from the rear palace. He is revealed to be one of a rare few to have been sent abroad by the empire to study medicine.

#### Fengxian (鳳仙, Fonshen)

    Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese); Caitlin Glass (English)
    Formerly the Verdigris's most valuable courtesan, she contracted a disease due to the nature of her profession, which made her of no use to the brothel. She is Maomao's biological mother, who once nearly killed her in her infancy, and whose attack is the reason for Maomao's crooked little finger. Maomao visits her regularly to help manage her disease through Luomen's medicine.

#### Shishou

    Voiced by: Chō
    Loulan's father who is also an influential politician.

#### Aila (姶良, Aira)

    Voiced by: Lynn
    One of the two foreign envoys who came to establish relations with the empire, with the aim of becoming a concubine; but is thwarted.

#### Ailin (愛凛, Airin)

    Voiced by: Yumi Hara
    The other of the two envoys and is Aila's younger sister. She is more quiet and calmer than her sister.

## Media
### Novel

Originally, the series was only published by Natsu Hyūga [ja] on the user-generated web novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō in October 2011. The publisher Shufunotomo acquired the series and then published it on their Ray Books imprint as a novel with a single volume on September 26, 2012, illustrated by Megumi Matsuda.

### Light novel

In 2014, Shufunotomo began to publish the series again, illustrated by Touko Shino. This time, it was published as a light novel in their Hero Bunko imprint, which is mostly made of acquired Shōsetsuka ni Narō titles. Since then, the series continued to get more volumes with the story continuing, unlike the previous novel version which had just one volume. J-Novel Club announced in November 2020 that it had licensed the light novel series. In October 2023, Square Enix announced that it would release the light novels in print starting in May 2024.

### Manga

A manga adaptation by Itsuki Nanao and illustrated by Nekokurage began in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan on May 25, 2017. Square Enix has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on September 25, 2017. As of September 25, 2024, 14 volumes have been published.
In November 2019, Square Enix announced the English language release of the manga in North America and began publishing it in December 2020.
An alternative manga adaptation, titled The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace (薬屋のひとりごと～猫猫の後宮謎解き手帳～, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō), illustrated by Minoji Kurata, began in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday Gene-X on August 19, 2017. Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on February 19, 2018. As of December 19, 2024, 19 volumes have been published. The manga has been licensed in Southeast Asia by Shogakukan Asia.

### Anime

An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM was announced on February 16, 2023. It was directed and written by Norihiro Naganuma, with Akinori Fudesaka serving as assistant director for the first season and later replacing Norihiro as director of the second season. Yukiko Nakatani [ja] designed the characters, and Satoru Kōsaki, Kevin Penkin, and Alisa Okehazama [ja] all composed the music. The two consecutive-cours series aired from October 22, 2023, to March 24, 2024, on Nippon TV and its affiliates. The first opening theme song is "Hana ni Natte" (花になって, lit. 'Become a Flower') performed by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, while the first ending theme song is "Aikotoba" (アイコトバ, lit. 'The Spell') performed by Aina the End. The second opening theme song is "Ambivalent" (アンビバレント) performed by Uru, while the second ending theme song is "Ai wa Kusuri" (愛は薬, lit. 'Love is Medicine'), performed by Wacci [ja].
Following the conclusion of the first season broadcast, a second season was announced. It premiered on January 10, 2025, on the Friday Anime Night programming block on Nippon TV and its affiliates. The first opening theme song is "Hyakkaryōran" (百花繚乱, lit. 'Splendid Bounty') performed by Lilas Ikuta, while the first ending theme song is "Shiawase no Recipe" (幸せのレシピ, lit. 'The Recipe for Happiness') performed by Dai Hirai [ja].
Crunchyroll streams the series worldwide outside Asia, in addition to the Middle East, the CIS, and South Asia. The first cours of the first season was released on Blu-ray on January 28, 2025, while the second cours is set to be released on March 25, 2025. Netflix streams the series in select regions of Asia.

## Reception
### Sales

The Apothecary Diaries was the sixth best-selling light novel series in 2019, with 461,024 copies sold; the fifth best-selling light novel series in 2020, with 527,950 copies sold; and the third best-selling light novel series in 2021, with 496,626 copies sold.
By November 2023, the franchise (including the light novel and its two manga adaptations) had over 27 million copies in circulation. By January 2024, the franchise had over 31 million copies in circulation. By September 2024, the franchise had over 38 million copies in circulation.

### Critical response

In her review of the first novel for Anime News Network, Rebecca Silverman gave it an overall grade of B, writing: "It's an enjoyable read, one that gets better as it goes on, and if its pacing is a little too fast, it makes up for it in the way the characters interact and the story unfolds", though she criticized it for lacking in mystery elements despite being of the mystery genre. Silverman also gave the second novel a B grade, describing it as being "still an engaging read" and writing: "Maomao is a wonderful, if at times abrasive, heroine who takes no garbage from anyone, and watching her become more and more involved in the life of the court is interesting."
In his review of the first volume of the manga adaptation for Anime News Network, Theron Martin gave it an overall grade of B+. He praised the art, characters and the use of historical details, and noted several similarities with The Story of Saiunkoku. Silverman gave the second manga volume an overall grade of A−, writing: "The Apothecary Diaries' manga adaptation continues to be an excellent read. The art is beautiful, Maomao's the sort of female character who's actually strong rather than just being a Strong Female Character, and the story has nice continuity."

### Accolades

In 2019, the manga adaptation by Nekokurage ranked ninth on AnimeJapan's "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation" poll. The manga adaptation won the Next Manga Award in the print category. It also ranked fifth on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020". In 2024, the light novel and manga adaptation by Nekokurage won the Piccoma Award in their respective categories. The manga adaptation by Minoji Kurata was nominated for the 70th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2024.
The anime ranked sixth in Anime News Network's "Top 10 Anime of 2024". Furthermore, Caitlin Moore praised the series' plot, as well as Aoi Yuki's voice acting.
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2023 | Reiwa Anisong Awards [ja] | Artist Song Award | "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | Nominated |
| 2023 | AT-X | Top Anime Ranking | The Apothecary Diaries | 5th place |
| 2023 | AT-X 25th Anniversary | Favorite Series | The Apothecary Diaries | 5th place |
| 2023 | AT-X 25th Anniversary | Recommended Series | The Apothecary Diaries | 3rd place |
| 2023 | AT-X 25th Anniversary | Favorite Anisong | "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | 7th place |
| 2024 | 46th Anime Grand Prix | Grand Prix | The Apothecary Diaries | 5th place |
| 2024 | 46th Anime Grand Prix | Best Character | Maomao | 5th place |
| 2024 | Japan Expo Awards | Daruma for Best Anime | The Apothecary Diaries | Nominated |
| 2024 | Japan Expo Awards | Daruma for Best Suspense Anime | The Apothecary Diaries | Won |
| 2024 | 19th AnimaniA Awards | Best TV Series: Online | The Apothecary Diaries | Won |
| 2024 | Yahoo! Japan Search Awards | Anime Category | The Apothecary Diaries | 3rd place |
| 2024 | Billboard Japan Music Awards | Hot 100 | "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | 17th place |
| 2024 | Billboard Japan Music Awards | Most Downloaded Songs | "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | 10th place |
| 2024 | Billboard Japan Music Awards | Hot Animation | "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai | 8th place |
| 2024 | IGN Awards | Best Anime Series | The Apothecary Diaries | Runner-up |