The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries
is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga and illustrated by Touko Shino. It was serialized online since 2011 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. The series is set in a fictional country modelled after ancient China.
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, and the manga illustrated by Nekokurage is also licensed by Square Enix. An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM premiered in October 2023.
Premise
In a fictional country based on ancient China , Maomao, a young girl who works as an apothecary in the red-light district, is kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. However, she still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work there until her years of servitude are over, without drawing the attention of anyone. One day, after hearing the rumors that the emperor's children are critically ill, she begins to investigate the cause, using her experience as a pharmacist, and successfully solves the mystery of their illness. Even though she intends to remain anonymous, her actions eventually catch the attention of an influential eunuch, and soon finds herself solving various mysteries in the royal court.
Characters
The plain-looking daughter of an apothecarist who lives on the outskirts of the city, she provides her services to a brothel in the capital and its courtesans. After being kidnapped by bandits who sell her to the Imperial Palace for profit, 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 taste-tester for one of the Emperor's concubines. While Jinshi is attracted to her, she often looks at him with disgust and resents his ways of involving her in palace intrigue, preferring to spend her time testing out different poisons and medicines on herself. Even so, she often helps him solve whatever mystery he brings to her attention.
A surprisingly beautiful 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 Jinshi finds himself attracted to Maomao, the only person he's met who does not unconditionally love him. Behind his face lies a shrewd mind who tries to balance his duties to the Emperor while improving his own station within the Imperial Palace.
Jinshi's loyal attendant, often supporting him and Maomao more quietly.
One of the Emperor's concubines with bright red hair, and the mother of an infant daughter. She took Maomao as a Lady-in-waiting, as thanks for warning her about the poisoned makeup.
One of the Emperor's concubines with dark blue hair who gave birth to his heir. However, when she ignored 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.
The most popular courtesan of the brothel who acts like a sister to Maomao when she visits.
An old woman who owns the Rokushoukan brothel and offered Maomao a place to work, treating her like a daughter.
Media
Novel
Originally, the series was only published by Natsu Hyūga 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.
Light novel
In 2014, Shufunotomo began to publish the series again. 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 only 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 will release the light novels in print.
Volumes
Manga
A manga adaptation by Itsuki Nanao and illustrated by Nekokurage began in the 2017 6th issue of Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan, released 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 29, 2023, twelve volumes have been published.
In November 2019, Square Enix announced the English language release of the manga in North America under the title The Apothecary Diaries, and began publishing it in December 2020.
The manga is also licensed in Indonesia by M&C!.
An alternative manga adaptation, titled , 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 September 29, 2023, seventeen volume have been published.
The Apothecary Diaries
Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on February 16, 2023. It is produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, with Norihiro Naganuma directing and supervising the scripts, and Akinori Fudesaka serving as assistant director. Yukiko Nakatani designed the characters, and Satoru Kōsaki, Kevin Penkin, and Alisa Okehazama composed the music. The series premiered on October 22, 2023, on Nippon TV and its affiliates, and will run for two cours. The opening theme song is by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, while the ending theme song is by Aina the End. Crunchyroll licensed the series outside Asia, but included Middle East, CIS, and South Asia. Netflix has licensed the series for streaming in select regions of Asia.
Episodes
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.
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 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."
In 2019, the manga adaptation won the Next Manga Award in the print category. The manga adaptation also ranked fifth on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020". In 2020, it ranked ninth in the AnimeJapan Most Wanted Anime Adaptation poll.
Notes
References
External links
at Shōsetsuka ni Narō
at Monthly Big Gangan
at Monthly Sunday Gene-X
at Square Enix Manga & Books
2012 Japanese novels
2014 Japanese novels
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OLM, Inc.
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