©日向夏・イマジカインフォス／「薬屋のひとりごと」製作委員会As The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 approaches the conclusion of its second cour, a “final visual” showcasing an armoured and majestic Jinshi has been unveiled.
The visual also includes a tagline referencing the arrival of dawn.
©日向夏・イマジカインフォス／「薬屋のひとりごと」製作委員会The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 initially premiered in Japan on January 10, 2025. Its plot summary states:
When a favored concubine finds herself with child, Maomao is challenged as her food taster. She must remain sharp, not only to safeguard the concubine but also against emerging threats within the palace. A new concubine with powerful connections, an unresolved attempt on Jinshi’s life, and a foreign envoy with unrealistic expectations suggest a significant conspiracy ready to envelop the empire.
The anime series adapts the Shufunotomo-published light novel series authored by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Toko Shino. The light novels, published under the Hero Bunko label, started in 2014 and include 16 volumes as of May 2025. According to J-Novel Club’s summary:
In the East lies a realm governed by an emperor, whose consorts and maidservants reside in an expansive territory known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unremarkable girl raised in a humble town by her apothecary father, never envisioned that the rear palace would become part of her life—until she was abducted and sold into its service. Although she appears ordinary, Maomao possesses a keen intellect, sharp mind, and extensive medical knowledge. That remains her secret, until she meets a palace resident who is just as astute: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He penetrates Maomao’s disguise and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s beloved consort… so she can test the lady’s food for poison! By her lady’s side, Maomao begins to uncover the hidden workings of the rear palace—not all of it being respectable. Can she ever enjoy a peaceful existence, or will her deductive skills and relentless curiosity lead her into further escapades and grave dangers?
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The Apothecary Diaries originally began as a web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou in 2011. The light novel series has two manga adaptations, one released by Square Enix and the other by Shogakukan.
Series staff (returning from Season 1 unless noted otherwise)
• Chief director and series composer: Norihiro Naganuma (Season 1 director and series composer)
• Director: Akinori Fudesaka (Season 1 assistant director)
• Assistant director: Ko Nakagawa (Season 1 Episode 6, 13, and 19 storyboard artist and director, Episode 24 director)
• Character designer: Yukiko Nakatani
• Color designer: Misato Aida
• Background art director: Katsumi Takao
• Compositing director: Mayo Suzuki (The Apothecary Diaries project PV)
• Music composer: Alisa Okehazama
• Music composer: Kevin Penkin
• Music composer: Satoru Kosaki
• Animation production: TOHO animation STUDIO and OLM
Cast
• Aoi Yuki as Maomao
• Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi
• Asami Seto as Shisui/Loulan
Source: @kusuriya_PR
