It was announced today that a second season of the anime adaptation of the novel The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) written by Natsu Hyuuga and illustrated by Touko Shino it will debut in 2025. You can see the announcement video above.
About The Apothecary Diaries 2 the author commented:
I think the sense of unease viewers may have felt when watching the first season will be alleviated in the second season.
Already know it Aoi Yuuki who plays Maomao, commented:
I’m very happy, both as someone who plays Maomao and as a fan of this franchise.
The first season premiered in the Fall 2023 anime season (October-December) and had a total of 24 episodes.
With animation by the studios TOHO animation It is OLM (Pokémon, Inazuma Eleven), the direction is by Norihiro Naganuma (The Ancient Magus’ Bride) who is also supervising the script and character design is Yukiko Nakatani (Go! Princess Precure, Tropical-Rouge! Precure). The art direction is Katsumi Takao (Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle) with Yū Nagai (Komi Can’t Communicate) directing the CGI.
In the cast we have:
- Aoi Yuuki as Maomao.
- Takeo Ootsuka as Jinshi.
- Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun
- Atsumi Tanezaki as Gyokuyō
- Yui Ishikawa as Lihua
- Hina Kino as Lishu
- Yuko Kaida as Ah-Duo
- Megumi Han as Meimei
- Ami Koshimizu as Pairin
- Hiroki Nanami as Joka
- Kimiko Saitō as Yarite Babaa (Madam)
- Hiroshi Yanaka as Luomen
- Kenji Akabane as Lihaku
- Misaki Kuno as Xiaolan
- Mitsuaki Kanuka as Yabu Isha (Quack Doctor)
The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) began to be published in October 2011 in Shousetsuka ni Narou and in physical format it began publication in August 2014. The novel inspires two manga adaptations simultaneously, one of Nekokurage published in Big Gangan and another from Minoki Kurata published in Sunday Gene-X.
Synopsis of The Apothecary Diaries
In an imperial court in ancient China, a few months have passed since a 17-year-old girl known as Maomao was kidnapped and forced to work as a low-ranking servant in the emperor’s palace. Still, she manages to maintain her curious and pragmatic spirit, planning to work until her years of servitude are over. One day, however, she realizes that two of the emperor’s sons have become seriously ill, so she decides to act in secret, using her experience as a pharmacist raised in a poor neighborhood.
Despite Maomao’s efforts to remain anonymous, she soon catches the eye of Jinshi, an influential eunuch who recognizes her talents. Maomao soon begins to gain positions in the empire and gradually begins to stand out by using her knowledge and eccentric personality to solve medical mysteries.
