Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023
-
-
Alright, today's the release of Season 2 Episode 1! We've got a new opening sequence, to start things off! Though all the references I spotted were to stuff in Volume 3...
(Including one shot of things Maomao holds throughout the season... which includes a frog for some reason...)
As I recall, the announcement is that its a two cour adaptation again, so I assume this opening is just for the first cour and the second will cover Vol 4.
Anyway, here we go! Episode 25: Maomao and Maomao!
Gyokuyou: "Looking for something?"
Jinshi: "No, I wasn't trying to get her to look at me as though I was an insect again!"Maomao, looking at Gaoshun: That's what he noticed? I thought maybe he was a closet pervert.
Maomao, looking at Jinshi: ...Like this one is...Maomao, please don't bring up manure when Xiaolan's eating...
It feels so weird seeing Maomao be affectionate to someone. Can't say Xiaolan's a bad pick, though!
Xiaolan: "Are these commonly used words?"
Well, for Maomao they are!Hongniang: "Lady Gyokuyou, no! She'll teach the princess all sorts of nasty things."
Maomao: Puts on a 'busted' face and doesn't even bother trying to deny it.And we also get to meet the other Maomao! And a mysterious nameless woman who totally won't be showing up again later...
Maomao: accidentally describes every way in which she is similar to a cat
Jinshi: "I'm starting to see [the appeal of cats], too."Aw, how cute, Maomao brought Maomao her catch as a present!
So, the progress report! We've covered Books and The Cat this episode, with a line or two of The Caravan as the teaser for next week. We skipped over the Prologue - I assume it'll come up closer to when its used. I'm guessing somewhere around the middle of the season.
-
And on to the episode I missed last week: Caravan!
Interesting - I think Jinshi and Gaoshun's discussion about the caravan is new. We LN readers knew it was bigger than usual, but we weren't told why this was the case... (At least, not quite yet. The Quack spilling the beans to Maomao and co was in the novels.)
Shin's getting introduced a little earlier than she was in the books, too.
But don't think you can gouge me that easily! E-he-he-he-he-he!
...There might be a little too much Grams in Maomao these days...
Quack: "I didn't know you had friends!"
Maomao: ...He's not wrong...
Funny as that was... Maomao has more friends than she'd care to admit.Ah, yes, the great smelling. 🤣 Those poor ladies-in-waiting... But hey, at least they got embarrassed for a good cause!
And looks like there's at least one more person out there who doesn't want more Imperial Kids...
Anyway, straight on to the next episode: Corpse Fungus!
So, the outdoors tea party. Oddly enough, the first time all series I've had to turn up the volume; at my normal listening volume, Lingli's cries weren't audible and it looked as though Gyokuyou was somehow persuaded by Jinshi staring off into the distance. Such a surreal moment on first watch - I didn't even realise there was meant to be a sound there until I checked the novel!
Jinshi and Gaoshun: "Maomao isn't glaring! Sound the alarm, the end times are upon us!"
Poor Tao. And Poor Maomao: Found the truth, but lost the mushrooms...
So, what have we covered this time? Well, Caravan did The Caravan and Perfume Oil. Corpse Fungus covered Corpse Fungus parts 1 and 2.
So far, we've covered 6/21 chapters in Vol 3. Mostly in order (though we still haven't covered the Prologue).
-
Mirror
Ooh, we're starting with a look at the two envoys!
Gaoshun... He did a good job until he ran out of prepared lines, but the guy just isn't cut out to be a liar, is he?
Aw, Gaoshun's learned Maomao's I know the answer but I'm not sure I wanna say it dance! And came prepared with a worthy bribe to get her out of it...
Jinshi: "Have you ever heard of an otherworldly beauty?"
Maomao: ...Too many jokes, too little time...
Gyukuyou: Knows exactly what she's thinkingGyokuyou: "Ooh, what is [Grams] like?"
Long pause
Maomao: "Moving on..."...and is technically male. 🤣
Maomao: "For a foreigner to think Grams was an ethereal beauty... she drugged them, didn't she?"
"What are you trying to say?" I think that's the closest Jinshi ever came to having Maomao executed!
That episode covered Mirrors and the first half of The Moon Spirit, bringing us up to 7.5/21 chapters covered...
-
Oh snap, I've been so very busy I hadn't even noticed that season 2 was airing! I clicked on the thread expecting to find some promotional video had been released 😅
-
The Moon Fairy - As I recall, that's an alternate translation of The Moon Spirit. ...I think Spirit was probably the better choice, if only to avoid implying something unintended about Jinshi.
Shisui on her first encounter with an enthusiastic Maomao: blank eyed stare
Emissary Ayla: Has the chest to attract the Emperor's attention, but seems to lack the manners!
"The Moon Fairy": If I have to go through with this, you're not escaping either, Maomao!
...Google tells me that Maomao did actually get the Italian pronunciation of Diana more or less correct (they say it closer to dee-anna than the English die-anna, apparently).. Plus she actually is a deity associated with the moon, so hey, bonus points for her knowledge of Roman Mythology!
...Looks like Ayla didn't take her 'loss' well...
What an overreaction. All I did was push them around a little. And assault one of them. Then assault several of them while sniffing at their outfits.
I really can't stand up to older women. They probably remind you of Grams too much!
I think Maomao not looking where she's going is now Jinshi's summoning ritual...
Jinshi: Why is she staring at my crotch and mumbling to herself...?
Anyway, this was another chapter-and-a-half episode, with the second half of The Moon Spirit and all of The Clinic covered. Next up is the two-part chapter Third Time's The Charm, which I'm guessing gets all of this week's episode. Nearly caught up now!
-
The Crystal Pavilion, For the Third Time
I'm making a drug to make it grow back. Bet she hasn't given much thought to what Jinshi would do with it if she restored it...
Ahh, poor Quack, forced into the Crystal Pavillion just because Maomao needs an excuse to poke around...
Shin: "Naturally we take good care of her. We're of noble blood, which makes us inherently superior to those who couldn't save her or her child. That we were the ones poisoning them both is entirely beside the point!"
I love the little sweat drop on Shin's face as she recognises the clothes-sniffer herself 😇
A beautiful woman, clearly full of pride. That must be why she's the head lady-in-waiting.
Honestly, I think its just nepotism. She got to be the head 'cause she's the one that's of the same noble house as Lihua is. Even if her, ah, 'measurements' aren't quite as noble as Lihua's.
Shin: "You'd take the word of a feverish servant girl?"
Maomao: "I never said she was feverish..."There's a huge gap in breast size... I mean, caliber as a concubine.
I mean, knowing the current Emperor, those are more or less the same thing!
"Unhand me, you filthy eunuch!"
Filthy? Gaoshun? sigh Villainesses these days just have no taste...
Maomao: "Its just some small cuts."
Jinshi: "That's not the point! Don't you know what the guy in the monocle did to the last person that hit you?!"Aaaand caught up! 11 chapters done in 6 episodes. Still no sign of the Prologue, but we've followed the rest of the book pretty much in order.
-
This makes me want to go back and reread the series. It’s been so long, but I remember enough that very little surprises me. I’m just enjoying the story on screen.
-
NHK World
The Apothecary Diaries Special
ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION
"This episode features The Apothecary Diaries, a mystery-entertainment series gaining popularity worldwide. The author reveals the secrets behind the story, which fans of all ages love. We also go behind the scenes of the anime production and explore the professional techniques used to bring the rich world of the rear palace and its colorful characters to life."Broadcast on May 25, 2025 / Available until May 24, 2026
Duration: 28 min -
@Coelodonta said in Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023:
NHK World
The Apothecary Diaries Special
Watchable and with English subtitles! Thx for the tip!!
