Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023

kuali

As we start this episode, I cannot help but think: This is not the normal way a heavy drinker finds herself waking up in a man's bed with no recollection of how she got there...

Jinshi: "Why are you smiling...?"
Maomao: "Suirei used poison, man! Poison! Why are you not grinning like a maniac?!"

Maomao: "I'd take a risky drug over certain execution any day."
Jinshi: "None of the words after 'drug' mattered to you, did they?"

...Then we get an inexplicable-yet-suspicious cutaway to Loulan...

Alright, we're back in the rear palace! Maomao is back on Gyokuyou's staff, and safely out of Lakan's monocled gaze!

Progress check! I'm not sure whether to put this down as 2 or 3 chapters covered this week. We definitely covered Thornapple and Gaoshun, but seem to have done the first scene of Rear Palace Redux as well. And a lot of the second scene was covering stuff that ended up in Jinshi's voiceover, so we might count as having done that, too...

One way or the other, though, next week we're reaching How to Buy Out a Contract. There's a chapter before that one - Paper - but I didn't spot any of its scenes in the teaser, and its a standalone that could have been moved to elsewhere...

Anyway, we're down to the last 6 or so chapters in Volume 2, and there's probably 4 episodes left in the adaptation.

NakamiJun

I've been sick for a bit, so I only just now got to watch episode 19... I have to say... It's even more moving animated than it was in the book! Such a rare opinion for me...

I also loved the facial expressions on Maomao's dad (who seriously looks like he plans to personally take the guards head after he hits her, and this is the only time he seems to ever really act like a normal father) and Jinshi when during the whole sequence after being rescued.

arghc

Suirei's machinations are much more clearly laid out here than they were in the LN... unless it's just hearing it exposited it a second time. Also didn't remember there being a doctor who vouched for her initially.

TheGrimLich

Good luck, Lihaku!

kuali

Ooh, it seems we do get Paper today after all! With all its hardcore cleaning action!

The Quack really can't take a hint!

And Maomao had been smiling as well! True, it was a pretty small one, but the corners of her mouth were pointing up and everything! Only for the whole thing to go to waste when he didn't follow her point... sigh

Uh... I know the books suggested that Pairin was bisexual, but I don't recall any suggestion that she'd go after girls that young... There aren't many choices made for this anime that I think are outright bad, but that one...

It was even said that when she got too frustrated, her appetites could extend not just to the menservants of the brothel, but to the other courtesans and apprentices as well... In short, she was insatiable.

Admittedly, that might have been the original intent, since 'apprentices' are girls under 15, but I was assuming she was going after the ones that had already hit puberty... And that doesn't look like what they illustrated.

That eye-twitch is gonna become a permanent fixture for Jinshi, isn't it?

He just wants to brag that he's prettier!
Actually, I think he wanted you to think that he's prettier...

And on to next week! I think the preview is covering Blue Roses and Red Nails. Which... would leave us with 2 episodes left in the season and 2 chapters - Balsam and Woodsorrel and Epilogue - left in the book. And while the first of those is a decent length chapter, the second is pretty short. So I'm kinda stumped as to what Episode 24's gonna contain...

Travis Butler

@kuali said in Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023:

And on to next week! I think the preview is covering Blue Roses and Red Nails. Which... would leave us with 2 episodes left in the season and 2 chapters - Balsam and Woodsorrel and Epilogue - left in the book. And while the first of those is a decent length chapter, the second is pretty short. So I'm kinda stumped as to what Episode 24's gonna contain...

I’m almost thinking we might get an end-of-season wrap up/clip show. There’s so much going in Apothecary Diaries, it would feel more earned than most (Utena being the best/most-earned one I can think of, Evangelion being another good one.)

pcj

Or maybe they'll give us the first chapter or two of volume 3 as a hook before announcing season 2 and not giving a date for it.

Sekki

I think this season will end up peacefully without foreshadowing while next season will open with mao as an introduction to next big arc that will span through whole season. I think that would suit anime style the best.

kuali

Maomao, naturally, starts little Lingli off with a picture of a poisonous mushroom.

I really don't know why the other girls weren't expecting that...

Maomao: "Is there some new popular hallucinogen?"
Maomao's thoughts: And if so, why haven't I tried it yet?

Yes! Smash the monocles! She says what we're all thinking!

"I get to skip work and eat snacks? This is great!"

Xiaolan is a woman after my own heart 🤣

"Every single day. Don't they get tired of this?"

Well, I haven't gotten tired of watching Maomao, so I can definitely understand why the handmaidens keep doing it!

And our progress check! We completed Blue Roses, and just a bit of Red Nails. Next week's preview seems to cover the rest of Red Nails, plus Balsam and Woodsorrel. Leaving just Epilogue for Episode 24...

NakamiJun

It's so sad princess Lingli doesn't seem to remember Maomao later... They obviously got along so well at this point...

Oh and little known fact... While blue roses didn't used to exist... They were created in 2002 (using genetic engineering). xD

kuali

Lakan... seems very excited at playing a game with his daughter...

Ahh, Jinshi has a bad feeling about the mystery vial that Maomao pulls from her sleeve. There's a chance it might not be poison, after all!

That liquor must be strong indeed if Maomao's cheeks are flushing after only two cups! Lakan never stood a chance...

And now we pause the series in progress for a quick flashback to The Monocle Chronicles!

To be fair, while he may blame himself, most of what happened wasn't Lakan's fault. Fengxian chose to have him impregnate her; It was Luomen's disgrace that got him sent away from the capital; The letters that might have brought him back in time were not forwarded to him; Fengxian's pride prevented her syphilis from being treated in time.

And the answer of how they were going to have enough content for episode 24 has been answered: They bulked out Lakan's backstory, then chopped off half of Balsam and Woodsorrel to go into the last episode alongside the Volume 2 Epilogue.

NakamiJun

That was a painful spot to end the episode... I really needed the resolution to this part... But to someone who hasn't read the books this probably isn't nearly so bad...

And really Lakan and Fengxian are both fairly broken people, it's not really surprising they took the paths they did... But both their fates were ruined by the birth of Jinshi and the 'other imperial child' who would go on to pass away. Hence the disgrace of Lakan's uncle and Lakan being sent away to destroy Fengxian's hopes.

kuali

He touched Maomao's shoulder three times! Revenge must be sought... Lakan isn't going to let not having raised Maomao stop him being an overprotective dad, it seems!

Of course, there's one question I don't think the novels ever answered - why was Grams willing to keep Fengxian around for so long even after all the trouble she caused, and so resistant to selling her when someone came around who actually still wanted her? It can't have been because she didn't want to sell to Lakan, because if that was the case, she wouldn't have sold him anyone - or been implied to be willing to sell him Maomao if she was ever indebted enough...

"If that monocled face came at you and told you 'Call Me Papa', how would you react?"

Jinshi chooses violence... and I really can't blame him...

Maomao: "Who knows?"
Jinshi: "You do."
🤣

Naturally, asking about the Ox Bezoar requires a romantic-moment-style leadup 😎

Naturally, the meeting with the super-high-ranked Eunuch is the perfect time to be playfully tugging on Maomao's cheeks, Guiyuan...

And we end the only way a series like this should end - with a card confirming that they've greenlit a second season 😁

Travis Butler

They nailed the dance scene. It was good in the LN, but in the anime it was a hit straight to the heart. From the way she moved into the dance, to her admitting she wasn't sure if she'd remember it, right down to the glow of the pleasure district in the background.

Lakan's reuniting with Fengxian was another hit straight to the feels. Will have to go back and see if the LN mentions tears coming to his eyes, but the anime makes it very clear just how much he cared about her.

NakamiJun

@kuali said in Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023:

Of course, there's one question I don't think the novels ever answered - why was Grams willing to keep Fengxian around for so long even after all the trouble she caused, and so resistant to selling her when someone came around who actually still wanted her? It can't have been because she didn't want to sell to Lakan, because if that was the case, she wouldn't have sold him anyone - or been implied to be willing to sell him Maomao if she was ever indebted enough...

I think 'Grams' feels Lakan ruined the life of a woman she considered a long time friend/younger sister in Fengxian. She probably felt he would never except the current Fengxian, regardless of what he claimed, and so it was better if she were to take care of Fengxian until she passed.

That said, we don't get a lot of characterization of 'Grams' in the novels to begin with... So that's purely my take on the few things we do get.

kuali

@NakamiJun Well, since you seem to have read the novels (mild spoilers for vol 3 / season 2)

spoiler

jazzyjeoff

This and Frieren were my two favorites of the season and both make my all time favorite list—I was a bit surprised that Apothecary Diaries had the better finale— beautifully tragic. I guess the Madam was the villain in all this —or at least had more opportunities to give the lovers a chance at a better end. My first impulse is to say the actions of those involved didn't make sense and seemed forced to make the love story tragic, but I know that’s really not true —I have known very bright people to make self-destructuve choices out of arrogance, stubbornness, spite and greed. Anyway, I haven't read what happens later, but Lakan appears to have been very well-intentioned, tragic character. It seemed a little weird that Maomao seemed to understand her father but was not warmer towards him.

NakamiJun

@kuali I think the easier answer is just that much like the 4 Princesses see Maomao as their younger sister, Grams sees Fengxian the same way. Even Grams isn't cold enough to throw away someone she cares about (though she might sell them into what looks like a better situation as far as she's concerned). The clearest picture of what that might be is the way Grams takes a broom to Lakan.

@jazzyjeoff said in Apothecary Diaries anime - airing 2023:

TAnyway, I haven't read what happens later, but Lakan appears to have been very well-intentioned, tragic character. It seemed a little weird that Maomao seemed to understand her father but was not warmer towards him.

You don't see it in the anime... Yet, it could come later if they continue the series (I hope they do), but if you want to know...

spoiler

kuali

@jazzyjeoff Grams didn't really have an opportunity to give them a better end either - had she been more cooperative, Lakan would have gotten Fengxian earlier, but her mind would still be gone.

The deliberate choices made that sealed Fengxian's fate were her pregnancy (Fengxian's choice), Lakan's 'exile' (his father's choice), blocking her letters to Lakan (someone in Lakan's household, probably his father again), and Fengxian concealing her illness from Luomen until it was untreatable (Fengxian's choice again).

Lisast

@kuali Reading through the r/anime threads, it appears this question was answered on the author's Twitter or some such. I don't know if it appears in untranslated material (or translated material I'm behind on, though I assume it wouldn't come up if it was).

spoiler

As for the show, whew. I know I expressed some doubts at the beginning of the season, but this adaptation knocked it completely out of the park. Rereading some of the early material, I realized that most of the more comedic things that stuck out to me at first were indeed in the novel, and just didn't have as much attention called to them. The anime nailed the comedic, emotional, and mystery moments. Can't wait for season two, featuring frogs and insects.