A press conference was held on March 17th at Kanda Shrine (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) to announce the collaboration between the TV anime " The Apothecary Diaries a Shosetsuka ni Naro , " and the Reiwa 7 Kanda Festival, with voice actor Takeo Otsuka , who plays Jinshi , making an appearance. Otsuka cited episode 31, "The Shrine of Choice," as a particularly memorable episode from the second season of the TV anime, saying, "When I saw it in the anime, I got goosebumps because the music, acting, and everyone's efforts came together to make it look like a movie version! It's an inspiring story to see such a great cast."
Otsuka commented on the appeal of " The Apothecary Diaries," saying, "Each episode has an exquisite ending, which makes you wonder what's going to happen next. There are still many things that have not been revealed, and the hints are casually laid out throughout. If you're not careful, you'll miss them, and there are plenty of twists and turns that will make you want to watch them again and again."
The character he plays, Jinshi, is shrouded in mystery, and he said, "There are many parts that have yet to be revealed.That will be something to look forward to, and the relationship with Maomao given that will be a highlight."Looking ahead to future broadcasts, he said, "There are still plot threads that have not been resolved, and you'll wonder if that was foreshadowing, so I hope you enjoy every cut."
At the press conference, it was announced that the film will collaborate with the Reiwa 7 Kanda Festival. It is one of Japan's three major festivals, held every two years in mid-May at Kanda Shrine, and has been held since the Edo period. The highlight of the festival, where about 200 mikoshi (portable shrines) parade through Chiyoda Ward, is the Shinko Festival, which will be held on May 10th, and the Mikoshi Miyairi Festival on May 11th.
A newly drawn visual was also released, depicting Maomao, Koran, Shisui, Jinshi, and Gaojun, all dressed in shrine maiden costumes, gathered in the grounds of Kanda Shrine. Posters of the visual will be distributed to the Jinshi of 108 neighborhood associations and will be displayed in Kanda, Nihonbashi, Akihabara, and other locations. Collaboration goods such as acrylic stands and goshuincho (stamp books) will also be on sale.
An illustration exhibition of the original light novel, "Touko Shino Special Exhibition: Kanda Festival x The Apothecary Diaries," will be held from March 22 to June 1. High-definition digital color illustrations will be exhibited alongside precious materials related to the Kanda Festival, such as picture scrolls and ukiyo-e prints, which are stored at Kanda Shrine, as well as float puppets by Kumasaka Chohan.
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagine Infos), and its comic adaptation has also gained popularity. The original series has sold over 40 million copies in total. The story is set in the glamorous harem of a certain continent, where Maomao, a poison taster, and the handsome eunuch Jinshi become embroiled in an incident that takes place in the harem, which is full of conspiracies and rumors. The first season of the TV anime aired on Nippon TV from October 2023 to March 2024. The second season is currently airing on Nippon TV's anime slot "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (Fura-ani)."
