An event for the TV anime " The Apothecary Diaries ," based on the light novel by Natsu Hyuga that was born from the novel submission site " Shosetsuka ni Naro, " was held at "Machi★Asobi" in Tokushima City on May 10th, and Aoi Yuki , who plays Maomao , and Takeo Otsuka , who plays Jinshi, made an appearance. Yuki said about the future developments of the TV anime, "The Apothecary Diaries production team is making it with all their heart, so that everyone will be moved. From here on, the story will develop at a rapid pace, and you won't want to miss a single second, so I hope everyone will enjoy it with excitement and thrills."
At the event, Yuuki and Otsuka looked back on the currently airing second season and talked. Yuuki emphasized, "The second season is in its second cour, and things are getting intense. There are hints scattered throughout, so I want you to start over from the first season." Regarding episode 31, "The Shrine of Choice," Yuuki revealed, "It was the most difficult of all the dubbing for ' The Apothecary Diaries.' It's basically ' The Apothecary Diaries,' so Maomao is talking the whole time, but in this episode, she really was talking about the colors, how to move through the doors, the country's past, and so on... I could see all the kanji for the names of the colors together (laughs)."
Regarding episode 34, "Ghost Story," Otsuka said, "At first, I thought it was going to be a bit of a palate cleanser, but in fact, everything is connected," and Yuuki agreed, saying, "It may seem light, but it's deep."
Episodes 35, "The Hunt," and 36, "Kasuizuki," also depicted impressive scenes in which the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi changed dramatically. Yuki commented, "There were scenes of close contact, but I really liked the clean, neat direction that was sexy but never obscene." Meanwhile, Otsuka worried about how to act, wondering, "How much should I do?" Yuki praised Otsuka, saying, "I think it was Otsuka's power that put that scene together so well."
Regarding the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi, Otsuka said, "Jinshi's attitude towards his position and shackles has changed, and as a result, his attitude towards Maomao has also changed." Regarding future developments, Yuki said, "The mystery will be solved on two axes, from Maomao side and Jinshi side, but it will be a story of how to overcome something that Maomao alone cannot clear. It's really a raging story." "Since this is the buildup to this, it might be a good idea to rewatch from the first episode of the first season. It's going to be good from here on out."
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 will be broadcast over two consecutive seasons.
