The TV anime "The Apothecary Diaries " is based on a light novel by Natsu Hyuga , which was created on the novel submission site " Shosetsuka ni Naro". In episode 38, "Dancing Ghost", Maomao solves the mystery of a ghost that appears in the room of Princess Rishiki, one of the four senior consorts and wives of the current emperor. Princess Rishiki is bullied by her maids and is also known as an "unfortunate character", but in episode 38, she will show a new side of herself. We spoke to Hina Kino, who plays Princess Rishiki, about what went on behind the scenes during the recording.
◇Shocked by Yuki Aoi's acting
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagine Infos), and the comic adaptation is also gaining popularity. The original series has sold over 40 million copies in total. The story is set in a glamorous harem on a certain continent, where a young poison taster named Maomao and a handsome eunuch named 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 from October 2023 to March 2024, and the second season is currently airing every Friday at 11:00 pm on Nippon Television's anime slot "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (Fura-ani)".
"The Apothecary Diaries" is a work loved by people of all ages and genders.
"I have a friend who loves the original work and was looking forward to it being made into an anime, but before it was announced that I would be appearing, I couldn't even say that I was in it. After it was announced, she contacted me and said, 'I'm in it!' and she was really happy. I hadn't even told my parents, but they seemed to have watched it and they said, 'Hina is in it! It's interesting!' The world view of the harem is unique, but there is also depth to the human drama. There are parts that we modern people can relate to, and even the difficult terminology comes to mind naturally. It's strange how the information is naturally input into your head as you watch. When I first looked at the cast list, there were many characters that I didn't know how to read, but I naturally remembered them. It's strange."
Kino was also fascinated by the world of "The Apothecary Diaries."
"I was moved by the scene where Princess Fuyou dances in episode 3 of the first season. The world and circumstances are different to our modern times, but their feelings are the same. They are all serious until they get into the carriage, but the moment they get in, they embrace each other and cry, and I got goosebumps. I thought this was amazing! I was instantly hooked. The episode with Princess Oda and Princess Satoki in episode 11 was also memorable. Until then, Princess Satoki had seemed like a selfish girl, but that impression changes. One of the charms of the characters in 'The The Apothecary Diaries' is that the impressions of the characters change as the story progresses."
Kino says the character he is interested in is Jinshi. There are many mysteries surrounding his position and origins, but they are being revealed little by little in the second season.
"He's so cool! Sometimes you can see his cute side, it's kind of unfair. Otsuka-san (Jinshi, who plays Takeo Otsuka) is amazing as always! When I first heard his voice, I was shocked to think that he was from the world of "The Apothecary Diaries". His voice is noble, gentle, and kind, and he shows us many different sides to him. In the middle of the second season, he started calling her "Maomao" instead of "Apothecary", and I was like, "Are you really calling him that!?" (laughs). The relationship between the two is also great. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops from here on out."
The acting of Maomao, who plays Aoi Yuki, is also a big attraction. Kino says that she was shocked while acting with Yuki.
"I had worked with Yuki-san when I was a newcomer, and I was so impressed by her acting that I could see her aura emanating from her back as she stood in front of the microphone. I was happy to be able to work with her again. When I saw her read Maomao's long lines, I was amazed again! There are so many amazing people on set, so I learn something new every time I go to a recording session."
◇The strong and passionate Rikihime!
Kino plays Princess Satoki, who was originally the wife of the previous emperor, but after his death she became a widow and entered a nunnery. She later re-entered the palace as the wife of the current emperor. Because she is still young, she has little knowledge of the customs and practices of the harem, and her emotions are easily shown on her face. Her behavior is childish, so she is looked down upon by her own maids. In the first season, a scene in which she is bullied by the maids became a hot topic, and she came to be called an "unfortunate character."
"She is the youngest of the four ladies, and is looked down upon and even her own maids treat her badly. Her past is complicated. During recording, we were given directions like, 'She's not just a pretty girl, she's on edge because she's trying hard to show her position' and 'When she's suddenly surprised or scared, she returns to her normal self as a girl.' It was difficult to convey the sense of her age and balance, so I made many adjustments while acting."
She is cute but noble, and also has a glimpse of being an ordinary girl. Kino-san's portrayal of Rikihime strikes a wonderful balance.
"Hime Satoki is always nervous among the high-ranking consorts, and is constantly breaking out in a cold sweat. She is always thinking, "I have to act with confidence!", so my shoulders are really sore when I'm acting (laughs). I have never played a noble person before, and it's not something that happens in my daily life, so I feel like that unfamiliarity is what linked me to Hime Satoki. The terminology is difficult too. Sometimes I find out on the spot if I'm reading it correctly, and it's difficult, but when I see the finished footage it just comes to mind so naturally, which is amazing. For the first season we did the recordings in separate locations, but for the second season we were able to record together, and there are a lot of sexy, mature female characters, so I'm really excited. I was able to record with the Kongo Palace cast, and I was really inspired to act out the scenes where I'm bullied."
Although Satokihi has been unfortunate, changes are becoming apparent in the second season.
"In the second season, the maid, Kanan, who was originally a poison tester, becomes an ally, and Maomao also starts to help out, and the atmosphere around her changes, and we see a lot of relieved expressions on Riki's face. That's great! Riki is unfortunate, but she doesn't think of the maids as bullying her. She even says things like, 'Maybe they don't think very highly of me.' They're saying some incredible things, though. She's grown up knowing only a small world, so there are many things she doesn't understand, and there are some parts where she has a pure, young side."
Episode 38, "Dancing Ghost," delves deeper into Rikihi's background.
"Until now, I've often seen her looking scared, but now she has completely changed and her strong core is becoming more apparent. I was worried about how much core strength I should show. Because she'd always been scared up until now, I held back in the test, but I was given directions to 'act like you've taken off the limiter' and 'act stronger and more intensely,' so I gave it my all in the actual performance. I hope that people will realise she was such a strong girl!"
Kino-san expressed the inner strength of Rikihime with all her might. Why did Rikihime express such strong and intense emotions? Please pay attention.
