The first large-scale exhibition of Natsu Hyuga's novel "The Apothecary Diaries, " which originated from the novel submission site " Shosetsuka ni Naro, " entitled "Novel ' The Apothecary Diaries' Original Exhibition: Poison and Medicine, Science and Mystery" (sponsored by Imagica Infos) will be held until December 25th at Space 634 on the 5th floor of Tokyo Solamachi (Sumida Ward, Tokyo). The exhibition will delve into the world of "The Apothecary Diaries" from the perspective of "poison and medicine, science and mystery." We spoke to the original author, Natsu Hyuga, about the exhibition and "The Apothecary Diaries."
◇Be surprised by the unique exhibits
"The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagica Infos) and has also been popular as a comic book. The story is set in the glamorous harem of a certain continent, where Maomao, a young poison taster, becomes embroiled in an incident that unfolds in the harem, which is filled with conspiracies and rumors, together with the handsome harem caretaker, Jinshi. The series is a popular work with a total circulation of over 45 million copies, and the anime is also gaining popularity.
The exhibition delves into the secrets of various incidents and allows for deeper interpretation. The works are thoroughly dissected in the form of incidents, along with Natsu Hyuga's perspective and behind-the-scenes stories. What is surprising about the exhibition is that it is "full of text." When you are surrounded by "text" in the venue, you get the illusion of having entered the world of the novel. Although it is "full of text," there are also some gimmicks, such as the display of small items that hold the key to the incidents in the play.
"I was surprised. It's a lot more text-heavy than I imagined. I'm grateful that there are people who read it. And it's at Skytree. And Solamachi. It's a wonderful place. I'm truly grateful. When asked for my opinion, I say something, or check the content and say, 'Ah, yes.' There are lots of little jokes, tricks and origins that appear in the story."
Natsu Hyuga's favorite books and items are also on display, giving visitors a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of her writing.
"I also have a computer, but this is my third one, and the model I used before is on display. It's a Let's Note. It's really great. It's very strong and doesn't break. I also have Oronamin C. I have about 20 bottles in the fridge."
He also has books on poisons, herbs, and medicine, which he seems to refer to when writing.
"I'm a novice, but sometimes I can't find the answer just by looking up news about past incidents or searching online, so I look it up in the library or look for books in bookstores and make connections between them, which sometimes gives me ideas. Sometimes I need a trick in the story, so I read a lot and come up with a trick."
◇What will happen to the much talked about movie version?
New episodes of completely original short stories will also be released on a weekly basis. Leaflets for the short stories on display will be distributed exclusively to visitors.
"I wrote three new stories. I wondered what people wanted to read, and there were voices saying they wanted to read a story about water lilies, so I wrote 'The Legend of Water Lilies.' For 'Skyscraper,' I tried to write a story that connected to the Tokyo Skytree. For 'The Mysterious Box,' I wanted to include a variety of characters, but because it's a short story, I wasn't able to include that many, but many characters do appear."
The first season of the TV anime "The Apothecary Diaries" aired from October 2023 to March 2024, and the second season from January to July 2025. It has also been announced that a third season of the TV anime and the first movie will be produced. The third season of the TV anime will be split into two seasons, with the first season airing on Nippon Television in October 2026 and the second season starting in April 2027. The movie will feature an entirely new story with an original story idea by Natsu Hyuga, and will be released in December 2026.
It's interesting to wonder what the completely new story will be like, but no details have been announced.
"The movie version is based on the original story, but I think I put a lot of effort into it. I wrote it on a level that is comparable to what you would find on Narou (Shosetsuka ni Naro). It's quite voluminous, with over 30,000 characters. When I put it into the scenario, I also cut out some parts."
The other day, it was announced that the total number of copies of the series has exceeded 45 million, which became a hot topic, but Natsu Hyuga said, "That's amazing..." as if it was something that didn't concern her, and added, "They told me to write a sequel, so I have no choice but to write one." With the sequel to the novel, the third season of the TV anime, and a movie version, we can't take our eyes off the future developments.
