An event for the anime " The Apothecary Diaries ," based on the light novel by Natsu Hyuga that originated on the novel submission website " Shosetsuka ni Naro, " was held on December 14th at Animate Hall BLACK in Animate Ikebukuro Main Store (Toshima Ward, Tokyo), with Aoi Yuki , who plays Maomao , and Takeo Otsuka , who plays Jinshi, making an appearance. Looking back on the first and second seasons, they announced their "best XX scene."
The event was attended by approximately 200 fans who had purchased the fourth volume of the second season's Blu-ray Disc (BD) and were selected by lottery. Fans were wearing merchandise from the series, and some even wore Maomao's bound outfits, and the venue was filled with excitement even before the event began. When Yuuki and Otsuka took to the stage, the audience erupted in cheers of "Maomao!" and "Jinshi!"
When asked about the reaction to the second season, Yuuki said, "Not only is the original work interesting, but the anime was also made with great care, so I thought it would reach a lot of people. However, the reaction was beyond my imagination, and I was really happy to hear from many people that they found out about it through the anime and fell in love with it." Otsuka said, "Before the second season began airing, the first season had been ranked on distribution platforms, so I had heard about the reaction even before it aired. When it actually started, it was really amazing, with relatives and friends telling me they were watching, and sending me messages with Jinshi stamps, and we received all kinds of feedback. Even after the broadcast ended, at each event the staff members tell us things like, we won this award, or we have this data, so it really hits home."
It has also been announced that a third season of the TV anime and the first-ever movie will be produced. Yuuki commented, "Up until the second season, the staff worked with love, trying to figure out how to express the original work in the anime. However, the movie is a completely new work, with the original author, Natsu Hyuga, creating the story with the assumption that it would be made into an anime. We don't know the specifics yet, but I'm really looking forward to seeing what mysteries await Maomao." Otsuka added, "The first season of the third season will be in October 2026, the movie in December, and the second season in April 2027, so we'll be able to enjoy The Apothecary all the way through! It's amazing. Hints to the sequel are scattered throughout the trailer announcing the sequel, so I hope you'll consider that as well. The visuals for the third season and the movie were apparently created with a focus on the story of the movie. I hope you'll also infer these from Maomao 's expression and the flickering flames."
Otsuka chose the scene in episode 4, "Threatening," in which Nekoneko Maomao Princess Rika's maid as "Best Maomao " for "Best XX Scene." He said, "The second season also has many impactful episodes, but I chose this one because it was the first scene from the first season that made an impact. It was the first scene to show Maomao's sense of justice, and it was an episode that left a strong impression of Maomao's motivation from then on. In terms of the anime's direction, I really liked this episode because the manners and other aspects were depicted very carefully."
Yuuki selected the scene in episode 45, "Frog Bon," in which she calls Kamimi "a damn old hag" to protect Hibiki. "If she had been left alone, Maomao would not have been punished, but her sense of justice wouldn't allow it. Kamimi trying to take on Hibiki, who is in a weaker position, is something that Maomao's sense of justice would never allow. Maomao, but the way she stands up to her nonetheless makes her seem more like a hero than a heroine, and it was a very memorable episode," she said.
When the topic of "Best Sexy Scene" was announced, which was the most memorable sexy scene featuring Jinshi, a big laugh erupted from the audience. Yuuki chose the scene in episode 17, "Walking Around Town," in which she tries to disguise Jinshi so that they can go out into the city. "She unconsciously exudes sexiness without even trying. It's precisely because she's surrounded by people she trusts, like Gaoshun and Suiren, who take care of Jinshi, that she's relaxed and in the right outfit for her age, and that's what makes her so sexy," she continued, adding, "I think Jinshi's clean-cut appearance is one of the reasons he's so popular, but it's great that he maintains that clean-cut look even when he's sexy. Jinshi is the sole voice behind the sexy aspects of this work."
Otsuka chose the famous scene from episode 36, "Kazuigetsu," in which Jinshi realizes that Jinshi is not a Maomao... also known by fans as the "frog scene." He explained, "If the scene that Yuuki chose earlier was indirect, this one is a direct sexy scene. The reason I can't help but think it's sexy is because apparently it was banned on a certain video-sharing social networking site... I guess that's how it's perceived..." Yuuki responded, "From their perspective, it was just a cat that fell! But maybe the social networking site thought, 'That's not okay!' It's a very sensitive social networking site." When a cut of Jinshi blushing was shown, Yuuki exclaimed, "Otsuka! This is! Indecent!!!!", and Otsuka exclaimed, "Who chose this still image?!", causing the audience to erupt in laughter.
For the topic of "best scene," Otsuka chose the scene from episode 44, "The Fortress," in which Arhat offers his thanks to Jinshi to release the Imperial Guard. "Arhat is my favorite character, and this sequence gave me goosebumps. It's a very profound drama, and everything from the camerawork and animation to the acting of Takuya Kirimoto, who plays Arhat, was amazing. I often have the opportunity to do voice recordings with Kirimoto, and every time I'm under his pressure, it's really stimulating," said Yuuki, who added, "There's been more depictions of politics since the second season, and it really made me realize that politics are about people's lives. Political scenes can be hard to watch, but I think the intersection of politics and the desire to protect loved ones makes it easy to understand. But even though it's such a cool scene, I haven't seen Maomao at all, haha."
Yuuki chose the scene in episode 48, "The Beginning," in which Maomao says to Jinshi , who has a scar on his face after a battle with the Ko clan, "You've become a handsome man, haven't you?" She reflected, "This scene encapsulates the reason why everyone admires the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi. Jinshi has a complex about being recognized only for his appearance and birth, which makes him curious about Maomao, who was the first person to see his inner self. I think it has a really special meaning for Jinshi to be told by Maomao, who is ordinary in appearance and birth but actually extraordinary on the inside, that "you're more handsome with the Jinshi." It feels like this is the first time that romance between the two has just begun (laughs). Jinshi is honest and Maomao is down-to-earth. It's precisely because they're such down-to-earth people that they make the perfect partners."
Finally, Otsuka said, "Looking back on it like this, I've realized that it's a work with many highlights and I want to watch it again and again. We've received a lot of feedback, and it's been a year in which we've really felt its popularity. There are many developments to come, so I hope you'll enjoy it. I hope to see you again at events and such!"
Yuuki said, "Of all the events we've held so far, this was the one where I felt closest to everyone. I'm very happy to be involved in such a beloved work. We, the cast, will continue to work hard to perform our roles carefully and make you love the work even more. Please look forward to the third season and the movie version!"
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagica Infos), and its comic adaptation has also gained popularity. The original series has sold over 45 million copies in total. The story is set in the glamorous harem of a certain continent, where a young poison Maomao and the handsome harem manager, Jinshi, become embroiled in an incident that unfolds in a harem filled with conspiracies and rumors. The first season of the TV anime aired from October 2023 to March 2024, and the second season aired 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 a completely new story with the original story concept by the original author, Natsu Hyuga, and will be released in December 2026.
