Maomao and Jinshi are set to make their return on January 10, 2025 JST.
During a special livestream on the TOHO animation YouTube channel that was hosted by Aoi Yuki (Maomao) and Takeo Otsuka (Jinshi), a teaser trailer and key visual for The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 were unveiled. The premiere date was revealed at the end of the former promotional material.
It was also announced that The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 will run for two consecutive cours.
Additionally, the end of the teaser trailer revealed the staff makeup for the new season:
• Chief director and series composer: Norihiro Naganuma (Season 1 director and series composer)
• Director: Akinori Fudesaka (Season 1 assistant director)
• Assistant director: Ko Nakagawa (Season 1 Episode 6, 13, and 19 storyboard artist and director, Episode 24 director)
• Character designer: Yukiko Nakatani (returning)
• Color designer: Misato Aida (returning)
• Background art director: Katsumi Takao (returning)
• Compositing director: Mayo Suzuki (The Apothecary Diaries project PV)
• Music composer: Alisa Okehazama (returning)
• Music composer: Kevin Penkin (returning)
• Music composer: Satoru Kosaki (returning)
• Animation production: TOHO animation STUDIO and OLM
Season 1 of The Apothecary Diaries premiered in late October 2023 and also ran for two consecutive cours. The anime is based on the Shufunotomo-published light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino, which J-Novel Club describes as:
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison! At her lady’s side, Maomao starts to learn about everything that goes on in the rear palace—not all of it seemly. Can she ever lead a quiet life, or will her powers of deduction and insatiable curiosity bring her ever more adventures, and ever more dangers?
The Apothecary Diaries was originally a web novel, debuting on Shousetsuka ni Narou in 2011. The light novels, which are published under the Hero Bunko imprint, began in 2014 and have 15 volumes as of March 2024.
There are two manga adaptations, one published by Square Enix and the other by Shogakukan. The artist of the the former, Nekokurage, recently ran into legal issues over unpaid tax and was handed a suspended sentence in July this year. In September, they posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) in which they mentioned that they had engaged the services of a reliable tax accountant and swore that the issue would never occur again.
Update: Added Season 2 staff info.
Cast
• Aoi Yuki as Maomao
• Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi
Sources: Toho animation YouTube channel, @kusuriya_PR
