Voice actress Rica Fukami is joining the cast of the currently airing second season of The Apothecary Diaries as the cold-hearted Shenmei. The second season began airing in Japan on January 10, 2025 and will run for two consecutive cours containing 24 episodes.
Shenmei will appear in the anime’s 43rd episode on May 23, 2025.
In addition, a new monthly plant visual of the series for May has also been released, showcasing Maomao, Shisui, and Xiaolan under some beautiful trees.
The anime’s second season features some returning staff members from the first season. Norihiro Naganuma (Season 1 director and series screenwriter) is credited as chief director and screenwriter, with Akinori Fudesaka (Season 1 assistant director) as director, Ko Nakagawa (Season 1 Episode 6, 13, and 19 storyboard artist and director, Episode 24 director) as assistant director, Yukiko Nakatani as character designer, Misato Aida as color designer, Katsumi Takao as background art director, and Mayo Suzuki (The Apothecary Diaries project PV) as compositing director. TOHO animation STUDIO and OLM are in charge of the animation production for season two.
Satoru Kosaki (Vivy -Fluorite Eye’s Song-), Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss), and Arisa Okehazama (The God of High School) are the music composers.
Meanwhile, the anime’s main voice cast stars Aoi Yuki as Maomao and Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi. Asami Seto joined the cast as the maid Shisui.
The anime is based on the light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Toko Shino. It was first published by Shufunotomo on August 29, 2014 and has released 15 physical volumes as of March 2024, with a 16th volume set for release on May 30, 2025. J-Novel Club releases the light novels in English digitally for North America, while Square Enix publishes the series in print.
The series originally began as a Shosetsuka ni Naro web novel in October 2011. It was later republished by Shufunotomo as a single volume under its Ray Books imprint.
A manga adaptation illustrated by Nekokurage was released in May 2017 and another alternate manga adaptation was launched by Minoji Kurata in August 2017. Square Enix licensed the first manga series for release in English.
Another spinoff manga titled Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Gaiden: Xiaolan Kaisoroku debuted on Square Enix’s Manga Up! service on March 23, 2025.
Crunchyroll is streaming both seasons of The Apothecary Diaries worldwide, outside of Japan. It describes the synopsis of the second season as:
When a favored concubine becomes pregnant, Maomao is put to the test as her food taster. She must keep her wits sharp, not only to protect the concubine but also against rising dangers in the palace. A new concubine with powerful ties, an unsolved attempt at Jinshi’s life, and a foreign envoy with impossible demands hint at a grand conspiracy poised to engulf the empire.
Source: The Apothecary Diaries Official Twitter (2), Anime News Network
