The Apothecary Diaries: Unveiling the Forbidden Secrets of the Enigmatic Imperial Palace!

The Apothecary Diaries anime premiered on October 21, 2023, releasing the first three episodes of its 24-episode series. These initial episodes provided a detailed introduction to Maomao and her background, including her extensive knowledge of medicine.

Currently, the anime is available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles, and it has also been reported that Netflix has listed it for Asian countries. Many fans initially anticipated The Apothecary Diaries anime to be a slice-of-life series centered around medicine. However, the premiere revealed that it would actually delve into a mystery thriller narrative, focusing on the themes of poison and deception.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for The Apothecary Diaries anime.

The Apothecary Diaries anime episode 1 highlights: Maomao starts her tenure in the palace

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In Episode 1, Maomao begins by preparing medicine for her adoptive grandmother. However, her grandmother scolds her, advising her to limit her experiments or consider becoming a courtesan. Upon hearing this, Maomao flees to the fields to gather medicinal herbs. Unluckily, she is captured and sold as a servant to the imperial palace.

The anime episode 1 of The Apothecary Diaries then features a three-month time skip, during which Maomao becomes accustomed to her role and new life as a servant in the imperial palace. The palace itself is home to nearly three thousand individuals, comprising of low-ranked concubines, servants, and eunuchs.

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The Apothecary Diaries anime episode 2 highlights: Maomao gets promoted

Later, Maomao learns about the crown prince, who was born to Lady Lihua and Lady Gyokuyou's daughter, falling ill. The majority of the workers believe that the illness is caused by a curse. Maomao carefully observes the symptoms and quickly concludes that they are actually signs of poisoning due to the use of face powder by everyone.

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Maomao's clever strategy of subtly exposing the dangers of the poisonous face powder inadvertently leads to her receiving a well-deserved promotion. Episode 2 commences with Maomao assuming her duties under the supervision of Lady Gyokuyou, who now becomes her esteemed new mistress. The truth surfaces that Jinshi, the esteemed manager of the imperial palace, has bestowed upon Maomao the role of Lady Gyokuyou's personal maid, recognizing her invaluable expertise in medicinal practices.

Maomao later informs Hongnian, the head maid of Lady Gyokuyou, and is then given a tour of Lady Gyokuyou's residence as well as the living quarters of the other servants. Upon catching a glimpse of Maomao's bandaged body, the other servants feel sympathy and prevent her from performing any duties.

Maomao is called in during mealtime and made aware of her assignment as a poison taster. Subsequently, she demonstrates her proficiency in detecting poisons, alongside her resilience against them.

The Apothecary Diaries anime episode 3 highlights: Maomao solves the mystery behind the ghost

In episode 3 of The Apothecary Diaries, a palace servant encounters a spectral woman dressed entirely in white. The episode revolves around the enigmatic ghost lady who has been haunting the palace. Maomao, however, considers the ghost lady to be nothing more than hearsay.

Later, Jinshi approaches Maomao to inquire about the hauntings and seeks her advice regarding a remedy for sleepwalking. Subsequently, Maomao catches a glimpse of the purported ghost lady, who is later unveiled to be Lady Fuyou, a concubine of moderate rank. As per the palace officials, it turns out that the ghost lady was simply Lady Fuyou engaged in sleepwalking.

Lady Fuyou as depicted in the anime (Image via TOHO animation)

Maomao later infers that Lady Fuyou had been feigning her sleepwalking and intentionally presenting herself as unappealing to the emperor. Maomao even contemplates the tactics she employed to secure a transfer to a military official who happened to be her childhood friend.

Final thoughts

Expand TweetPremiered on October 21, 2023, the Apothecary Diaries anime quickly gained immense popularity in Japan, reaching the top spot on Twitter's trending list. Currently, three episodes of this highly acclaimed anime have been released. Furthermore, episode 4 is scheduled for release on October 28, 2023, where viewers can expect to see the emotional aftermath of Lady Lihua's devastating loss of her son.