List of The Apothecary Diaries characters
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The light novel series The Apothecary Diaries and its adaptations features an extensive cast of characters created by Hyūganatsu.
- Maomao (猫猫)
- Voiced by: Aoi Yūki[1][2] (drama CD, anime) (Japanese); Emi Lo[3] (English)
- The freckled adopted daughter of an apothecary and doctor named Luomen who lives in the red-light district of the capital city. She was born and raised in the Verdigris House, a renowned brothel. She and her adopted dad also provide their services to a number of other brothels in the capital and its courtesans. After being kidnapped by bandits who sell her contractually as a servant to the Imperial Palace, she is accidentally dragged into palace intrigue. Maomao uses her knowledge of poisons, medicine, plants, and basic chemistry to become an unofficial forensic pathologist, in addition to becoming a lady-in-waiting and food taster for one of the Emperor's concubines. While Jinshi is quickly intrigued by her, she initially resents his ways of involving her in palace issues. Instead she prefers to spend time testing out different poisons and medicines, sometimes on herself. Even so, she often helps him solve whatever mystery he brings to her attention because of her insatiable curiosity and because of her position. It is later revealed that her biological father is Lakan, the Minister for Military Affairs of the kingdom, and her mother an ex-courtesan who was retired from courting due to being stricken with incurable syphillis.
- Jinshi (壬氏)
- Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai[1] (drama CD), Takeo Ōtsuka[4] (anime), Megumi Han (young)[5] (Japanese); Kaiji Tang,[3] Mikaela Krantz (young)[6] (English)
- A eunuch who runs most of the administration of the rear palace, where the Emperor's concubines and their respective staff reside. Both men and women alike are attracted to his physical appearance, but he finds himself attracted to Maomao, the only person he has met who is not immediately enamored by him. Later it is revealed that Jinshi is not a eunuch, he merely is using suppressants (anaphrodisiacs) to appear as one, in order to hide his identity as the Emperor's younger brother. Behind his face lies a shrewd mind that tries to balance his duties to the Emperor while improving life within the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Palace
The Emperor and his Concubines
- The Emperor
- Voiced by: Daichi Endo (Japanese); Alex Mai[6] (English)
- The emperor is a kind-hearted and reasonable man in his thirties, who seeks to erase the ill reputation his predecessors made.
- Gyokuyō (玉葉)
- Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[1] (drama CD), Atsumi Tanezaki[7] (anime) (Japanese); Molly Zhang[3] (English)
- Known as the Precious Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines and is the emperor's favorite. She has bright red hair and brilliant jade green eyes and is the mother of an infant daughter and, later, a son. She took Maomao as a Lady-in-waiting as thanks for warning her about the poisoned makeup. She is also one who supports Jinshi and Maomao. She resides in the Jade Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Lihua (梨花, Rifa)
- Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa[7] (Japanese); Trina Nishimura[3] (English)
- Known as the Wise Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. She has dark blue hair and gave birth to his heir. However, when her head lady-in-waiting disregarded Maomao's warning about her poisoned makeup, her infant son died and she herself nearly died. After Maomao later nursed her back to health, she became more friendly to her. She later gave birth to a healthy son. She resides in the Crystal Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Lishu (里樹, Rīshu)
- Voiced by: Hina Kino[7] (Japanese); Reshel Mae[6] (English)
- Known as the Virtuous Consort, she is the youngest of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. Due to political reasons, she becomes the mother-in-law of the older Pure Consort. She has food allergies but her ladies-in-waiting think she is just picky with her food, making it one of the reasons to subtly bully her (along with the fact that she is the consort of two emperors) until Maomao suggests death from food allergies is as bad as poisoning and could lead to the execution of those responsible. She resides in the Diamond Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Ah-Duo (阿多, Ā Duo)
- Voiced by: Yūko Kaida[7] (Japanese); Monica Rial[3] (English)
- Known as the Pure Consort, she is the eldest of the Emperor's four high-ranking consorts. She shares a close, motherly bond with Lishu and bears a striking androgynous resemblance to Jinshi, heavily implying she is his biological mother. Ah-Duo is the milk sibling of the current Emperor, having shared the same wet nurse. After a difficult childbirth, she secretly exchanged her newborn son, Jinshi, with his newborn uncle to secure Jinshi's better treatment. Jinshi remains unaware of their relationship. Ah-Duo eventually departs the Rear Palace for a southern detached palace. Despite this, she continues to serve the Empire as an advisor/magistrate while hiding her identity.
- Loulan (楼蘭, Rouran) / Shisui (子翠)
- Voiced by: Asami Seto[8] (Japanese); Suzie Yeung[9] (English)
- Ah-Duo's replacement as the Pure Consort. Behavior-wise, she is aloof and seems not to care, and has the most number of ladies-in-waiting, seemingly overshadowing the emperor's favorite concubine. She masquerades as a girl dressed in servant's clothing and has a fascination for plants and insects.
Imperial Court members
- Gaoshun (高順)
- Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda[1] (drama CD), Katsuyuki Konishi[7] (anime) (Japanese); Alex Hom[3] (English)
- Jinshi's loyal attendant, often supporting him and Maomao more quietly.
- Guen (虞淵)
- Voiced by: Mitsuru Ogata[1] (drama CD), Mitsuaki Kanuka[7] (anime) (Japanese); Jim Foronda[3] (English)
- Guen is the palace's doctor, whom Maomao refers to as a quack. Though he was a bit hesitant around Maomao, he comes to accept and befriend her later. His family is a purveyor of high-quality paper to the palace.
- Jiaojiao (嬌嬌)
- Voiced by: Mari Hino[1] (drama CD)
- Lihaku (李白, Rihaku)
- Voiced by: Kenji Akabane[7] (Japanese); Seth Fuentes[6] (English)
- A soldier who happened to give Maomao a hairpin during the garden party. She requested him to escort her outside the palace walls in exchange for time at the Verdigris, which caused a misunderstanding on Jinshi's part.
- Xiaolan (小蘭, Shaoran)
- Voiced by: Misaki Kuno[7] (Japanese); Bree Han[3] (English)
- A servant at the rear palace who is Maomao's close friend. Whenever she and Maomao come together, she sometimes shares the latest gossip and intel from all over the palace.
- Hongniang (紅娘, Hon'nyan)
- Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi (Japanese); Giovannie Cruz[6] (English)
- Hongniang is the dutiful head lady-in-waiting in the Jade Pavilion. Overall she is a good boss to Maomao.
- Yinghua (桜花, Infa)
- Voiced by: Rie Hikisaka (Japanese); Kelsey Cruz[6] (English)
- Yinghua is a young and cheerful lady-in-waiting in the Jade Pavilion, who quickly befriends Maomao. Being fiercely loyal, she often gets embroiled in proxy wars with the ladies-in-waiting of other concubines.
- Basen (馬閃)
- Voiced by: Tatsumaru Tachibana (Japanese); Edward Michael Escamilla[3] (English)
- Basen is Gaoshun's straight-laced second son and one of Jinshi's most reliable attendants.
- Kanan (河南)
- Voiced by: Umeka Shōji (Japanese); Kat Lozano[6] (English)
- Kanan is Lishu's former food taster, her newly promoted head lady-in-waiting, and her only ally in the Diamond Pavilion.
- Fengming (風明, Fonmin)
- Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka[10] (Japanese); Sally Vahle[6] (English)
- Ah-Duo's lead lady-in-waiting whose family owns an apiary. Despite her showing as an exemplary and respected lady-in-waiting, there is a secret behind her, which could be the reason Lishu fears her, even with just the mention of her name.
- Suiren (水蓮)
- Voiced by: Mika Doi; Yūko Kaida (young) (Japanese); Kenneisha Thompson[6] (English)
- Suiren is Jinshi's diligent chief lady-in-waiting, and previously Empress Anshi's most trusted lady-in-waiting. She is Ah-Duo's mother.
- Lakan (羅漢, Rakan)
- Voiced by: Takuya Kirimoto[11] (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo[6] (English)
- Lakan is the face-blind, monocle-wearing tactician of the emperor's army and the head of the La clan, to which Maomao belongs, as he is her biological father. He is Luomen's nephew.
- Suirei (翠苓)
- Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka[11] (Japanese); Veronica Laux[6] (English)
- Suirei is a former court lady in the outer court. She is Loulan's half-sister and the first daughter of Shishou. She once used her knowledge of medicinal plants to fake her death and escape.
- Rikuson (陸孫)
- Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama[12] (Japanese); Charles Nguyen[6] (English)
- A subordinate of Lakan who is sent to become Gyokuyou's aide.
- Shin (杏)
- Voiced by: Sayaka Kinoshita (Japanese); Morgan Lauré Garrett[6] (English)
- Shin is the head lady-in-waiting of the Crystal Pavilion and Lihua's jealous cousin. She discarded Maomao's warning to Lihua about the poisoned face powder, causing Lihua's son's death and Lihua's near-death.
- Shenlu (深緑, Shenryu)
- Voiced by: Masako Katsuki (Japanese); Leslie Marie Collins[6] (English)
- Shenlu is an older maid who works in the Rear Palace Clinic and possesses limited medical knowledge. She is one of a few who knows of Maomao's ability to make medicine.
- Taihou (大宝, Taihō)
- Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (Japanese); Anastasia Muñoz[6] (English)
- Taihou was a lady-in-waiting of the concubine Shenmei during the time of the previous Emperor, who assaulted her, which led to her illegitimate daughter, and eventually her granddaughter Suirei.
- Anshi (安氏)
- Voiced by: Mamiko Noto[13] (Japanese); Cassie Ewulu[6] (English)
- The empress dowager and a victim of the previous emperor's tendencies. She gave birth to the current emperor.
- Haku-u (白羽), Koku-u (黒羽) and Seki-u (赤羽)
- Voiced by: Satomi Satō[14] (Japanese); Kara Edwards[6] (English) (Hakū)
- Voiced by: Hitomi Ueda[14] (Japanese); Natalie Haruka Ewe[6] (English) (Kokū)
- Voiced by: Miku Itō[14] (Japanese); Lily Gast[6] (English) (Sekiu)
- Haku-u, Koku-u, and Seki-u are Gyokuyou's latest addition to her staff of ladies-in-waiting, who are also sisters. They are from the same hometown as Gyokuyou. Haku-u is the eldest, while Seki-u is the youngest. Maomao often cannot tell them apart due to their identical appearances, so they wear differently colored headbands.
- Lahan (羅半, Rahan)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga[15] (Japanese); Caleb Yen[6] (English)
- Lahan is Lakan's biological nephew and Maomao's cousin, whom Lakan adopted as his official heir. Like his uncle, he is a shrewd, observant and cunning young man.