The Apothecary Diaries
Japanese light novel series and its adaptation(s)
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The Apothecary Diaries (Japanese: 薬屋のひとりごと, Hepburn: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto; lit. 'Apothecary's Soliloquy') is a Japanese light novel series written by Hyūganatsu and illustrated by Touko Shino. Since 2011, it has been serialized on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. In 2012, Shufunotomo acquired the work, releasing it as a single-volume novel that year and then as a light novel series in 2014.
| The Apothecary Diaries | |
First light novel volume cover, featuring Maomao | |
| 薬屋のひとりごと (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Hyūganatsu |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | October 27, 2011 – present |
| Novel | |
| Written by | Hyūganatsu |
| Illustrated by | Megumi Matsuda |
| Published by | Shufunotomo |
| Imprint | Ray Books |
| Published | September 26, 2012 |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Hyūganatsu |
| Illustrated by | Touko Shino |
| Published by | Shufunotomo |
| English publisher |
|
| Imprint | Hero Bunko |
| Original run | August 29, 2014 – present |
| Volumes | 16 |
| Manga | |
| Written by |
|
| Illustrated by | Nekokurage |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Monthly Big Gangan |
| Original run | May 25, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 16 |
| Manga | |
| Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace | |
| Written by | Minoji Kurata |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Monthly Sunday Gene-X |
| Original run | August 19, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 21 |
| Manga | |
| Xiaolan's Story | |
| Written by | Hyūganatsu |
| Illustrated by | Itsuki Nanao |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Manga Up! |
| Original run | March 23, 2025 – present |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Anime television series | |
| |
Set in a fictional country inspired by China in the Tang Dynasty, the series follows Maomao, a girl trained in medicine by her apothecary father. After being sold as a servant to the emperor's palace, she secretly uses her skills to solve mysteries and help others.
Two manga adaptations began serialization in 2017. The first is published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan with art by Nekokurage, while the second is published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X with art by Minoji Kurata. The light novels are licensed digitally in North America by J-Novel Club, while both the light novels and first manga adaptation are licensed in print by Square Enix. An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM aired from October 2023 to March 2024, and a second season aired from January to July 2025. A third season is set to premiere in October 2026. An anime film is set to premiere in Japan in December 2026.
Synopsis
Set in a fictional country based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty,[2] and often referencing knowledge closer to the late Ming dynasty, the series follows Maomao, a young girl working as an apothecary in a red-light district, who was kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as an indentured servant. She still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work there until her two years of servitude are over. After learning that the emperor's newborns and concubines are critically ill, she begins to investigate the cause. Using her experience as an apothecary, she successfully solves the mystery of their illness. Even though she intended to remain anonymous, her actions catch the attention of Jinshi, an influential eunuch. Then, consequently, she undertakes the solving of mysteries for the royal court.
Media
Novel
The series was first published by Hyūganatsu on the user-generated web novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō in October 2011. The publisher Shufunotomo acquired the series and published it under their Ray Books imprint as a single-volume novel on September 26, 2012, with illustrations by Megumi Matsuda.[3]
Light novel
In 2014, Shufunotomo began to publish the series again, illustrated by Touko Shino. This time, it was published as a light novel in their Hero Bunko imprint, which is mostly made of acquired Shōsetsuka ni Narō titles. Sixteen volumes have been released as of May 30, 2025. J-Novel Club announced in November 2020 that it had licensed the light novel series.[4] In October 2023, Square Enix announced that it would release the light novels in print starting in May 2024.[5]
Manga
A manga adaptation by Itsuki Nanao and illustrated by Nekokurage began in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan on May 25, 2017.[6] Square Enix has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on September 25, 2017.[7] As of November 25, 2025, 16 volumes have been published.[8]
In November 2019, Square Enix announced the English language release of the manga in North America and began publishing it in December 2020.[9]
An alternative manga adaptation, titled The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace (薬屋のひとりごと～猫猫の後宮謎解き手帳～, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Maomao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō), illustrated by Minoji Kurata, began in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday Gene-X on August 19, 2017.[10] Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on February 19, 2018.[11] As of December 19, 2025, 21 volumes have been published.[12] The manga has been licensed in Southeast Asia by Shogakukan Asia, under the title The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace.[13] Viz Media has licensed it for English release in North America, with the first volume set to release in Q4 2026.[14]
A spin-off manga centered around Xiaolan's point-of-view illustrated by Itsuki Nanao, titled The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan's Story, began serialization on Square Enix's Manga Up! manga service on March 23, 2025.[15] The spin-off is also published in English on the Manga Up! Global website and app, and Square Enix will publish the volumes in print starting in October 2026.[16][17]
Anime
An anime television series adaptation, produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, aired for 24 episodes from October 22, 2023, to March 24, 2024, on Nippon TV and its affiliates.[18][19][a] A second 24-episode season aired from January 10 to July 4, 2025.[21][22]
Following the conclusion of the second season, a third season and an original anime film were announced. The third season is set to premiere in split cours in October 2026 and April 2027, with the film scheduled for December 2026.[23][24]
Other media
An animation exhibition featuring 3D recreations of the famous scenes in the series, original drawings, storyboards, art settings, and other production materials, ran in various cities in Japan from March 2025 to January 2026.[25] The exhibition is also traveling throughout Asia, starting with Hong Kong in November 2025.[24] From July 1, 2025, to January 4, 2026, Universal Studios Japan hosted an attraction based on the series. An attraction featured Maomao and Jinshi where participants help them solving the mystery behind a mysterious panacea.[26][27]
A browser game, titled The Apothecary Diaries Palace Chronicles, was announced in July 2025 on Japanese browser games platform G123, operated by CTW Inc. In the simulation game, players train Maomao and take on various cases around the palace. The game will be free-to-play and feature in-game purchases, and is playable on smartphone, tablet, or PC.[28]
Reception
Sales
In Japan, The Apothecary Diaries was the sixth best-selling light novel series in 2019, with 461,024 copies sold;[29] the fifth best-selling light novel series in 2020, with 527,950 copies sold;[30] and the third best-selling light novel series in 2021, with 496,626 copies sold.[31]
By November 2023, the franchise (including the light novel and its two manga adaptations) had over 27 million copies in circulation.[32] By January 2024, the franchise had over 31 million copies in circulation.[33] By September 2024, the franchise had over 38 million copies in circulation.[34] By November 2025, the franchise had over 45 million copies in circulation.[35]
Critical response
In her review of the first novel for Anime News Network, Rebecca Silverman gave it an overall grade of B, writing: "It's an enjoyable read, one that gets better as it goes on, and if its pacing is a little too fast, it makes up for it in the way the characters interact and the story unfolds." However, she was more critical of it for lacking genre elements despite being a mystery story.[36] Silverman also assigned the second novel a B grade, describing it as "still an engaging read" and calling Maomao a "wonderful, if at times abrasive, heroine who takes no garbage from anyone".[37]
In his review of the first volume of the manga adaptation for Anime News Network, Theron Martin gave it an overall grade of B+. He praised the art, characters and the use of historical details while noting several similarities with The Story of Saiunkoku.[38] Silverman scored the second manga volume an A−. She described it as "excellent", praising the "beautiful" art, portrayal of Maomao as a legitimately strong female character, and overall continuity.[39]
Accolades
In 2019, the manga adaptation by Nekokurage ranked ninth on AnimeJapan's "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation" poll.[40] The manga adaptation won the Next Manga Award in the print category.[41] It also ranked fifth on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020", a list compiled by surveying professional bookstore employees around Japan.[42] In 2024, the light novel and manga adaptation by Nekokurage won the Piccoma Award in their respective categories.[43] The manga adaptation by Minoji Kurata was nominated for the 70th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2024.[44] It won the Japan Society and Anime NYC's second American Manga Awards for Best Continuing Manga Series in 2025.[45][46]