Plot Summary
The Apothecary Diaries is an anime that centers around 17-year-old Maomao and 18 year-old Jinshi. Maomao lives with an old man who is an apothecary in ancient China. She takes care not to bring much attention to her appearance. She was raised in a brothel, but is not herself a sex worker. She is stolen as a slave to work in the palace and that is where she meets Jinshi who (she believes along with everyone else) to be a eunuch who has a high station at the palace. He finds out that she can read which is an unusual skill. What she doesn’t know is that he is the crown prince under cover hiding his identity until it is time for him to take over as emperor one day.
She becomes a maiden for one of the emperor’s mistresses and while she is at the palace she helps to solve tons of mysteries and becomes a beloved fixture and someone Jinshi comes to rely on. She becomes the poison taster for her mistress which is generally seen as the worst job ever, but for Maomao it is the best job because as an apothecary it is something she LOVES to do as she is a bit of a masochist. Maomao has trained herself to become immune to many poisons so taste-testing food for the possibility of poison is a joyous occasion for Maomao.
Directed by Norihiro Naganuma
According to IMDB, Naganuma is best known for directing The Apothecary Diaries, The Ancient Magus Bride (one of my favorites!) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. (IMDB, 2025).
What do I like about this show?
I LOVE that Maomao is very much on the autism spectrum without it being stated in the show. She has a flat affect and talks about how difficult it is to show her emotions or read others well. However, when it comes to Jinshi, she is obviously taking special care to notice him and read him unlike others which is very adorable and even though it is an incredibly slow-burn anime and the romance is not the main point, it is a very sweet and interesting relationship building between the two of them. It seems that it will be difficult as Jinshi’s station in life is very high unlike Maomao’s. This is obviously going to be a point of contention. It is also possible that he will become the next emperor and typically they take on many mistresses. Which, in the show it is obvious that Jinshi has no interest in multiple women. He only has eyes for Maomao which is a problem for the emperor and not something that is typically done for the time period.
Ugh, it’s all just TOO CUTE! The mysteries that Maomao solves throughout the show are SO FUN! I love it! I haven’t finished watching the series, but I want to watch so much more!
The above scene is one of the very few sort of “alone” scenes that have ever happened for the pair when they get caught under a waterfall when Jinshi is almost assassinated. It is a still shot from the anime. The closest the anime has ever gotten to “romance.” Ha! Everyone on the internet was legitimately passing out. Nothing happens besides adorable blushing. Doesn’t it make you want to watch the show??!!?!?!
Critical Evaluation For the Show:
The treatment of people is difficult to watch. Slavery, rape of women and children (especially the child brides) is awful. While it is not explicit, it is implied and explained in enough detail to make anyone’s stomach turn. It’s hard to understand that the world is like this and no one seems to bat an eye. The fact that the eunuchs exist to ensure that none of the mistresses get pregnant by anyone other than the emperor is preposterous and such an awful practice. However, this is real life and historically accurate.
Creative Uses for A Library Program
The Apothecary Diaries is interesting as it is an anime, a light novel, and a manga. There are essentially three variations of the story, all very closely related to each other. The light novel is what everything else is based off of. Many people enjoy reading the novels, so perhaps the short light novels may be fun to read for discussion groups and anime clubs.
Speed Round Book Talk
Maomao is a trained apothecary who gets taken as a slave to live in the palace and meets Jinshi who realizes that she can read so she becomes a poison tester for the emperor’s mistress – which she LOVES!
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation
Taking people as slaves is probably the biggest issue so far. Treating women as less than. An emperor having mistresses including under-age mistresses. These are all historical FACTS.
Reason for Inclusion:
The Apothecary Diaries is historical fiction at its finest! Mystery? Check! Intrigue? Check! Teen romantic drama? Check! I have laughed and cried over this anime. There have been some hilariously cringe moments. There have also been some difficult moments of historical reality that I have never known about until watching it on this show. Chinese history is fascinating! So I have learned a ton and I think this is a great reason to include this show on my list!
Title: The Apothecary Diaries
Author: Norihiro Naganuma
References:
IMDB. (2025). Norihiro Naganuma. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2462651/
Maggy’s Mini YA Library! 