The Apothecary

The Apothecary Diaries (Japanese: 薬屋のひとりごと, Hepburn: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) is a Japanese anime television series based on the light novel series The Apothecary Diaries written by Hyūganatsu and illustrated by Touko Shino. Set in a fictional country inspired by Imperial China, the series follows Maomao, a young woman trained in medicine who is sold into service at the Emperor's palace. The first season aired on Nippon Television and its NNS affiliates from October 2023 to March 2024, followed by a second season which ran from January 10 to July 4, 2025. Internationally, Crunchyroll licensed the series for streaming outside of Asia, with Netflix also carrying the title in various regions. On October 22, 2025, during a special second-anniversary event, a third season was announced for an October 2026 premiere as a split-cour broadcast. Additionally, an original anime film entitled The Deceased Empress' Treasure written by Hyūganatsu is set to premiere in Japan on December 11, 2026.