During an AnimeJapan 2024 panel, the staff of The Apothecary Diaries confirm that the anime series will return in 2025 with Season 2! A new trailer and key visual were revealed as well.
The first cour of The Apothecary Diaries ran for 12 episodes and quickly became one of the most popular anime of 2023. In the second cour, Maomao returns to the palace after Jinshi buys her from the Verdigris House. The second cour ran for another 12 episodes, bringing the first season’s total to 24 episodes.
Maomao and Jinshi Return in The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
The Apothecary Diaries episode 24 premiered on March 23, concluding the first season. After the final episode, a new trailer was shown at AnimeJapan 2024, confirming The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 is coming in 2025. The voice cast of the first season will return, including Aoi Yūki as Maomao and Takeo Ōtsuka as Jinshi.
Check out the announcement trailer and new key visual below, via the anime’s official social media channels:
This past January, The Apothecary Diaries staff confirmed that over 31 million copies of the novel series were in circulation. Seven million of those copies were sold from the end of September 2023 to mid-January 2024. What’s more, Square Enix will release English print editions of The Apothecary Diaries starting May 14.
Lastly, here’s a synopsis of the series, via Square Enix Manga & Books:
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.
Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison!
