
Apothecary Diaries! Have fun!~
Maomao sits in the Jade Pavillon, bored out of her mind. She remains settled on the cushions of the sofa in the large lounge, the other ladies-in-waiting cleaning.
“I wish there was a poisonous snake right now… My cause of death: undeniable boredom!” Maomao thinks to herself.
A sharp knock on the door.
“Enter!” Maomao calls out.
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 [ja] 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 Drama[1] Mystery[1] Romance[1] 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 [ja] Imprint Ray Books Published September 26, 2012 Light novel Written by Hyūganatsu Illustrated by Touko Shino Published by Shufunotomo English publisher NA: J-Novel Club (digital) Square Enix (print) Imprint Hero Bunko Original run August 29, 2014 – present Volumes 16 (List of volumes) Manga Written by Hyūganatsu Itsuki Nanao Illustrated by Nekokurage Published by Square Enix English publisher NA: Square Enix Magazine Monthly Big Gangan Original run May 25, 2017 – present Volumes 17 (List of volumes) Manga Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace Written by Minoji Kurata Published by Shogakukan English publisher NA: Viz Media SEA: Shogakukan Asia Magazine Monthly Sunday Gene-X Original run August 19, 2017 – present Volumes 22 (List of volumes) Manga Xiaolan's Story Written by Hyūganatsu Illustrated by Itsuki Nanao Published by Square Enix English publisher NA: Square Enix Magazine Manga Up! Original run March 23, 2025 – present Volumes 1 (List of volumes) Television drama Directed by Yuki Saito Written by Erika Yoshida Studio Toho Amazon MGM Studios Licensed by Amazon Prime Video Original run 2028 – scheduled Anime television series The Apothecary Diaries (2023–present) icon Anime and manga portal Set in a fictional country inspired by Tang Dynasty-era China, 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 premiered in October 2026. An anime film entitled The Late Lady's Treasure is set to premiere in Japan in December 2026. A live-action drama series adaptation will be streamed worldwide on Amazon Prime Video in 2028. Maomao is a 17-year-old short and slender girl from the light novel and anime series The Apothecary Diaries. Physical Features & Disguise • Hair and Eyes: In the original light novels, she has black hair and purple eyes. In the anime adaptation, her hair is dark green and her eyes are blue. • Hair Style: She wears her hair half-up in a messy bun secured with a blue bow, letting two low ponytails drape over her shoulders tied with pink and blue decorative beads. • Fake Freckles: She intentionally paints artificial clay freckles on her face and uses plain makeup to look average and avoid unwanted attention or kidnapping in the red-light district and palace. • Natural Look: Without her plain disguise and with formal makeup, she is noted to be quite pretty and attractive. • Build: She has a petite, slender frame with a small chest (A-cup), which contrasts with the voluptuous beauty standards of her society. Attire • Clothing: She typically wears a traditional aoqun hanfu, often featuring a light green top. • Expressions: While she usually speaks in a flat, monotonous tone, her face can turn giddy and bright when dealing with poisons or look sharp, sinister, and intimidating when she gets angry or excited.