Based on the novels by Natsu Hyuga, Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a local apothecary, who is kidnapped and sold as an indentured servant to the Imperial Palace. With two years of servitude awaiting her, Maomao decides to work without drawing attention to herself. However, she learns the emperor’s children and concubines have all become deathly ill. Curiosity soon overcomes her as she investigates the cause. Unfortunately, her involvement catches the attention of Jinshi, the supervising eunuch. Her success on the case leads to Maomao becoming an official investigative apothecary for the royal court.

Medical Origins

In modern times, we don’t hear too much about natural cures besides drinking tea and eating citrus. We’re more of a ‘pop a pill and ball’ kind of society. However, during the Tang Dynasty, people didn’t have access to medicine like we do today. Through Maomao, we get a glimpse into what being a medical professional was like between the years 618 and 907. 

We learn how multiple herbs can be used to either improve or destroy someone’s health. Apothecaries during this time used herbs and animal parts to treat infections and illnesses. Much like chemists, they tested various combinations to cure patients of ailments. Throughout the series, we watch Maomao ingest poisons and test various concoctions on herself. Her arm is usually bandaged because of her experiments, much to Jinshi’s dismay.

In a recent episode, Maomao discusses Jasmine tea should not be given to pregnant people as it can cause miscarriages. She also notes the dosage is important, but the potential effects of each herb should be known before consumption. Nowadays, Jasmine tea is sold worldwide with no real issues. However, overconsumption of anything is rarely positive.

Royal Mysteries 

Apothecary Diaries is like any historical drama. Murders, affairs, and politics are a part of everyday life. It’s not surprising. The bulk of the series takes place within the Imperial Palace. 

The smallest mysteries lead to bigger conspiracies that leave viewers wondering what was a coincidence and what was intentional. Through these episodic mysteries, we learn about Maomao’s family, Jinshi’s lineage, and the sacrifices many of the palace inhabitants made to secure their futures. 

MaoMao

Maomao is an interesting character. She was trained and raised as an apothecary, but she was also raised by courtesans. Her unique background makes her well-equipped to navigate the world around her. However, she is incredibly distrustful of people. 

Her observation skills allow her to see beyond the surface. Where most protagonists would try to push their views, Maomao practices caution to remain out of the limelight. She is hyper-aware of the ill she can do if she says something without solid evidence. She asks her supervisors for help with investigating and verifying her assumptions before taking any action. 

While her supervisors may trust her, she is still a servant and avoids stepping out of line because she can be executed if someone above her station wishes for it. This forces her to confide in her circle of powerful allies, but she tries her best to keep them at bay due to the power imbalances in their relationship and to stay out of all political matters. 

However, everyone has a weakness. Maomao’s walls instantly come down once someone bribes her with herbs, animal parts, or anything that could be of use to her as an apothecary. She immediately becomes a cat with catnip. Once the excitement wears off, she realizes she’s in a situation that requires her to do more work than she’d like, but the promise of new materials is enough motivation to keep going.  

Apothecary Diaries is currently available on Crunchyroll. New episodes air every Friday during the Winter 2025 season.