Anime 54492 Kusuriya No Hitorigoto Reviews Filter Check 1

It's truly a remarkable time to be alive when one of the standout anime of 2023 is themed around oriental culture. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is an enchanting anime that excels in multiple aspects, from its engaging characters to its exceptional music, stunning artwork, superb voice acting, and clever humor. And to top it off, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto's main character is somewhat cat-like?! (ΦωΦ).

This anime stands as a testament to excellence, consistently exceeding expectations. The interactions among the characters are not only entertaining but also filled with depth and charm. The ambiance, aesthetics, and music of the show are undeniably captivating. The incorporation of a distinct ... Chinese theme breathes new life into the world of fantasy, providing a unique and invigorating twist to the narrative.

The art direction and character animation in Kusuriya no Hitorigoto are nothing short of magnificent, with meticulous attention to detail in character design and attire. The animation quality, even during ordinary moments, is impeccable, elevating the overall viewing experience and setting a new standard in the anime world.

The music is a true standout, seamlessly complementing the story and immersing the audience in its narrative. The voice acting is exceptional, injecting the characters with depth and vitality, thereby enriching the series with their performances.

A charming feature of Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is the inclusion of random chibi moments that infuse humor and lightheartedness into the storyline. This delightful addition enhances the overall appeal of the show.

To add the finishing touch, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto's captivating protagonist, with her flaws and intricacies, significantly enhances the show, making it all the more compelling. While the name Maomao might evoke images of a cat, her character embodies the fierceness of a tiger, contributing a captivating and distinctive layer to the story. Her dynamic personality, oscillating between fearlessness, caution, and occasional clumsiness, is such a delight.

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is a must-watch for anime enthusiasts. It excels in every aspect, offering a unique and enthralling experience. With its endearing characters, outstanding music, breathtaking artwork, superb voice acting, and clever humor, it stands out as a gem in the world of anime that should not be overlooked. Even if you are not particularly drawn to oriental themes, this anime possesses universal appeal that can be enjoyed by a wide-ranging audience. And let me emphasize once more, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto's main character is indeed somewhat cat-like (ΦωΦ).

MaoMao/10

"The Apothecary Diaries" or "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto", an anime that pleasantly surprised me and, in my opinion, ranks among the best anime of 2023/2024. The anime is set in imperial China and tells the story of Maomao, who was kidnapped and taken to the emperor's palace. From there, we begin to learn more about her personality and traits, along with the unfolding of the story, revealing an intricate web of interconnected events and mysteries.

Technical Aspects:

Plot = 9.8/10

In my view, the anime presented no flaws in the plot. The way events connect and some mysteries are gradually unraveled shows meticulous and insightful writing. It's been a ... long time since I've seen such a well-constructed plot. The anime is rich in elements such as investigation and mysteries. It's literally a butterfly effect, where a small event can lead to something big or be intrinsically linked to something that has already happened! As for the narrative, it has many comedic elements while also being serious when needed, although it may seem somewhat unpretentious in some episodes!

Art (Character Design, Backgrounds, and Animation) = 8.6

The art of the anime is beautiful, with characters that are very well drawn and animation that is extremely consistent and fluid from beginning to end, which is rare for a 24-episode anime. The backgrounds were also very good, although they did not reach the level of detail found in films like "Kimi no Na wa". The only downside was the CGI, which stood out a bit from the rest of the animation and caused some unease.

Character Charisma and Development = 8.7

Maomao is, in my view, the best waifu of 2023/2024. The character is very fun, charismatic, and easily wins you over. It's almost impossible not to like her! Her romantic partner is also a captivating and enjoyable character, and the interactions between the two are very pleasant! As for the personal development of each character, in this aspect, the anime does not deliver as much. You can sympathize with the characters and feel some of what they feel, but the work does not usually delve deeply into their feelings, leaving it up to the viewer to interpret what they feel or think and the reasons for it! This is cool for an anime that focuses on mystery! Just don't expect major dramatic developments of the characters with the anime delving into their thoughts, emotions, and motivations very clearly!

Script/Storyboard and Direction = 9.1

The anime has beautiful framings and a very commendable immersion of the story. The weighty scenes really convey the feeling they need to convey. The rhythm and execution were done with great care, making the anime truly deserve many points for it. Even in episodes where there were no major revelations, the anime maintained good quality using other elements like comedy, having excellent comedic timing in these scenes, and a great power to generate memes with Maomao's facial expressions and reactions. The series manages to grip you, captivate you, and leave you interested in the story, making you feel part of it!

Soundtrack and Audio = 8.5

In this aspect, I believe the anime delivered something within expectations. Nothing absurd like Sawano or Masaru Yokoyama level, but the soundtrack is good, although I don't believe it to be an extremely outstanding point in the work. There are some scenes with cool tracks that deserve to be seen with affection, but they are not emblematic and striking. In this aspect, I've seen works that had a greater capacity to be striking. Another point in this topic would be to highlight the Openings and Endings, which are excellent songs, especially the first Opening and the first Ending. They are truly songs to listen to on repeat for a long time!

Conclusion: If you're looking for an anime with cool characters, mystery, investigation with a hint of romance, and a very well-constructed and written plot, you'll definitely love this work! Just don't expect a series where absolutely all mysteries are interconnected and all subplots are relevant to the main plot, that said.. I highly recommend it and I'm looking forward to a future continuation.

Hearing about Apothecary Diaries for the first time about a month or so ago, I didn't really give it much thought, other than hearing it was from OLM and that preview visuals were pretty impressive at first glance. Upon giving it a shot... good god it flew up my personal list at the speed of LIGHT, I am in love with this show.

If you want the short version, simply go to the enjoyment part of this review

Story 10/10:
The plot itself gets going really quickly, to a comically whimsical degree despite the horrible circumstances in the reality of the situation. Every episode has its own ... self-contained story that significantly strengthens and deepens our understanding of the respective characters. The writing itself is competent, fun and very investing, every situation that gets thrust upon the cast builds a lot of intrigue by the inherent hurdles that the setting presents. Aspects such as social status interacting with the competent and telling character writing makes for riveting interactions and conversations.

The comedic moments are also incredibly on-point, there’s a certain one in episode 4 that’s written just subtle enough for you to have to think a bit to get it, and when the realization hits… you just lose it, at least I did. The comedy is written in such a way that it uses the aspects and facets of the characters clashing, generating natural comedy by things like personalities just being a bad match. Utilization of built character usually leads to some of the funniest scenes in general, as well as it also helps you to get to know and understand the characters better based on their established stories.

Characters 10/10:
If I could, I would put this score higher, but sadly we cap out at a ten. The cast within this show is amazingly diverse, from loving to antagonistic or mysterious. Characters that exist just for one episode are still written in such an investing and powerful way that you'll remember them after they leave at the end of the episode. Every character has nuance to them that makes them avoid becoming one-note. Not to mention the star of the show, Maomao, by far my favorite character and protagonist from this season, voiced by the ever impressive Aoi Yuuki. Maomao is the reason alone to watch this show, her passionate and endless thirst for knowledge brings a glorious gap to her usually mellow, calm yet multi-faceted personality. An eccentric, intelligent little lady, every scene with her is absolutely entertaining, brought to its zenith with Aoi Yuuki's peerless voice acting. I must admit, at first I didn’t even notice that it was Aoi Yuuki that was voicing Maomao, and I have watched most anime and played many of the games that she voices in. The voice acting feels so immersed and authentic that you cannot hear nearly even a sliver of Aoi Yuuki’s vocal mannerisms or innate intonation, it’s astounding. Besides Maomao, every character is lovable, from named to unnamed, major or minor, and the character interactions always make emotions erupt out of me due to the solid character writing.

Sound 9.5/10:
The score for this show carries itself with an incredibly palatable grace and eloquence, being incredibly easy on the ear and elevating every scene with music present. The serious and most striking scenes are by far the most poignant, as the score almost guides you through the emotional beats presented to you, elevating them. And alongside this, the show also has really solid sound design that holds its own when music isn't present.

Art 9.5/10:
This anime is gorgeous. The color palette for this show is beautiful. The interior of the palace absolutely pops with vibrant and diverse colors that never muddle each other out and the lighting is supreme from any time of day, at certain times bringing with it glorious shots. The backgrounds and set-pieces themselves are drawn with meticulous detail at every time. The character designs are also great, with character proportions usually keeping a serious philosophy, expressing the emotions and physical states of the characters clearly in every scene. But also sometimes really tapping into more silly and comedic vibes, as Maomao's excitement suddenly depicts her as a glossy-eyed fool, or a chibi rendition with cat ears akin to the sporadic and passionate girl that hides under her usually mellow exterior.

To absolutely nitpick, the animation isn’t to the visual quality of a superpower like Ufotable or a sakuga generator like Mappa, but the art is still top notch and the animation in Apothecary Dairies is instead incredibly meticulous and accurate, if you will. The characters move and behave in very emotive and human ways, they’ve gone to incredibly far degrees to have the characters move with realism and with impact. I especially need to give massive props to the animation team for the animation of Chinese mannerisms, as they have made sure that in every scene, characters behave and present themselves accordingly with the humble mannerisms demanded between folks of different status. Such as hiding your mouth with your sleeves when you enter/leave a room, lifting a plate of food up to your mouth, covering your mouth as you chew, etc. It solidifies the authenticity of the setting and helps immerse the viewer more. Countless little details in the animation elevate the purpose of the motions to impressive degrees, it may not have the absolute powerhouse fidelity, but the production has the skill and so much more.

Enjoyment 10/10:
I'm absolutely flabbergasted by this show, from the animation and art quality, to the beautiful score, to the rich and absolutely lovable cast of characters, I can't love this show enough already! 24 episodes is such an absolute blessing. Honorable mention to the opening as well, besides having a great song, it also has some AMAZING visuals within it. And the best part of all, our protagonist, Maomao herself, frankly contender for protagonist of the year from my personal view. Maomao by herself is enough reason to watch the show, and then she's voiced by the quintessential Aoi Yuuki herself (Yes, yes, I have a clear bias).

This show is beyond enjoyable and it is near TORTURE to have to wait a week for a new episode, and I am usually an incredibly patient person. It is not common for something to get into my 10/10, which as of currently having watched about 200+ anime, only has four other entries besides Apothecary Diaries. Do with that what you will, dear reader.

I highly recommend ignoring reviews that give this series a six or lower. It has been rated highly because it deserves its rating. Good Josei's are rare nowadays, which is why it's being praised. I feel like people are not taking this into account. On to the review!

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is about 17 year old Mao-Mao. an apothecary that gets sold off to the inner palace. The series is episodic and focuses on medical or murder mysteries that need solving. Every episode is animated beautifully and the series does it's best to keep the environment historically accurate.

As Mao-Mao helps people you will learn more about ... her character and those who surround her. You also learn what life is like living in an emperors court and how it differs based on your status. The similarities between the court and the red light district (where Mao-Mao is from) are highlighted as well.

Mao-Mao had been called a Mary-sue and although this is slightly agreeable, the show does it's best to explain why she has certain knowledge and skills. Overall the series has been a very nice, sometimes even educational, watch. The pacing is good and the show transitions well between humor and drama. Give it a watch!

"Now that does it," I thought to myself after the credits rolled in at the end of the 5th episode. As a total sucker of the 'ugly duckling turned beautiful swan' storyline, I knew I got hooked the moment our female protagonist Maomao got a "makeover" (or should I say, the lack thereof) leaving the bishounen "eunuch" absolutely speechless at her transformation. Think Skip Beat where Kyoko stunned Sho with her get-up at the Prisoner PV set, yeah that sure brought back memories...an anime from over a decade ago *gasp*...I am old school, what can I say.

The premise of the anime is interesting in that ... it's set at ancient China where the traditional culture is known for its reservation, yet many of the scenes are quite provocative with carnal implications (clearly geared towards the seinen audience) without edging up to the ecchi category. This can somehow be justified by Maomao's upbringing in an environment surrounded by brothels and historical myths of promiscuous happenings at the imperial court (East and West alike, in this case the former). On the surface Kusuriya no Hitorigoto appears to be rather dull attempting to mix seemingly incompatible ideas together (brothels, medical mysteries, royal harem, etc), however they all blend together surprisingly well here.

To provide additional context if you are still on the fence: I couldn't wait for new episodes to be aired and read all available volumes of the manga (12 so far) right after watching the 5th episode. Whatever drug the apothecary's cooking up is working, if you get my drift.

I watched this show while it was airing and found myself drawn in by its strong character writing, eye-catching visuals, and subdued humor (a far cry from the over-the-top gags I often expect from anime). As the episodes went on, the mysteries got deeper, and I began to appreciate the intentional shot compositions, the fun callbacks, and even the slick opening themes. There was a lot to love about Kusuriya no Hitorigoto.

I don’t want to overhype this show, because it’s not for everyone. But for me, it hit all the right spots and quickly became a personal favorite. I highly recommend giving this show ... a try.

The Apothecary Diaries (a.k.a. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto or The Pharmacist's Monologue) is truly a unique piece of work, particularly in its titular apothecary protagonist, who is an absolute delight to follow in her mad medicinal adventures.

Though primarily a pseudo-historical mystery, Apothecary Diaries is an assortment of several genres that work very well together and has a great (if slightly odd) sense of humour. While initially episodic in nature, the stories tie in with each other quite nicely, focusing first on establishing the characters and their network of relationships, and gradually converging towards an overarching story. Maomao is a character like no other and it's always ... extremely enjoyable to see how she deals with the problem (or poison) of the week, especially in a context that is often rather true to history.

As a huge fan of the light novel and manga, I'm over the moon at this so-far-gorgeous adaptation and hope everyone gives it a go!

As a lifelong Detective Conan fan, this TOPS Conan!

Apothecary Diaries marries the intrigue that we get from detective-type shows and combines it with the imperial court drama that is so rarely seen in anime, and does so beautifully! The plot points are well foreshadowed and well explained, which gives us viewers great pleasure as we deduce alongside Mao Mao (the main character).

The artstyle is also delightful: colorful, vibrant, and "alive". It perfectly conveys the bustling atmosphere of the ancient city, and all the characters are beautifully drawn, with fine details down to motifs on the hairpins being relevant!

I highly recommend everyone gives it ... a watch. I had great fun speculating and deducing, and finding out I'm right (or wrong!)

One of the best anime of 2023 in my opinion. The animation is great, really a feast for the eyes. The characters are all unique and interesting. The plot is fun with a Sherlock Holmes style "mystery of the week" approach. There's enough humor to keep things light but the tone is serious when appropriate, it's pretty hard to strike that balance correctly and this show does it well.

The MC is a bit of a Mary Sue, she's not perfect but it's pretty close. That being said so was Sherlock Holmes so it matches the theme of "genius detective". It seems that most folks who ... didn't enjoy it went in with very different expectations, let's be clear on what type of story this is: it's not a power fantasy, it's not wish fulfillment, it's not really a political drama (though politics is involved), and it's not romance (not yet at least). What it is, is a very well executed mystery of the week. Probably one of the best I've seen in a long time.

The Apothecary Diaries - A masterclass at how to do a mystery-drama series, yet sprinkle in some tough thematics and establish a hidden ship within the midst.

If you'd told me 6 months ago that novelist Natsu Hyuuga's Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries, would, like the hype that came from Sousou no Frieren a.k.a Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, come to be a strong AOTS contender, I would have chuckled it off to think that a series based on a fictional country in Imperial China during the Tang Dynasty, would be a good show and nothing more. But nope, this 2011 Syosetu work-turned-2014 LN series ... with 14 volumes and counting to its name, with the anime being a fraction of what the series has to offer (with the first 2 volumes adapted), it has a matching quality as that to Frieren, with both shows that started last Fall and ended in Winter this season, it truly is experiencing yet another golden era moment for anime in achievements with the two juggernauts pitting each other in the heated battle as outstanding AOTS shows back-to-back. And what a fight it was, dubbed the battle of the Maomao-Frieren female GOATs.

Much like the series' namesake: The Pharmacy's Monologue, or even better, the Apothecary's Soliloquy, a lot of people easily get both terms mistaken and/or mixed up. Simply put, a monologue refers to a long speech delivered by a character during a conversation, while a soliloquy refers to the act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of listeners and a formal speech is made directly to an audience. And that is the result of one young girl, who found herself within a mix of proportions gone wrong: Maomao, who was mysteriously kidnapped by bandits and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. The said girl was previously working as an apothecary (modern-day pharmacist/chemist) in the one of the brothel houses of its capital's red-light district and courtesans, and her wanting to keep a low-profile within the 4 walls of the Imperial Palace by looking like an average low-class family's daughter, while retaining her curious and eccentric personality to work there for all her life without none the wiser. But as rumours within the Imperial Palace goes, when one is heard, the news travels far, and this got to Maomao's ears, concerning the Imperial Emperor and his children in a grave matter of life and death. Using her trusty apothecary skills, Maomao may have been the servant to root out the cause and effect, but instead of pushing her into the background and continuing her anonymous approach, she became the opposite instead: the forefront of scrutiny, heralded by an influential eunuch who singles her out, sentencing her to...more work, but this time, within the 4 walls of the royal court.

It's easy to see why Maomao absolutely dominates the MC objective, and with literate perfection to the detail that it makes her one of the best girls of the Fall 2023 season alongside the immortal elven mage Frieren herself. Both girls are rooted in their respective philosophies; done things which seemingly would be normal in the face of the public eye that will change circumstances in the future; have their respective idiosyncrasies that makes them fan-favourite characters in the long run; and the most important of all: make changes within the subtlety of ways, not to impress anyone but themselves and the closest people that would be charmed by their ways. Maomao is very lovable due to her cat-like cunning ways of handling against the people who challenges her in terms of the mystery cases (hence her Chinese name, which translates to Cat-Cat). Moreover, her passion for all things poison, makes her a valuable entity within the Imperial Palace as an unofficial forensic pathologist within the palace intrigue of medicine, plants and even basic chemistry, leading to her even serving as a lady-in-waiting for the Imperial Emperor's concubines. Also, like her low-profile status, Maomao is a very beautiful girl when her facial facade breaks, and intentionally chooses to be ugly to maintain her status quo against everyone people from her fellow courtesans at the Verdigris House, to the Imperial Palace's rear palace, where she faces her biggest pet peeve.

And that Pet Peeve is Jinshi, the authoritative eunuch who managed to scout Maomao for her effort in breaking the curse of the Imperial Emperor and his children. He is the epitome of a dashing white knight for all of the servants, though this will not work in Maomao as she experiences perception so mind-numbing that it causes her to shiver and shun like an angry purring cat when Jinshi takes into her affection, often showing him her plain disgust and resent for involving her in the palace intrigue. But still, as a romance connoisseur, you know it when you see a ship sailing, and be it as it may that both him and Maomao's ranks within the rear palace is quite the divide, but their interactions sell and sail their relationship as it is: throughout all of the testings from self-infliction of poison and medicine from Maomao, to Jinshi's definite closeness to his most favorited guinea pig, these two working alongside one another to uncover the Imperial Palace's mysteries hook, line, and sinker, makes the duo one of, if not the strongest unofficial couples that I've ever seen in anime.

But Maomao is not done yet, oh no. Beneath both her and Jinshi, lies a cast of colourful characters (once again, like Frieren) that bolsters their reputation together as a master-and-apprentice team that cannot be defiled:
- The close servant of Jinshi: Gaoshun, as well as the Imperial Emperor's concubines: Gyokuyo, Lihua, Lishu, Ah-Duo, with their respective servants. To Maomao, there is definitely a love-hate relationship between those who support and/or despise her for her facade of a normalcy, one that's not willing to be underestimated. And through it all, Gaoshun is quite the reliable assistant to Jinshi, as well as the concubines, of which Gyokuyo lies closest to Maomao.
- The friends close and distant: from Maomao's working place of the Verdigris House of the famed "Three Princesses" of Meimei, Pairin and Joka, to the friends that become part-and-parcel of her life: Xiaolan and Lihaku. I would say that this group of people are what you consider the jokers, yet act their part when friendship comes into play as a plot device to shield the illusive apothecary out of her dilemmas.
- The people whom Maomao call her own family: part-obvious, part-hidden. The obvious with said girl living with her adopted father Luomen, who was a former court doctor and was banished from the rear palace after a series of mistakes, he is the only person whom Maomao calls family. The hidden: Lakan and Fengxian, which their secrets open up only resentment for the smart and perceptive girl, that's all I'll say for mild spoilers.

Much ado to VA Atsumi Tanezaki (Spy x Family's Anya Forger) doing an outstanding job for Frieren's character, this can be applied to VA Aoi Yuuki for her role as Maomao, the titular girl who seems like a careless poison lover externally but hides her secrets well internally. Man, nothing gets me more pumped by the Best Girl battle between Maomao and Frieren for 6 months straight from Fall 2023 to Winter this year, but the majority will say that Maomao tickles their fancies more due to her character distinguishment, and they're not wrong at all. Maomao is an incredibly talented young woman who does the bare minimum, and like a well-framed colleague, documents everything and leaves no traces behind if there's any situation or circumstance that could come backfiring at her. She's all about the fine details, and nothing more, leading up to an excellent VA job well done.

If the superb voice casting doesn't sell you on why this show is a MUST-watch, the production is simply stunning...and I know I'm going to sound like a parrot, but the animation even rivals that of Frieren as the clear two best shows of the 6 months we've watched for both Fall and Winter back-to-back with exceeding expectations of consistent Triple A quality. If you didn't know, Toho Animation may be the producer for both Kusuriya and Frieren, but also can dab into the animation space with their very own in-house studio (renamed after acquiring a major stake on animation studios TIA (Toho Interactive Animation), ILCA and Anima (famous for Yami Shibai: Theatre of Darkness)) which with the collab from studio OLM, makes the former show look like a beautiful and gorgeous main course platter of food that is both disgustingly staggering and phenomenal to even think about touching it in all of its astonishing magnificence. This is only made possible by the passion and tremendous hard work of director Norihiro Naganuma, famous for directing Fall 2017's Mahoutsukai no Yome a.k.a The Ancient Magus Bride, handling the major reins all by himself: directorialship, series composition and storyboarding for episodes. And this time with this show, he does all of the above, while coaching rookie director Akinori Fudesaka in the process. How in God's name do you have someone like Norihiro Naganuma come out of his currently dwindling tenure to once again be a tour de force of a director who STILL has his dedicated craft after close to 7 years of nothing, this show has been put under the absolute justification of the correct and rightful ownership of hands.

The music, like the animation, is also outstanding. Compared to just Evan Call with Frieren, Kusuriya has Satoru Kousaki (of Monogatari and Beastars fame), Kevin Penkin (of Made in Abyss fame), and Alisa Okehazama (of The God of High School fame). 2 legends plus an up-and-coming composer, you couldn't have asked for an OST so rich it exudes Oriental Sounds that perfectly replicate Imperial China, and as a Chinese myself, this OST is a massive respect to the source material's foundations. As for the theme songs, the 1st Cour's pairings of Ryokuoushoku Shakai's OP "Hana ni Natte" (lit. Like A Flower)" and Aina The End's ED "Aikotoba", serve as a great start to the anime with its upbeat and catchy songs, as well as the dazzling vibrant colours of character symbolism from Maomao's POV. Sadly, the 2nd Cour didn't fare this well one bit with Uru's OP "Ambivalent" and wacci's "Ai wa Kusuri" (lit. Love is Medicine), being uninspiring pieces of music and visuals (though strikingly good).

It's such a great time in anime where two shows with completely different thematics, duke their battles out for the AOTS position for 2 seasons straight, and the one common ideal is that both shows are masterpieces of their own right. There's a lot to like and love about Frieren, and the same can be said about Kusuriya no Hitorigoto a.k.a The Apothecary Diaries as well. With a strong cast of characters heralded by an even unassailable duo where mysteries yonder the heart abound in a "life is not a bed of roses" theme, this show has been nothing but a consistent byproduct of "knowledge equals power", plus the unfathomable animation to boot, so much that it has earned its spot as a triumphant showpiece.

The Maomao-Frieren duo are unshakable, and this show is a work of wonder in a sensational way.

In the synopsis, Maomao possesses special skills that set her apart, placing her in challenging situations that explore her unique abilities. A captured servant with medical knowledge surpassing even the nobles of the same profession, which leads her to serve directly in the royal court.

Each episode explores the ailments that Maomao must remedy as an apothecary, an ancient version of a pharmacist. From resolving an illness among the Emperor's concubines to becoming the official food taster for one of them to ensure food safety, the series presents various mysteries to be solved.

These challenges range from curing diseases in the kingdom's soldiers to creating an aphrodisiac ... for a high-ranking officer. Additionally, the series delves into solving mysteries, exploring themes such as the secret love between a concubine and a soldier.

For those who struggle with period pieces without supernatural elements, there might be some initial resistance to "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto," but it's definitely worth watching.

Despite being set in a serious environment, "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto" features excessively funny and cartoonish representations to emphasize extreme emotions, such as excitement, and stereotyped animations of sweat drops to convey annoyed embarrassment with someone else's actions, similar to many other classics.

And most importantly, despite its episodic nature, "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto" manages to build on previous episodes, allowing relationships to become more complex, and the main character's unique position to expand and grow, characteristic of anime classics.

I swear you won't regret diving into this story!

This easily could've been a tropey anime where "woah, ugly girl who is also smart??? and looks pretty in makeup??? and pretty boy whom everyone likes (and is definitely not what he seems) falls for her because she's so quirky??? AND she solves palace mysterys??? AND all the concubines love her????" but it's not.

What the anime nails 100% that i don't usually see in anime of this genre:
> well written women characters
> having a female MC
> writing romance into the story (even though it's very very tropey) that doesn't distract from the plot.

MaoMao's original intentions don't ever change from wanting to leave the rear palace, ... despite getting a promotion and having Jinshi be interested in her. This only happens towards the end when she realises she'd rather work there as a food taster (given her talents in the apothecary) because she genuinely cares for the people there, and nobody else could do the job better (and also not wanting to be a consort herself). The fact that she's able to go back, out of choice and not force is very rare to see.

The anime doesn't undermine the concubines or the consorts in the story, rather draws attention to these women's struggles at the time. How being a consort or a girl working in the rear palace isn't something they themselves chose, but make do for survival.

The people who call MaoMao a mary sue fail to understand that it's really not the case, and the episodes intentions (say the 11th or 10th) are initially, and purposefully there to confuse you. Second, people are very easily forgiving of the "genius MC" trope when it comes to other anime (Death Note, Classroom of the Elite, etc) which don't necessarily, and always provide enough information as to how the MC reached the conclusion that they did.

(mild spoiler paragraph) The male love interest, Jinshi, although annoying at times is a genuine person. He could've chosen to keep MaoMao at the palace for himself by not firing the people who had connections with Ah-Duo's main lady in waiting and be selfish, but he didn't. Is he creepy at times? Yes. Do people overlook things like this in other series? Also yes. It doesn't make the plot bad, it's sprinkled in and their less significant moments don't last longer than 30 seconds (maybe less)

I haven't seen a detective/mystery show that incorporates a "mystery of the week" into the overall plot. None of the mysterys introduced initially are forgotten and are all important (the fireworks, poisioning one of the concubines, etc).

Honestly speaking, I do understand why some people would not like this show because it doesn't fit everyone's taste. Not everyone has the patience (including me) to sit through a very long, and somewhat predictable story. Though what keeps me engaged is the well written characters, pretty and consistent animation and the well written plot. Even the background ones or those who only appear for one episode are so thoroughly enjoyable. Please do yourself a favour and give this show a chance it's amazing <3

Absolutely amazing. Before I knew what the show entailed, I knew from the cover it was going to be a beautiful anime, and then I see it is a historical anime which makes it even better so I am probably biased already, but this is a must watch. The animations are as beautiful as the cover portrayed.

The animation is gorgeous and Maomao, the MC is a well rounded character for the show and as a woman. She’s clever, funny, beautiful, intelligent; oh but don’t make her mad! You’ll see another side of her you didn’t know she had!

The show isn’t tagged as romance, but ... I’d say there’s romantic subtext that’s enough to make me wonder what’s going to happen between Jinshi and Maomao, but the show is focused on Maomao trying to lay low as a curcubine to avoid getting in trouble. Jinshi seems to be the one around helping her navigate her new life as an apothecary.

I recommend this show to everyone. It’s very entertaining for a medical show, beautiful animations, storyline is solid and leaves me wanting more every episode. This is probably the only anime I’ve seen on Crunchyroll with a 5 star rating, and the rating I would have to agree is accurate.

I'm here for everything that this piece will provide us with.

The episode flow, the accuracy of the anime to the manga, voices, character development, storyline, the emotions that can make you feel.. so many small details combined and creating what we have here.

Couldn't have imagined that an anime could be so magnetising.

Story / Character ~10~

The story is wrapped around the mysteries that happened in the fictional country modelled after Imperial China. We can assume that the anime could be set in 15th-century China, judging by the clothing worn by women in that period, it is very similar to the ones worn by ... women in the series. The protagonist is a young girl, an apothecary in the red-light district, with a deep love for medicine and poisons, that keeps a low profile. She gets kidnapped and forced to work in an imperial palace.
From a low-level servant to a “Food Taster” and personal maid of Jinshi, who is one of the most important eunuchs in the castle. She rises in the hierarchy as her efforts are noticed by him. Throughout the series, the girl continues to solve difficult cases in the imperial court one after another and earns the respect and trust of the emperor, his concubines and everyone around her. She has a sharp mind, reserved manners, a 'dark side' and a strangely humorous side.
As for the side characters, they are written very well. Nearly all of them are likeable, you might not like a couple of characters and their traits. However, everything combined creates one hell of a story.

Art ~10~

Toho Animation Studio OLM absolutely nailed the art style. The animations are fluid and most compositions are seriously on point.

Overall ~10~

Would recommend tasting it, before making conclusions. This is flavour up to my liking and I'm excited what the creator of the series has in mind for it.

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is hands down one of the best anime I’ve ever seen. Boasting some of the most gorgeous character designs and visuals, as well as masterful direction. But that’s not what makes this show great. Its characters, mystery, historical setting, down to earth story and pharmaceutical aspects make it one of a kind. It’s a perfect example of simplicity being the ultimate sophistication and is rightfully highly regarded.

At the end of the day, Kusuriya is very much a slow burn historical mystery anime with a lot funny character interactions. It starts slow with Maomao being thrown into life in the palace initially against ... her will, solving medical cases and crimes, but we quickly realise this is part of a much larger plot that ends up being grander than anyone could have imagined. The author is a master of giving audiences just enough to keep them interested, while hinting at the bigger picture.

The cases Maomao solves are all really interesting for the most part and while seemingly unconnected, usually form part a bigger web of conspiracy. If you have ever seen classic detective shows, there’s a lot of similarities with Kusuriya. The way Maomao’s able to manipulate people to get the answers she needs and reverse engineer murder tactics is brilliant. You combine that with her being genuinely adorable and hilarious, and you’ve got a recipe for a great time.

You can’t talk Maomao without bringing up her relationship with the male lead Jinshi. It’s one of my and many other peoples’ favourite things about the show. I LOVED their dynamic so much. It’s playful, natural and the seiyuus made every interaction feel authentic. What’s more important is that while there’s some obvious romantic tension there, at least from Jinshi’s side, it doesn’t dominate the story or dictate Maomao’s personality. She is very much her own woman, just trying to survive from day to day and learn about new medicines and poisons. It’s so rare in Shoujosei, so I have to praise it every time I see it. Making good characters first and worrying about the relationship aspect second is the way to go. As such, it makes the moments they do have together much more valuable and precious. While their relationship starts as one of boss and employee/servant, Jinshi quickly develops a tremendous amount of respect for admiration for Maomao and wants to learn as much as possible about her. It’s a really fun ride that easily cracks my top 5 ships. Just nonstop laughs and chemistry whenever they’re together.

It’s not just Maomao and Jinshi though, the consorts of the rear palace, eunuchs, characters like Lakan, people back in Maomao’s hometown etc., are all so well done in this. With it being such a small setting, mainly taking place within the confines of the palace, the author is able to really flesh out a number of characters. It never feels too claustrophobic of a setting either. This world is very much alive and constantly buzzing with new rumours and goings on.

I touched on it before, but the gradually unfolding mystery has to get talked about again. It really is well done. There are so many secrets behind these palace walls. Character backstories, jealousy, assassination plots, you name it. It feels like something out of a Kdrama but in the best way possible. The author manages to make you second guess and challenges your preconceived notions of the story as well. For example, there’s a major character in the final third of the season that I absolutely hated and was sure he’d committed an awful crime. But, in the second to last episode we get some information on this character that not only made me change my opinion of him, but damn near made me want to apologise for the slander I’d been writing in discussion threads. It was one of the first times I can ever recall being properly bamboozled by an author like that.

By now it’s probably clear, I love the plot and historical Chinese setting here. But you can’t talk about this show without giving praise to the studio for the job they did on the production! It looks GORGEOUS. Bright, shiny, it’s just such an aesthetically pleasing show. Not a lot of action, but the animation is more than good enough and the direction is top class. The OST brings the story to life as well. A mix of ancient Chinese inspired stuff and more modern tones. Really just a cool vibe.

Can’t recommend Kusuriya enough. These last 6 months we’ve been blessed with not 1, but 2 of the greatest anime of all time with Kusuriya and Frieren and it’s been an honour to watch them both. Hard to say which I enjoyed more, but they’re no doubt both must watches for any fan of the medium.

Kusuriya gets 10, out of 10.

For all those hack Hollywood writers that desperately try to portray a Strong Independent Womyn Who Don't Need No Man by writing them as Adamantine Plot Armored characters with no flaws, I suggest watching this as an example of what being truly strong is.

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (literal translation is Pharmacist's Soliloquies, but they went with Apothecary Diaries, just as good) is the story of the daughter of a pharmacist, raised in a pleasure quarter in medieval China, also known as the brothels quarter, who gets kidnapped and sold out to the Imperial Palace.

Through the knowledge she acquired from her father, and a lot of wit ... and observation, she quickly understands the medical causes that befall the members of the imperial court, and tries to secretly save them from the poisoning that they are inflicting on themselves and their children. Afraid of being brought into trouble, she passes hidden messages and quietly tries to inform people without being noticed.

This fails, because Kusuriya isn't at all about one with brains and a bunch of idiots around her. On the contrary, she gets found out by her peers in the palace, gets recognition for her efforts and intelligence, and starts to discover the intrigues and mysteries, both medical and interpersonal, that run throughout the Inner Court where the Emperor keeps his concubines, each vying for the role of becoming the future Empress. Kusuriya is about her and us discovering all that is going on between the numerous complex characters of the show, and understanding their motivations and hidden actions.

Kusuriya is brilliant because it is filled to the brim with very well written, very intelligent and memorable characters, from the main heroine to the minor, one episode characters, it is full of emotions and intrigue, of creativity and discoveries. It is using the (ancient Chinese) medical field as a stepping stone to delve deep into human intrigues and personalities, of political relationships as well as how hard people can try to do what they need to do to get what they want. It manages to strongly step into death, suicide, ills and the fouler sides of humanity, without any excess in edgyness nor any restraint. It'll talk about rape and syphilis, regrets and lies, poisons and ignorance, without hiding anything or giving a single drop of poor taste.

It's also, as the visuals tell, a very girly anime, it's colourful and filled with flowers, which contrasts extremely well with the ugliness that is its main subject. They describe the Inner Court, a place of high courtesans seeking to become an Empress, as not so different than a brothel itself, and talk about the condition of the women there with a beautifully cruel poetry: "A flower will eventually fade. A flower that doesn't give fruit will be cast away."

Kusuriya manages to be filled to the maximum with memorable and unique characters, with intrigues and detective work, doesn't hide any of the ugliness of the human condition, and entirely shines at being heavy in its subjects yet lighthearted enough that it's never out of mood to watch.
The anime also does a lot of justice to the manga, which is rare. It is visually appealing and manages to keep intact 95% of the source material.
I've highly recommended the manga for years and can easily highly recommend the anime without any hesitations.

The chinese teen house.

I hadn't heard of Kusuriya, I was surprised when I found out that it's one of the best-selling novels in Japan, so you think there must be something special about it.

You start the anime and meet one of the best female protagonists (she doesn't have much competition either) and you understand why she is so well known, Maomao is too much. I love that she's not pigeonholed into a typical anime personality, like tsundere or kuudere and all that kind of shit.

She is a normal girl, she doesn't pretend anything and doesn't try to be the heroine. Simply apply his knowledge and ... act according his criteria. I love the deduction capacity she has, from the smallest things he connects the threads to solve the cases.

I'm a little ahead of the story with the manga, I love that all his attitudes also make sense with what he has experienced. Many of Maomao's reflections gain great weight as we get to know her.

I only talked about Maomao and that's enough. Love to Queen Maomao.

"Kusuriya no Hitorigoto" is a unique anime that blends medicine and palace drama in a captivating way. It follows the life of an apothecary and reveals the secrets and politics of the royal court.

One of the things that makes this anime stand out is how it flips the usual roles: the main character, a woman, looks down on the male lead, bringing humor to the story. This unexpected twist adds fun to the serious palace intrigue.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this anime turned out to be. It goes beyond what I expected, diving into the complexities of court life and the challenges faced ... by the apothecary in a world full of power struggles.

The characters in this anime are interesting, especially the way the female lead treats the male lead. Their unusual relationship adds a lot of humor and keeps you curious about what will happen next.

Overall, "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto" is a hidden gem. It combines medicine, palace drama, and an intriguing character dynamic to create an anime that's both engaging and entertaining. If you like stories with secrets, interesting characters, and a bit of humor, this anime is definitely worth watching.

Having grown up in a household filled with family that loved Chinese period dramas, they were virtually inescapable for me. Someone in my family was always watching the hottest new period drama, and eventually, I also began to watch them with my family, and I got hooked on them quickly. At this point, the tropes in those shows were all too familiar to me, so count me surprised when I watched *The Apothecary Diaries*, and almost immediately thought of what a breath of fresh air this was. It has probably the best female character of 2023, and while it definitely was overshadowed by a certain ... other heavy hitter, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, this anime still had enough going for it to merit a lot of discourse in the anime community, and in my opinion stood up to its opponents in both the Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 anime seasons very well.

This series has very riveting mystery elements, while staying light-hearted and comedic at times, and all encapsulated in a fictional inner palace, modelled after a Chinese setting. As I have mentioned earlier, I am no stranger to Chinese period dramas, and I always find it interesting how gender is portrayed in these shows. In the older Chinese dynasties, the Imperial Chinese harem system was very prevalent and common, and the inner palace, babymaking and the objectifying of women, with them being handled and passed around as gifts, was what life was dedicated to. For that reason, I find it intriguing that in this portrayal of the inner palace, we see the perspectives of women with agency, solving problems, being involved in the politics of the palace, all in quite a thoughtful way. Also, the existence of a particular character in the show as a test of loyalty to the emperor struck me as a different twist to the whole system, a unique take on this fictional Chinese setting.

The mystery elements were done well, as it was interesting to see how this series introduced a lot of mysteries, but didn’t outright provide the answer, or culprit to the viewer. We get the reasons why people were caught up in issues, or in some cases, how they ended up dying, but the viewer gets left questioning whether or not the intuition of the main character was actually accurate. Things are not answered right away, but eventually, the series calls back to those mysteries that the viewer might have forgotten, and weaves them together for a great pay-off. Some of the episodes, especially in the early parts of the second half, were not as interesting when I first watched it, but knowing how it set up for the pay-off, in hindsight, it did made a lot more sense, and that indeed, every moment, even the duller ones, had some effect on the bigger picture.

The main protagonist, Maomao, makes the entire show for me, and was the main reason I enjoyed this anime as much as I did. She was such an endearing, captivating main character that had a really dynamic personality that could range from her not giving a bother about getting kidnapped at the start of the anime, yet throughout the series, really investing herself in the mysteries of the palace setting, and through her endless thirst for knowledge (and poison), we got to see her go to great lengths to achieve whatever goal she set out to achieve on any given day. Her voice actor, Aoi Yuuki, performed spectacularly to bring out the varied tones to match up with her multi-faceted personality, and she really made Maomao come to life in the best way possible. She reminds me of other protagonists I have seen in Chinese period dramas, but her character writing was more unique compared to any others, and I am glad she had her own ambitions she was able to achieve, rather than just being a tool for the emperor or her superiors. All the other characters also shined in their own ways, and even the ones that only show up briefly, end up being memorable.

The art and animation in this show was not flashy, but still very highly detailed and intricate to really flesh out the setting. The character designs were varied and were unique while staying true to its Chinese identity. The more subtle movements were handled with care, such as the little mannerisms that befit the Chinese setting. The covering of the mouth with their sleeves as they enter a room, and how the characters eat their food are just some examples of that in action. Little details like that really impressed me, as it showed how much care the staff put in to making sure they stayed true to Chinese culture. The music further elevated the material to new heights. Sure, the overall visual quality isn’t at a level of the powerhouse shounen anime, but with the resources the staff had at their disposal, they did a phenomenal job.

Overall, this was a fantastic series, along with one of the best main female characters I have seen in a while. While not every mystery or every episode hit as deeply, whenever they did, it was excellent, riveting, even bone-chilling. If you have any interest in Chinese dramas, or even if you don’t, there will likely be something you will find that intrigues you. With a Season 2 confirmed for next year, I couldn’t be more excited to see more of this wonderful series.

Personally, I think this is a great anime with an amazing story and it contains some funny humor in the right places, I personally love the way the setting of this anime is set and the coloring of it makes it feel enjoyable to watch! Also, the animation is very well produced, although there are times where the CGI is obvious, it still looks all right. The characters in this anime have amazing characteristics and it's amazing to see how they all grow and learn from their actions; the character development is well done! Although some characters could do with a little more flare and ... romance. I personally prefer watching this anime in sub as the Japanese voice actors sound better than some in the dub.

I do hope to see a bright future for this anime, if the anime does stand out, I would highly recommend reading the manga! I would definitely recommend watching this anime personally <3.