The room is silent as a girl takes a sip of tea. She sits alone, away from the others who look at her with sympathetic and worried eyes. As the tension continues to rise, it’s finally cut by the girl's words. The food is safe. She was the poison tester.
The Apothecary Diaries is currently going through its second season. Set in imperial China and following Apothecary Maomao, the show is full of mystery, plot twists, and humor. As the story progresses, the storyline gets increasingly serious and angsty, with an incredibly slow-burning romance on the side.
While watching, I felt my heart beat quickening in a good way. I was instantly hooked on the first episode! I finished the first season in two days, mesmerized by the story and animation. The plot line was engaging and encouraged me to closely follow along. The mysteries of each episode end up interconnected and what at first seemed like accidents may be actual murders. This was all paired with beautiful animation. There is so much detail put into the background, flowers, scenery, and buildings.
The comedy aspect of the show is right up my alley. Small misunderstandings mixed with Maomao’s internal comments and interactions with other characters make for a good combination. There's also external comedy, such as thinking about how strange Maomao must appear in the eyes of other servants. She is quite a freak, being interested in poison and such. However, the series doesn’t stray away from more serious topics. Obviously, murder and poison are brought up quite frequently. But it also discusses child brides (in a negative light, of course), prostitution, political drama, and death. Personally, I believe all these topics are handled very well and aren’t just there for shock factor.
Character writing is equally magnificent. Maomao is a great protagonist and an amazing example of how to write a female protagonist: The same as a good male protagonist. It’s so relieving to see a female protagonist that isn’t ditzy, overly good-natured, or incredibly one-dimensional. Yet, she also isn’t a cringy “Not like other girls” girlboss protagonist. She doesn’t insert herself into problems if she doesn’t have to and is keenly aware of her place as a servant. Because she’s the protagonist, viewers are able to hear her thoughts and way of thinking, which allows a deeper insight into her motivations. I love her attitude and dynamic with other characters, such as the male lead Jinshi. Seeing their relationship slowly progress is very rewarding to me.
Side characters are also quite memorable to me. The servant girl Xiaolan is one of my favorites. She’s very enthusiastic and cute, but also holds a good narrative purpose by providing Maomao with the latest gossip. Characters that seem unimportant at first glance may actually hold greater narrative significance later on. But remembering everyone’s name has proven difficult for me.
Overall, The Apothecary Diaries is a spectacular anime that I fully recommend. Certain plot points may be difficult to follow sometimes but I still believe it's worth it. It's well written, well animated, and exciting to watch. With how the story line is getting more serious overtime, I can promise that I'll continue watching with the greatest enthusiasm.
