The Apothecary Diaries

Next season will be great. Mainly because it will have more of a big plot and will let some characters to shine. Can't wait for the introduction of my girl Shisui.

Nice place to end an installment, indeed. Maomamo has a point though: give that woman her bezoar already, Jinshi.

Edited by Nazetrime on Mar 23rd 2024 at 9:36:22 AM

Yeah, my guess is that season two will also finish after the siege of the Shu siege in book four.

It would be the most logical. The whole "Shi rebellion" is the main big plot of the first 4 books, even if it barely shows in vol. 1 and we only find out later with Kounen case. Though, they obviously should end not with the castle assault but with epilogue with "Tamamo" leaving to "Japan".

Edited by Nachtwandler on Mar 24th 2024 at 6:18:06 AM

I saw someone point out that they never actually credited Loulan's voice actress, so season 2 must have been ready to start production basically from the word go.

...probably because she hasn't said a single word in season 1.

That was a beautiful season finale. Now I'll have two more months until the third volume of the novel is out (although I'm not sure the French publication follows the Japanese ones - volume 2 ended on the frog incident).

This has become one of my very favorite series real fast, it wouldn't be outlandish to say it's in my top 3 or 5 alongside FMA or GITS:SAC. Stellar writing, amazing characters, gorgeous visuals, it has it all.

She actually does have a few lines in episode 20, or at least, someone pretending to be Loulan does, talking with Jinshi. I just checked and she's indeed not credited.

Edited by RedSavant on Mar 24th 2024 at 9:46:02 PM

I feel a bit behind but am starting to catch up at episode 20.

Mao’s Evil Laugh when she realizes she has found her Moriarty is not something I remembered but I’m glad I experienced it for the first time again.

Still a bit confused about who’s whose child and daughter and wife with the whole Jinshi situation, the Emperor, Lishu and whatnot… probably because I forgot things, but the family tree being a bit muddled is to be expected in this kind of setting I guess…

Edited by Lyendith on Mar 25th 2024 at 4:53:16 PM

It's purposefully kept vague for at least another few volumes, but as far as has been stated, Jinshi is the Emperor's son with Consort Ah-Duo, who was taken from her and swapped with the imperial younger brother, who later died as a result of the toxic honey. It's unclear how many people know this, and who exactly.

As for Consort Lishu, she was married to the Former Emperor, the current Emperor's father, when she was prepubescent. When the Former Emperor died, I believe Lishu went to a convent. Technically the current Emperor kept Lishu on as the Pure Consort, but he's never visited her (and it's implied the Former Emperor never did either). So she's in an awkward position and is very unpopular.

In the series, so far it has been explained that (official versions, for some of which there are more or less obvious hints - just a warning):

• The former emperor was a paedophile with an overbearing mother (who grabbed Maomao's adoptive father to bring him to the court as a eunuch), and had Concubine Lishu in his harem
• The current emperor is not a paedo, but kept Lishu around without visiting her
• The current emperor prefers well-endowed women, hence why his favorites are Gyokuyo and Lihua (and why they both are pregnant in the very first episode)
• The current emperor grew up with Concubine Ah-Duo as a friend, and eventually they became lovers
• Ah-Duo gave birth, but due to complications she became barren and her child quickly died - this happened roughly at the same time Maomao's adoptive father lost a kneecap and got expelled from the court
• The Emperor kept Ah-Duo around as a Concubine after that due to his attachment to her
• Roughly at the same time, the Dowager Empress gave birth to a sickly prince that is never seen in public, and is the current Emperor's younger brother

Obvious hint even though it has not been spelled out: Jinshi is this prince. Slightly less obvious hint but the drawings kinda spell it out too: he's actually Ah-Duo's son - so not the Emperor's brother, but his son - and got swapped with the dead son of the former Emperor

Edited by Bexlerfu on Mar 25th 2024 at 7:42:41 PM

, Thanks for the summary. I’ll write it down on a post-it or something this time around.

A little extra something for people who want to keep the family ties that have been established by the end of the first anime season straight: Maomao's adoptive father is her paternal great-uncle by blood. Specifically, he's the brother of Lakan's father. And for the the sake of the upcoming season, that almost-throwaway mention Lakan having adopted his nephew is good to keep in mind.

Edited by Nazetrime on Mar 28th 2024 at 5:53:39 PM

I read a few of those clarifying spoilers about Lakan and I do think that him being sent to war instead of studying changes quite a bit in my mind. It's pretty odd they changed that because that makes me much more sympathetic to him.

I don't believe war is mentioned directly? Or if it is, I'd like to see it. It's been some time since I read volume 2 in full and I could use the refresher.

Mao evaluating Lihaku’s body was a funny scene but… I’m pretty sure Pailin knows his body very well already, so was it even needed?

Different context. For one off encounters or short term liaisons Pairin can verge on Anything That Moves (the light novels clarify sometimes she'll even visit other establishments as a paying customer when she's particularly unsatisfied).

Maomao is evaluating Lihaku not as a customer but as a potential long term partner and seeing if he's got what it takes to keep her interest in the long term.

Ah, now you say it.

Anyway, finished the season. That bait-and-switch at the end was oh so predictable but that delivery was perfect.

…Also, I’m happy for Lakan and Fongshen I guess. Cruel as their story is.

I just finished a rewatch of season 1 with my sisters (who are seeing it for the first time), and man, I'm so excited for season 2. There are so many great moments coming, not least of which (spoilers for up to Light Novel 4!) Maomao and Shisui's doomed yuri.

I can only hope more people pick up the rarepair when the adaptation comes along.

How’d they like it? My sister is a Jinshi diehard haha.

They're super into it. They thought Jinshi was a creep until the scene where Ah-Duo leaves, and also finding out that he's younger than he claims. Also (huge LN 4 spoilers!!) they pegged that Loulan uses her handmaidens as body doubles and swaps out with them from basically her third appearance.

I'm going to avoid that spoiler because I plan on reading the LN soon, but it had me very tempted to click it

Great to hear they’re enjoying it. This series really is a gem (and a breath of fresh air among all the palace-politics Koreanovelas I’ve had to watch haha)