Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m thinking we could all do with some thorny palatial intrigue, meaning it’s likely time for a fresh episode of The Apothecary Diaries. The show has proven an absolute delight so far, in large part due to its preposterously charming heroine. Combining a keen intellect and curious mind with a variety of more grumpy, gremlin-reminiscent qualities, Maomao fits into a proud tradition of reluctant detectives, running from modern favorites like Oreki Houtarou all the way back to the indifferent, self-medicating Sherlock Holmes.

With Maomao as our guide, life at the palace has proven a treacherous and fragile balance, a continuous negotiation of loyalties spiced with the threat of venomous betrayal. It’s becoming oddly understandable how Maomao might find comfort in poisons; poisons might harm, but they rarely lie, generally revealing themselves through odor and texture and a certain stiffening of the limbs. In contrast, the nobles of the court are born liars, and that bastard Jinshi the least trustworthy of them all. Let’s see how Maomao navigates this nest of vipers as we return to the palace!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to check back in on the reluctant adventures of our unfortunate Maomao, as we explore the second episode of The Apothecary Diaries. Having suffered the initial indignity of being abducted and sold into the emperor’s service, she has since committed the grave mistake of demonstrating her aptitude for poisons and remedies, thus earning herself a position as the favored Gyokuyou’s lady-in-waiting. And with that annoyingly handsome eunuch Jinshi peering over her shoulder, it now seems increasingly unlikely she’ll be able to live out her term of service in any sort of peace.

All of that sounds like nothing but trouble for Maomao, but certainly a gift to us sadists observing her suffering. Maomao has already proven herself a charming, multifaceted heroine, while Hyūganatsu’s storytelling has gracefully guided us into familiarity with the contours of her world. Additionally, Naganuma’s adaptation is doing a fine job of illustrating Maomao’s journey with bright colors and alluring visual motifs, alongside a wide array of excellent aggrieved expressions. The Apothecary Diaries has firmly announced itself as a compelling story told with professional confidence, and I’m eager to see what it subjects Maomao to next. Let’s get to it!

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re checking out a production that’s earned basically universal acclaim over the past few years, as we explore the first episode of The Apothecary Diaries. Based on a light novel series by Hyūganatsu, the series takes place in an alternate medieval China (apparently specifically based on the Tang dynasty), and centers on a girl named Maomao. After learning the ways of medicine (and poison) from her apothecary father, she is sold as a servant to the emperor’s palace, entering a world of courtly intrigue with only her pharmacological skills to aid her.

That already sounds like a novel, compelling premise, and from what I’ve heard, both the light novels and their adaptation ably realize its potential. Our director and series composer Norihiro Naganuma seems perfectly appropriate for the job, given their hands-on work directing, composing, and even key animating portions of The Ancient Magus Bride. It’s a rare thing to find a director who both composes and animates, and I imagine the production will feel all the more cohesive as a result; meanwhile, character designer/AD Yukiko Nakatani appears to be an old hand at Toei, having handled similar duties for both Precure and One Piece productions. An accomplished team adapting a sharp historical drama? That all sounds great to me, so let’s dive right into The Apothecary Diaries!

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