The popular historical mystery anime The Apothecary Diaries, also known as Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, has released a new trailer. The first episode of Season 3’s opening cour premiered several days ago, and the season’s second part is set to begin airing in April 2027.
Splitting the season into two parts gives the production team more time to work between major story arcs. It also lets viewers follow Maomao’s latest investigations across two separate installments. Season 3 continues the mix that the anime is known for, bringing together palace intrigue, medical mysteries, political schemes, and comedy built around its characters.
The Apothecary Diaries is based on the light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. The story was first published online before becoming a light novel series and later receiving manga adaptations. Its distinctive combination of detective fiction, medicine, and court drama has helped the series build a large international audience.
The television anime first premiered in October 2023. Each of its first two seasons contains 24 episodes and was produced by OLM in collaboration with TOHO animation STUDIO. Production has changed slightly for the third season, with OLM handling the anime without TOHO animation STUDIO returning as a co-producing animation studio.
A separate anime film is also being developed. The Apothecary Diaries: Treasure of the Late Consort is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 11, 2026. The movie is being produced by TOHO animation STUDIO and will tell an original story instead of retelling an arc from the television series. That gives longtime fans a new mystery to follow outside the main seasonal storyline, rather than a recap of events they have already seen.
The series centers on Maomao, a sharp and highly observant young woman with deep knowledge of herbs, medicines, and poisons. After she is kidnapped and sold into service at the imperial palace, she begins working as a low-ranking maid in the rear court. Her plan is straightforward: keep her head down, finish her term of service, and return home without attracting attention.
Her plans begin to unravel when she discovers that the emperor’s infant children are suffering from a mysterious illness. Using the pharmaceutical knowledge she gained while growing up in a pleasure district, Maomao quietly studies their symptoms and works out a likely cause. She tries to hide her role in solving the problem, but her intelligence soon catches the attention of Jinshi, an influential palace official known for his exceptional good looks.
From there, Maomao is pulled further into the complicated inner workings of the imperial court. She looks into suspected poisonings, unexplained illnesses, dangerous cosmetics, contaminated food, succession disputes, and secrets surrounding the emperor’s consorts. Her practical medical knowledge helps her spot details that others miss. At the same time, her blunt manner and intense interest in poisons often place her in situations that are tense, funny, or sometimes both.
Most of the mysteries in The Apothecary Diaries are solved through careful observation, testing, and deduction rather than supernatural abilities. The story also examines how rank, tradition, and limited medical knowledge shape everyday life within a royal household. That grounded style, along with Maomao’s unusual personality and her changing relationship with Jinshi, remains one of the anime’s greatest strengths.
