The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 review: A slow and funny start ensures an amazing sequel

Modified Jan 11, 2025 19:06 GMT

The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 review: A slow and funny start ensures an amazing sequel (Image via TOHO Animation and OLM)

The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 was released on January 11, 2025. The episode saw the return of the fan-favorite duo (Maomao and Jinshi) as they continued their lives inside the Imperial Castle. As expected, the sequel returned without any significant changes, including the character designs, adaptation speed, and plot narrative.

However, the start of the first season was pretty slow with a sole emphasis on "comedy" through the introduction of two Maomao-s (the female protagonist and the kitten). Moreover, the episode also touched on its main genre (mystery) by introducing a new lady-in-waiting, Shisui, who made an enigmatic appearance.

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Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 review: The narrative and everything else

Maomao as seen in the anime (Image via Toho Animation Studio and OLM)

Apothecary Diaries is the anime adaptation of Natsu Hyuuga's light novel series of the same name. A more readily available media, the manga adaptation of the light novel, is usually used by the fans for comparison as the light novel doesn't have many defined scenarios. Fortunately, The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 was faithful to the manga adaptation.

While some plot-shifting scenes weren't introduced, additional scenes were introduced to connect different scenes. The episode commenced with a focus on Jinshi, the male protagonist, making his rounds across the rooms of each consort. However, in reality, he was just looking for Maomao.

Maomao and Xiaolin as seen in the anime (Image via Toho Animation Studio and OLM)

When he reached Lady Gyokuyou's place, the consort caught the hint and told him Maomao's whereabouts. The first meeting between the protagonists was seen as "admirer and the admired," similar to the first season, where anything Maomao did was enough to impress Jinshi. While this might seem like a premature mature detail, it could signify the relations these two would share in the future.

Later in The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1, Maomao expressed the desire to share books with the maids. This suited her personality because she was fond of empowering the maids to increase their chances of becoming the next consorts. However, her crude way of doing so couldn't see her wish fulfilled (as the books had explicit content that wasn't suitable for the young).

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During lunchtime, Xiaolin asked Maomao to teach her how to study because she wanted to become independent after serving her time inside the Imperial Palace. As expected, Maomao was about to cry over Xiaolin's self-awareness. Xiaolin has been portrayed as an immature girl who doesn't know much about the world.

However, as seen in The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1, she might still be wary of the challenges society might impose on her. So, this detail was wholesome and cute. Lastly, Maomao had to take in a stray kitten that reached the Imperial Palace through mysterious means. This part might be the spotlight given its irony.

The cat was named Maomao and this might be the first time the female protagonist felt a competition (even though their roles were entirely different). However, the kitten Maomao's role, given through her nickname (Rat Annihilator), might be something Maomao could never do. So, the premiere highlighted the vibes of soft comedy and wholesomeness.

The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 review: New staff members and a touch of mystery

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While a few more producers were added to the staff members, a big change in The Apothecary Diaries season 2 was the entry of a new director, Eiji Sumitomo (animation producer of Tsurezure Children).

The anime industry professional was an episode director for The Apothecary Diaries season 1 episode 1. Given the impact the first episode had on the fans, he might have been promoted to director in season 2 as he assisted Norihiro Naganumo (the director of seasons 1 and 2) in directing the series.

Shisui and Maomao as seen in the anime (Image via Toho Animation Studio and OLM)

As no impact was visible through The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1, it can be assumed that the new director might do great with his new staff position. One key aspect of The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 was the introduction of Shisui, who looked like a lady-in-waiting from some consort's house.

However, the background music and demeanor suggested that she might be hiding some secrets that fans are not yet aware of.

Final thoughts

As already stated, The Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 1 was a slow start but it was far from uneventful. While season 1 soon picked up the pace and continued introducing new mysteries, the same expectations should be kept for the sequel series. So, fans should be excited about the release of the next installment.

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Edited by Meenakshi Ajith