Square Enix Licenses Print Edition of The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries is getting a physical print edition.

As announced on the Square Enix website, The Apothecary Diaries light novel series will receive a print edition. The light novel series will span more than 250 pages with the first volume releasing in May 2024. Written by Natsu Nyūga and illustrated by Touch Shino, The Apothecary Diaries began online serialization in 2011 on the user-generated novel publishing site Shōsetsuka no Narō before Shufunotomo acquired it the next year. The light novel series has been adapted into two manga series.

Set in ancient China, The Apothecary Diaries follows pharmacist Maomao is kidnapped from her home in the red light district and sold to the imperial palace as a servant. Maomao hides her intelligence and quick wittedness in the palace, hoping to conceal it until her years of servitude are over, but she is soon discovered by the head eunuch Jinshi. Jinshi immediately makes her into a lady-in-waiting to the Emperor’s favourite consort where she is required to taste test her food for poison.

The Apothecary Diaries has also been adapted into an anime series with OLM and Toho Animation Studio joint-producing. The anime released on Oct. 21, 2023 with a special three-episode premiere. The series will run for two cours. Aoi Yūki voices Maomao and and Takeo Ōtsuka voicing Jinshi.

The Apothecary Diaries will release Vol. 1 on May 14, 2024. Readers can still dive into the story online via J-Novel Club. The anime is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Source: Square Enix