The Apothecary Diaries is in the midst of a major franchise expansion ahead of its third television season and first theatrical film, both scheduled for late 2026, with multiple merchandise lines, a browser game, and promotional collaborations active or announced.
The Apothecary Diaries franchise is entering a period of heavy promotional activity as it approaches the October 2026 premiere of its third television season. The third season will air in two split cours, with the first cour starting in October 2026 and the second cour in April 2027. Akinori Fudesaka, who directed the second season and served as assistant director for the first, will direct the third season. Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the third season.
The franchise's first theatrical film, The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure, opens in Japanese theaters on December 11, 2026, between the two cours of the third season. The film features a brand-new story written by original novel series author Natsu Hyūga. It follows Maomao and Jinshi as they travel to the hometown of a concubine who died five years ago in the imperial harem, to return her remains. Mariya Ise joins the cast as a character named Mu Qing. The film's title, key visual, and trailer were revealed in July 2026.
Multiple merchandise and promotional initiatives have launched or been announced in 2026. Bandai Spirits released an Ichiban Kuji lottery in June 2026 featuring a MASTERLISE figure of Maomao dancing, and a second Ichiban Kuji for the film will be released sequentially from December 5, 2026, introducing the new Dioramiquemaster figure brand. Kotobukiya debuted color samples of an OSHI WORKS Mini Maomao figure at Anime Expo 2026. A browser game, The Apothecary Diaries: Harem Tales, launched on the G123 platform in June 2026. The series also collaborated with Share Cafe for a summer-themed cafe event, with Linderon Vs for a summer campaign, and with COSMOS for cross-manga collaboration cards. Author Hyūganatsu clarified in a May 2026 interview that the series is not set in ancient China, but that the palace is based on Japanese imperial castles.
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Manta, the global content platform, announced worldwide distribution deals with KADOKAWA, Square Enix, and Square Enix's Manga UP! platform. More than 300 titles are being added, including The Apothecary Diaries, Proud to be the Villainess, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, and Tokyo Ravens. The company launched its manga category in April with Kodansha titles.
Oricon's monthly comic ranking for August 2026, tracking sales from August 3 to 30, places Kingdom's 80th volume at #1 with 365,379 copies. Blue Lock's 40th volume and The Apothecary Diaries' 17th volume follow. The top 20 list includes titles from Shueisha, Kodansha, Square Enix, and others.
At Prime Video Presents Tokyo on September 3, 2026, Mana Ashida, who plays Maomao in the live-action adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries, said, 'Being able to play a beloved character is the greatest happiness.' The event also featured cast and creators from Bless, Jinko Glico, Please Save My Earth, and The Silent Fleet, with Prime Video announcing doubled investment in Japanese original works over the next two years.
Amazon Prime Video announced on Thursday that it is producing a live-action series adaptation of Hyuganatsu and Touko Shino's The Apothecary Diaries light novel series, with Mana Ashida cast as protagonist Maomao. The series will stream exclusively worldwide on Amazon Prime Video in 2028. It is co-produced by TOHO and Amazon MGM Studios, with Yuki Saito directing and Erika Yoshida writing the screenplay. A teaser visual featuring Ashida as Maomao was revealed alongside the announcement. Ashida, who said she was already a fan of the novels, described the filming period as one where she poured her heart into her love for Maomao and the series. Original author Hyuganatsu welcomed the adaptation, saying she felt confident after Ashida was chosen, and that she visited the set several times, impressed by the elaborate sets and costumes. The Apothecary Diaries began as a web novel in October 2011, with print novels starting in August 2014 and a manga adaptation in May 2017. The story follows Maomao, a young apothecary sold into service in the emperor's rear palace, where her medical knowledge catches the attention of the head eunuch Jinshi. The series has two anime seasons, with a third season premiering October 2, 2026, and an anime film opening December 11.
The TV anime The Apothecary Diaries is getting two new deformed figures in the OSHI WORKS Mini series: Maomao and Maomao (Garden Party Ver.). Each figure costs 1,980 yen including tax and is scheduled for February 2027. Reservations are open now at AmiAmi, both online and at the physical store.
TV anime The Apothecary Diaries and ladies' brand jouetie are releasing four collaboration items. Preorders open September 4, 2026 at the official RUNWAY channel store and ZOZOTOWN. The lineup includes a satin jacquard tunic shirt woven with flower and butterfly motifs, a 2WAY knit cardigan with scallop lace, and a graphic pullover and slit pants that pair character art with jouetie's rose icon. General release follows in early October 2026.
Two new web videos in the collaboration between The Apothecary Diaries TV anime and eye care brand Enkin are now available. The Supporting The Apothecary Diaries segment looks at the production site, while Maomao's Monologue special edition features Maomao and Jinshi. Aoi Yuki voices Maomao, and Takeo Otsuka voices Jinshi. The franchise surpasses 45 million copies in circulation, with season three starting October 2 and a film on December 11.
The TV anime The Apothecary Diaries is collaborating with Kimono Rental VASARA and Kabukiza for a campaign running from Tuesday, September 15, 2026, to Saturday, October 31, 2026. The campaign features newly drawn illustrations of Maomao, Jinshi, Xiaolan, and Shisui wearing kimono, a departure from the series' usual Chinese-style court attire. The illustrations depict the four characters heading out into the city in Japanese clothing. The collaboration includes original goods sales, character panel displays, and a limited rental plan. The rental plan costs 4,840 yen including tax and includes an original acrylic stand with a Kabukiza background, which can be combined with separately sold character acrylic stands to form a diorama. Original goods, including trading can badges, acrylic keychains, and muffler towels, are available for purchase without using the rental plan. Pre-orders for goods begin at 11:00 on September 15, 2026, at the Shochiku Store anime Froovie, with shipping scheduled from mid-December 2026. Character panels will be displayed at select VASARA stores and at Kabukiza's B2 floor Kobikicho Plaza.
Kotobukiya has introduced OSHI WORKS Mini, a new chibi figure line designed as a sister brand to its OSHI WORKS series, with a focus on affordable pricing and a global lineup. The first wave includes two versions of Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries, one in her everyday clothes and one in her garden party outfit, as well as the protagonist from Persona 3 Reload and Joker from Persona 5 Royal. Each figure is about 100 millimeters tall, priced at 1,980 yen including tax, and scheduled for release in February 2027. The figures feature a neck ball joint so collectors can adjust the face direction. They come with no accessories, which the sources say maximizes focus on sculpting and painting. The base and package sizes are uniform across the line, allowing figures to be displayed together neatly. Pre-orders for the first wave opened on August 25, 2026, across retailers including Amazon and Rakuten, as listed in one of the articles.
T-SPARK has previewed TOYRISE items to be announced at Tokyo Toy Show 2026, held from August 27 to August 30 at Tokyo Big Sight. The previews cover four franchises: Mashin Hero Wataru, Mado King Granzort, Absolute无敌 Raijin-Oh, and Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion. A Shinkalion with design concept by Shoji Kawamori was teased via silhouette on August 25 and appears as a gray prototype at the show. The T-SPARK official X account revealed image visuals for all four lines on August 26, with Wataru and Granzort shown together at the T-SPARK booth. The event's business days, August 27 and 28, are for trade visitors only; the general public can attend on August 29 and 30 with advance tickets at 2,000 yen or same-day tickets at 2,200 yen. Dengeki Hobby Web's breaking reports from the Takara Tomy booth confirmed the Kawamori Shinkalion prototype, plus items from Raijin-Oh, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Wataru, and Granzort. Other Takara Tomy displays included a Captain Tsubasa: Tatakae Dream Team and ZOIDS collaboration, SYNEGENEX Evangelion Prime Unit-02, and Transformers-related items such as Adamas Machina Magna Regulus.
Bandai Spirits is launching a new Gundam figure brand called ABSOLUTE ACT, built around the ABSOLUTE ACTION SYSTEM for articulation. The first entry is the Strike Freedom Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY, which received its world first display at TOKYO Toy Show 2026, running from August 27 to August 30, 2026. The approximately 185mm tall ABS/PVC figure features movable mechanisms in the neck, shoulders, and waist, plus a waist rail mechanism and shoulder pull-out mechanism for dynamic posing. It includes a high-energy beam rifle, two beam sabers, a connected saber handle, two beam shields, interchangeable wrist parts, and a base with a bendable support rod. Reservations begin August 27, 2026, at general retail stores, with release scheduled for March 2027 at 16,500 yen including tax. TOKYO Toy Show 2026's first two days are trade-only, with public access on August 29 and 30. The show also featured other Gundam items at the Bandai Spirits booth, including Gundam Miximize Gundam Zero and HG 1/144 Gundam Zero.
Anime Anime rounds up five fall 2026 sequel series, including The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, Blue Box Season 2, and Black Clover 2nd Season, with recaps of prior seasons to help viewers catch up before new episodes air in October. The article highlights key plot points and new cast details for each show.
The staff for The Apothecary Diaries anime revealed during a special event on Saturday that the third season will premiere on October 2 at 11:00 p.m. JST in the Friday Anime Night programming block on NTV and 29 affiliated channels. The season will run for two cours, with the second cour starting in April 2027. A new trailer and key visual were shown, previewing the opening theme song "Kumo o Nukekazashimo e Watashidake" by Yorushika. Reina Ueda joins the cast as Bai Niangniang, a pale and mysterious nymph who has become the subject of rumors. The event also unveiled character visuals for 10 main characters, including Maomao and Jinshi. The third season will lead into a film titled The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure, which opens in Japanese theaters on December 11 and features an original story by series author Natsu Hyuga. Studio OLM handles animation production, with Akinori Fudesaka directing. The first season premiered in October 2023, and the second in January 2025, both streamed by Crunchyroll with English dubs.
Ibaraki Prefecture's Tourism Strategy Division is running the AR photo spot project "Summer Tour with Maomao and Jinshi" from August 8 to September 30, 2026. Visitors scan QR codes at four locations to obtain AR photo frames featuring chibi versions of Maomao and Jinshi, then take commemorative photos against local scenery. The project is part of a year-long tourism campaign under the brand concept "IBARAKI is Blossoming."
TVer began streaming all 48 episodes of The Apothecary Diaries for free on August 9, 2026, in a limited-time sequential release commemorating the upcoming third season. The service released episode 1 of season 1 at midnight on August 9, with subsequent episodes added one per day at noon. Season 2, episodes 25 through 48, starts on September 2 at noon, also with one episode added daily. The final episode of season 2 becomes available on September 25, which the sources note lands just in time for the third season's October premiere. The anime, based on Natsu Hyuuga's mystery novel, follows Maomao, a pharmacist turned poison taster in an imperial harem, and the eunuch Jinshi as they solve cases. The series ranked first in total views among anime streamed on TVer in 2025 and won the TVer Award 2025 Anime Excellence Award for Seasonal Anime. Season 3 airs in two consecutive cours on Nippon TV starting October 2026, and the series' first theatrical film, The Apothecary Diaries the Movie: The Secret of the Deceased Empress, opens December 11.
The July 31, 2026 Amazon Kindle Manga Best Seller Ranking is led by Ramen Revisited Volume 15, with The Apothecary Diaries Volume 17 and Villainess Level 99 Volume 6 also popular. Pre-orders for upcoming volumes, including Isekai Izakaya Nobu Volume 22, dominate the list. The ranking reflects recent releases and sale items as of 5:00 PM on July 31.
The Apothecary Diaries and Ibaraki Prefecture's Kanko Ibaraki tourism site announced a new collaboration for the "Ibaraki is Blossoming" campaign. The campaign revealed a new key visual, a renewed website, and an original promotional video featuring Jinshi and Maomao exploring Ibaraki's four seasons. The collaboration originally ran from October to January with special trains and a stamp rally.
BANDAI SPIRITS has opened the product page for the Ichiban Kuji lottery based on the upcoming film 'The Apothecary Diaries: The Secret of the Deceased Empress.' The lottery will be released sequentially from December 5, 2026, at stores across Japan. Each draw costs 800 yen. The revealed prizes include the A-Prize Maomao Dioramiquemaster figure, the B-Prize Jinshi Dioramiquemaster figure, and the Last One Prize figure of Maomao standing on water. The Dioramiquemaster brand is a new non-scale figure series that includes a base expressing the film's worldview. The A and B prizes depict Maomao and Jinshi in their movie costumes. The Double Chance Campaign also offers a Maomao figure. The film itself opens in Japanese theaters on December 11, 2026. The remaining C through H prize categories have not yet been detailed.
The 30th volume of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen manga ranked #1 on Circana BookScan's Top 20 adult graphic novels list for June. The chart featured 17 manga volumes, including multiple Jujutsu Kaisen entries, Chainsaw Man volume 21 at #2, Gachiakuta volume 1 at #6, and The Summer Hikaru Died volume 1 at #8. Other titles include Witch Hat Atelier, One Piece, Demon Slayer, Dandadan, Blue Lock, and The Apothecary Diaries.
Dengeki Hobby Web reports the top 20 best-selling manga volumes on Amazon Kindle as of July 17, 2026. The Apothecary Diaries Volume 17, available for pre-order, takes the top spot. Other notable entries include pre-order titles Kingdom 80 and Medalist 15, new releases Shangri-La Frontier 27 and Zatch Bell! 2, and recent volumes Hunter x Hunter 39 and One-Punch Man 37. Sale items like Mob Psycho 100 at 100 yen per volume also appear.
The Apothecary Diaries is getting a collaboration cafe at Share Cafe from July 24 to August 9, 2026, across three locations in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. The event features newly drawn illustrations of Maomao and Jinshi in a summer ice dessert theme, with themed menu items like shaved ice and soda, and a line of original goods including acrylic stands, badges, and clear files.
The Apothecary Diaries has launched a summer collaboration with Shionogi Healthcare's Linderon Vs series. Two new web commercials feature Maomao and Jinshi explaining proper use of the steroid ointment. Purchasing select products and answering a quiz enters fans into a prize draw for original goods, including a medicine bag pouch and character caps. The campaign runs through August 31. The anime's third season begins in October 2026, with a film following in December.
Kotobukiya announced a wide range of new figure prototypes and color samples at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 2. The company revealed supervising prototypes for "Super Kaguya-hime!" figures of Kaguya, Tsukimi Yachiyo, and Sayori Sakayori, as well as a prototype for "Magic Knight Rayearth" Hikaru Shidou. Under the OSHI WORKS line, prototypes were shown for "Attack on Titan The Final Season" characters Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and Sasha. The new OSHI WORKS Mini brand debuted with color samples of "The Apothecary Diaries" Maomao and "TRIGUN STARGAZE" Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood. For game-related figures, Kotobukiya showed the first color sample of a 1/4 scale "Goddess of Victory: NIKKE" Anis figure. OSHI WORKS Mini color samples were also displayed for "Persona 3 Reload" and "Persona 5 The Royal" protagonists, plus prototypes for "Trails" series characters Estelle Bright and Joshua Bright, and SNK characters Mai Shiranui, Angel, and Kula Diamond. Additional figures included "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" Rebecca and "Snowball Earth" Tetsuo Yabusame and Ao Nogi.
The official website for The Apothecary Diaries anime began streaming a trailer on Friday for the upcoming film, revealing its title, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Bōhi no Hihō (The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure), a December 11 opening date, and a key visual. Mariya Ise joins the cast as a character named Mu Qing. The film stars returning leads Aoi Yūki as Maomao and Takeo Ōtsuka as Jinshi. The story follows Maomao and Jinshi as they travel to the hometown of a concubine who died five years ago in the imperial harem, to return her remains. There, they encounter pirates, hidden treasures, the secret of the Empress' remains, and a mysterious boy. The film features a brand-new story written by original novel series author Natsu Hyūga. The film is set to release in Japan in December 2026, between the two cours of the third television anime season. The third season's first cours premieres in October 2026, and its second cours premieres in April 2027. Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the third season.
Dengeki Hobby Web reports the top 20 bestselling manga volumes on Amazon Kindle as of June 19, 2026. Blue Lock (39) takes first place, driven by the 2026 World Cup and rising interest in the Japanese national soccer team. Sale volumes priced at 99 yen each, including Actually, I Am and BM Nectar, are also popular. Other new releases like The Apothecary Diaries ~Maomao's Palace Puzzle Notebook~ (22) and Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy 17 rank high.
A bookstore fair starting June 18, 2026 offers newly drawn collaboration illustration cards featuring characters from The Apothecary Diaries and COSMOS. Customers who buy Volume 22 of The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Imperial Palace Puzzle Solving Notebook or Volume 9 of COSMOS at participating stores receive a card. The cards are drawn by the opposite series' artist: Ryohei Tamura draws Maomao and Jinshi, and Minoshi Kurata draws Rin and Mizumori.
The browser game "The Apothecary Diaries: Harem Tales" has officially launched on the G123 platform. A release promotional video featuring Maomao and Jinshi is now available. The free-to-play simulation game adapts the anime series for the first time in an online game format.
Bandai Spirits will release the Ichiban Kuji TV Anime The Apothecary Diaries lottery starting June 5, 2026. The A prize is a MASTERLISE figure of Maomao recreating her dance from the first season finale. A Last One Prize offers the same figure in a black color version inspired by the opening video. Tickets cost 770 yen each.
Crunchyroll announced its Anime Expo lineup for July 3-4 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, featuring over 20 programming blocks. Highlights include a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle event with the voice cast and ufotable footage, panels for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, Gachiakuta Season 2, and new acquisitions like Goodbye, Lara and Tomb Raider King.
Figures of Maomao and Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries are now available for pre-order as part of the OSHI WORKS series. The figures feature magnetic bases that can connect to display characters side by side. The series continues with a third TV season in October 2026 and a film in December.
Bandai Spirits will release an Ichiban Kuji lottery for The Apothecary Diaries on June 5, 2026, at convenience stores and hobby shops in Japan. The top prize is a MASTERLISE figure of Maomao dancing on a castle wall, based on the first season finale. A black-color variant based on the opening video is the last one prize.
A new seasonal visual for The Apothecary Diaries anime has been released, showing Jinshi and Gaoshun walking in the rain past Japanese iris flowers. The image is part of a second set of seasonal visuals for the series. The third season of the anime is set to air in two split cours, with the first cour starting in October 2026 and the second cour in April 2027. Akinori Fudesaka, who directed the second season and served as assistant director for the first, will direct the third season. A theatrical film with an original story by light novel author Hyuganatsu is scheduled for release in December 2026. New anime projects for the series were announced in July 2025 after the second season concluded. The first season aired in 2023, and the second season ran from January 2025. Crunchyroll streams both seasons in select territories. The light novel series, written by Hyuganatsu and illustrated by Toko Shino, began publication in 2014 and has 16 volumes as of May 2025. J-Novel Club publishes the English digital edition.
In a group interview at Anime Boston, The Apothecary Diaries author Hyūganatsu corrected the common description of the series as a story set in ancient China. She said the palace is based on Japanese imperial castles, not Chinese ones. She also discussed using children's homework as inspiration for mysteries, the historical grounding of medical details like alcohol for cleaning wounds, and the decision to base a character on Empress Wu Zetian while acknowledging possible bias in historical records.