From the very start, Apothecary Diaries grips you with an interesting cast of characters. Maomao, an eccentric apothecary who gets abducted into the role of a maid forced to pay off a debt for freedom. She keeps her head down and plans to silently get through her term without bringing focus to herself. But she just can't help poking her head into mysteries that only she has a knack for solving... leading her into meeting Jinshi, the head eunuch in charge of the inner palace and its head consorts. Someone who immediately took notice to her apothecary knowledge and just as swiftly put her in a position to work under one of those very consorts-- in a much more risky field of work, yet interested her nonetheless with her penchant for poison.
Every day thereafter is a new day full of mystery and intrigue. Every character vibrant with personality and stories of their own. Yes, there is a bit of a "new mystery every episode" kind of thing going on at the start. But overtime you can feel there is so much more at work going on as time passes. There are deeper, heartier secrets hiding in these inner courts. So many higher politics and juicy gossip that gets you wanting to learn more. Gyokuyou especially is a fun consort you can't help but laugh along with!
I especially would like to highlight the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi. It is a fun one and they bounce off each other so delightfully well. The misunderstandings between the two are hilarious. Sometimes I wonder if I don't watch this anime solely for these two, but its hard not to love the whole cast from start to finish. These characters are just so well-written. Maomao especially is one of the few rarely well-written women characters I've seen, and she's so fun to watch and interact with the world around her. In a very real and realistic way in the times that she holds back in favor of keeping her morality and safety.
The art and animation style for this anime goes hand in hand with its bright and vibrant style. Everyone is full of life and the style reflects this incredibly well. You can see emotions plainly laid out, even those that are more subtle and on the secretive side which is especially important for the amount of intrigue that goes hidden in the background. The OST fits every situation perfectly and lets you feel exactly as you should in the moment. I have no nitpicks here, everything just meshes together so well!
This is easily one of the best gems that came out between this and Frieren! I was hooked on every episode and so too were my watching partners who kept begging for the next episode after each week. There's hardly a dull moment and I cannot wait for season 2 to astound us once more!
