AniManga fans: "I'm sick and tired of seeing the same Isekai tropes over and over again. It's time for a new property to stand out."
Liz Takayama: "I hear you back there, so why not give my only work a try? Hope it might surprise and please you."
In all essence of the novelty, novelist Liz Takayama with her only work that is Isekai Yakkyoku a.k.a Parallel World Pharmacy has been a delight to read in both the LN and manga, now translated into Diomedéa's anime adaptation that has come this season. For better or worse, this Isekai really stands out in its own clever way, even
...
if its themes are borrowed from one similar premise that still doesn't hamper the writing abilities to make it one's very own work, that truly excels in its own pathology as (probably) the first Isekai in Syosetu's lineup to focus on medicine entirely. Yeah yeah, there is that drugstore Isekai that came out earlier, but it's not like an actual medicine premise in both theory and practice.
Rightaway, you could already see a Parallel to another World with the only difference that Pharmacy is involved, and not a Bookworm. By the way, there's no pun intended on this, but it's also no mere coincidence as both Isekai Yakkyoku's Farma de Médicis and Honzuki's Myne have a similar backstory, where their real-life selves passed away due to a life-threatening incident, to the point of reincarnation as a younger self with all of their real-life "knowledge is power" memories fully intact. In Isekai Yakkyoku's case, it's about a medical researcher who succumbed to his overwork while finding a treatment on his deceased sister's behalf with tumor being the root cause, only to find himself reincarnated as 10-year-old Farma de Médicis, who said family thought that he died being struck by lightning and suffering a coma that he could not awake from. However, Farma discovers that he has been granted a divine blessing (also called a Divine Art): Panactheos, the God of Medicine, which is common with the medieval culture of the parallel world's nobility in the San Flevue Empire. And this steels Farma's resolve, as with his divine blessing and his retained knowledge of modern medicine, to revolutionize the Parallel world's medical advancements and make proper treatments affordable for the everyday citizen. So, in every sense of the word, while Myne focuses on bringing books to the masses, Farma is doing the same for medicine, which in the Isekai world, is only present to the nobility. And this will really set him and his Parallel World Pharmacy apart from the Empire's many pharmacies that are stuck to the old colonial rule.
Farma's de Médicis family of nobility is most certainly one to be liked, with parents Bruno and Beatrice, the former of which is not just his father, but a patriarch, an archduke, and the president of the Saint Fleuve's Imperial School of Pharmacy. That's how Bruno is deeply respected within the confines of the nobles as one of the forerunners, spearheading the Isekai world in the world of medicine and its medieval, yet calculated advancement that's all too similar to people like Friedrich Sertürner and William Procter Jr. And like every traditional family, especially when it comes to a business, the children must be expected to follow in the footsteps of their parents, as is the case with the father and son Bruno and Farma here. But with the reincarnation, Farma has clearly surpassed whoever he was before the lightning strike that sent him into a coma, and infused with the riches of knowledge on medicine, that even with adversity, is not willing to back down if it means the safety of everyone either nobility or citizen. Of course, how could Farma work all of this by himself, and there're 2 people to help him out: Eléonore "Ellen" Bonnefoi and Charlotte "Lotte" Soller. The former is his personal tutor who was surprised that Panactheos was within him and subsequently aided him in his endeavours, while the latter is a maid servant of the de Médicis family and simultaneously his childhood friend. On that note, I should really thank the heavens that the "childhood friend" trope here is nothing more than just wholesomeness of "being aware but not intentionally a need" to shape their relationship just on a master-servant level.
That blissful feeling also trickles down to the visuals and animation, which Diomedéa did a really good job upon. ICYMI, the same studio also did Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou Desu a.k.a The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent, which is another "Saint"-like show that also features medicine that aired in Spring last year (which is coming back for a Season 2 next year), so it's definitely in the right mind and sense that this is Diomedéa's current groove and work productivity to boot. Despite this and said show with practically the same in-house staff team but a different director (DomeKano's Shouta Ibata for Seijo Bannou Desu, Happy Sugar Life's Keizo Kusakawa for Yakkyoku) and I hope that whatever is to come of this work ethic of incorporating similar shows into the studio's work biography, the trust is that it'll work out well.
What's more to say that the music really fits the show's DNA like genetic links forming its unique 23 pairs of chromosomes. Like Kinsou no Vermeil's OP, Kaori Ishikawa has made another OP that's a graceful compliment to the anime's experience, as did Little Black Dress's ED. But, even if the OST isn't really the highlight of the show as a whole (I would say it's one of the weaker aspects of the show), it still manages to deliver in its own medicinal way possible, and that is more than enough for what the show requires.
Overall, I just really love Isekai Yakkyoku's overall vibes that it presents to the table, knowing that itself is a stock Isekai with the same tropes that everyone has seen about a billion times now, but knowing where to exude with its signature ingredient (medicine) that's just makes it all the more different and definitely not your standard Isekai. Props should be given to Liz Takayama for her inept writing abilities to invoke that special feeling while not over-whipping the known Isekai tropes to make for a compelling watch. Furthermore, it's endorsed by the Japan Pharmaceutical Association, which the anime was a part of its campaign to bring awareness to the professions and practices of the pharmaceutical field, so this easily creates a win-win solution for all parties involved.
If not for Isekai Ojisan (which sadly its remainder has been delayed to Fall), Isekai Yakkyoku really shone above and beyond as both the 2nd best Isekai of the season and definitely one of the better Isekai I've seen in 2022 alone, and you can testify about it yourself as you let the show soak in its unique medicinal traits that's deeper and more technical, but without sounding too complex and looking a lot more on infotainment. It's a damn good watch, I'll give it that.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Alternate World Pharmacy
Japanese: 異世界薬局
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
12
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Jul 10, 2022 to Sep 25, 2022
Premiered:
Summer 2022
Broadcast:
Sundays at 21:30 (JST)
Producers:
Frontier Works, Pony Canyon, AT-X, Kansai Telecasting, BS NTV, Kadokawa, Bit grooove promotion
Licensors:
None found, add some
Studios:
Diomedéa
Source:
Light novel
Genre:
Fantasy
Duration:
23 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#28552
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#1094
Members:
229,622
Favorites:
890
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 45 / 65
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Your Feelings Categories Sep 25, 2022
AniManga fans: "I'm sick and tired of seeing the same Isekai tropes over and over again. It's time for a new property to stand out."
Liz Takayama: "I hear you back there, so why not give my only work a try? Hope it might surprise and please you." In all essence of the novelty, novelist Liz Takayama with her only work that is Isekai Yakkyoku a.k.a Parallel World Pharmacy has been a delight to read in both the LN and manga, now translated into Diomedéa's anime adaptation that has come this season. For better or worse, this Isekai really stands out in its own clever way, even ... Sep 25, 2022
I’ve been waiting for a seasonal to scratch that Honzuki/bookworm itch and Isekai Yakkyou was that seasonal. If you like the concept of isekai, but don’t like how it focuses on the same tropes every time, you’ll enjoy this quite a bit.
Getting isekai’d creates many opportunities for protagonists. Obviously, it’s an opportunity to start anew and fix the mistakes you made in your past life, but it also is an opportunity to bring knowledge from your world to a new one. Usually we see that in the form of video game mechanics or MCs making comments about anime/manga from back in Japan, but we don’t ... Jul 24, 2022
Does the story of the MC feel a little familiar to you? For me, it is a yes since Falma's story, in some ways, reminds me of Myne's story. This show definitely does not have the generic isekai vibe. Instead, it has the Honzuki vibe, with the reincarnation of an existing character in another world and the central theme of the story revolving around knowledge being power. Three episodes in, and this show has already captivated me.
I like the show's vibe, which is chill and not overly dramatic, but manages to portray each of the characters, their traits and personalities, as the story progresses. The ... Jul 24, 2022
Another isekai entry for summer 2022 and so far Im watching 4 isekai anime excluding this one and i gotta say 3 of them is a solid and have their own charm.So does Isekai Yakkoku has its own charm?
The fact that the theme their using is "medic" already has it's own charm, I mean cmon,how many medical-themed isekai have been adapted to anime,as i far as I remember,isekai drugstore is the only isekai with medical theme that has been adapted to anime since 2017. However, in term of the story, the music, and some other aspect,isekai yakkoku exceed isekai drugstore,the only superior thing that isekai ... Jul 24, 2022
Do you ever start and Isekai, and honestly get really hooked, to the point that you hope nothing bad happens, nothing dark happens. That only everything goes well, or have the strong urge to hope that everything goes well in story, and for it's characters? This is this isekai in a nutshell. It's world, characters, and sweetness really drag you in, and get you hooked right away.
Story and characters: 8 I have to give credit to it's story, in terms of how it presented itself. Feeling it was smart to introduce us the way they did. To not only a great MC, but also letting us ... Aug 14, 2022
there are just so many things i could say about this anime but in one word to sum up it would be… wholesome af. it’s very easy watching with many new plot twists being added each episode. i love all the characters and just generally think it’s so easy to watch- although there are some sad plot twists it is levelled out with fantastic wholesome through lines etc. would defo recommend if you enjoy other world anime such as restaurant to another world etc.
the art style is great! very relaxing. i’m yet to stumble across anyone who dislikes this anime as (personally) there’s nothing ... Oct 17, 2022
This will be very short.
I recommend you to just watch episode 1 to episode 8. That is it, and you will have a good time with this anime. Those episodes, I can say they worth to watch. Characters connect to each other, and the story is very touching... only until the 8th episode. The reason is the 12th episode, which represents the result of the final arc, is totally horrible. Characters being fed to the OP characters, and there is nothing good from episode 9 to episode 12 to remember. The story goes downfall from there, and I regretted watching those episodes. Sep 25, 2022
Pathology expert dies from overwork and gets isekaied into a magical world, where he becomes basically the god of medicine, creates drugs from thin air and identifies any illness just by looking at people and throwing random illness names, until he finds the correct one. Isn't a comedy, nor a deep complex or intriguing show, just weak, generic and superficial, to the point it doest even bother with exploring its own themes.
I dont think you can even say that this explores the topic of medicine, from how dumbed down and shallow it depicts and approaches it, being summed into basically using some medical and pathology ... Jun 4, 2024
Early episodes were good. Unfortunately, the quality and pacing decreased as the show continued, leading to an ending which felt rushed and cliched.
At the start, the show looked promising. It had good, correct scientific detail and an interesting premise. Although episode 1 felt quite exposition-heavy at first, it got up to speed and quickly became pretty fun. However, pacing became an issue later in the show. The final episodes introduced lots of things from nowhere, and the victory achieved felt hollow and unearned. Plot holes and underutilized character abilities also plagued this show, it felt like the characters had a worse memory of what their abilities ... Aug 14, 2022
I really wanted to like this isekai more, but if fell apart after the initial push.
First 3 episodes were good, I didn't mind the OP protagonist, but the weak world building ruined it. I would expect the isekai'ed protagonist to understand at least some economic principles. Since we're talking about opening a store, there is a complete lack of any development around how economics works in this world. Focus is entirely on the OP protagonist and his abilities, but that doesn't fit well with the idea of opening a store. Seems to be undercurrents of a guild system in the commoners, and some politics is implied, ... Oct 18, 2022
A nice Isekai snack to binge on.
For me who was starving for a good isekai, this one was like a god-sent. It had that perfect balance of fantasy-medical-OP MC characteristics, that made me binge it in a single sitting. All the characters are likable and the story is intriguing ,yet not hard to digest and provides a soothing sensation after watching. I especially liked the fact that MC didn't go on a harem building overdrive as seen in other isekai works. They kept it simple and beautiful, with good animations. You will definitely enjoy this one. A good choice for a rewatch. Feb 27, 2023
As generic as it is this anime still a good one. yes the premise is still the same, guy reincarnated and become op and have godly power in the new world. but the way it presented were kinda different. the story writing of this anime is fantastic in each episode. there is a real progression and conflict that were not just a fan service. there are actuat weight to the story that can make you watch it continually. even tho maybe some of you guys can guess how the plot goes on but it still fun to watch.
i honestly never felt a flop watching ... Jan 1, 2024
Overall:
So, an overworked doctor ended up on the other world? Yes. As an isekai junkie, I am set to watch all isekai. This is one of those that explore the trope. I would say, it is one of the better one on the list, but the plot is relatively generic, there's no "wow" moment. Just a lot of things that are rather cliche. Bonus point as it reminds me of COVID. and are immersive in that aspect. Short conclusion: 7.5/10 Driving deeper Art: pretty good, it is probably on the higher end of the anime production. The effect are beautiful to some degree, however, not breathtaking. 8.5/10 Character: Honestly, ... Sep 25, 2022
10/10
I will start off by saying, I likely have some bias having a little background in pharmaceuticals. Regardless, the anime as others have mentioned actually does well in being something entertaining and interesting where the first few episodes you get a vibe resembling Myne from Ascendance of a Bookworm. In it there is a grand aspect of comparing ones life before reincarnation going into a magic fantasy world where everything is new with problems that you have to solve using previous knowledge. It should be noted that the show does have a pretty big difference where it will start to feel different in which specifically, ... Oct 10, 2022
This anime is close to greatness, it however falls short because it doesn't fully commit and decided to play it safe by adding more traditional isekai elements, but those elements end up detracting from, rather than enhancing the series.
You've heard the refrain "All isekai is the same" we know it's not, but people say it anyway, usually to justify review-bombing. Isekai Yakkyoku is able to stand out because of how differently it handles the genre Man dies of overwork and is reincarnated into a new world - we've been here before MC is part of a rich aristocrat family - we've been here before MC is given OP magic ... Sep 25, 2022
Dr Harry Potter and the Goblet of Antibiotics.
Now wait a minute, hang on a second… You’re telling me that a good, well thought and written, slightly more original light novel isekai adaptation with a based premise came out this season and it’s called “Parallel World Pharmacy”? Well, sign me up nerds. Fully capable adult (rare for an isekai mc) and world-famous medical researcher Kanji works himself to an early grave trying to find the cure to a disease that claimed his little sister. Now reincarnated into the body of a post struck by lightning, the ten-year-old medieval noble boy called Falma, his goal now is ... Jul 31, 2022
Cross between Ascendance of a Bookworm, Dr. Stone, and a bit of Mushoku Tensei.
If you still enjoy Isekais where the OP hero surprises everyone around them with their skills, then this is the anime for you. It falls into the sub-category of genius Isekai. The main character is a medical expert transported to a fantasy world where medicine is still basic. He uses his modern knowledge to better the world, surprising people along the way. Similar to Dr. Stone, the hero goes into detail about diseases and the chemical compounds required to cure them. Like Mushoku Tensai, we focus on the inner thoughts of the hero ... Oct 12, 2022
When I first heard about Parallel World Pharmacy, I didn't expect a whole lot. A show about a pharmacist? How do you make that interesting? Turns out, you insert magic, make the storyline about enemies of the state, and there you go!
Story: Parallel World Pharmacy starts us out with Kanji Yakutani, a medical scientist who lost his sister to disease previously. He fully commits himself to the research and development of new medicines. And when I say fully, I mean it. He clearly doesn't eat or sleep properly, and when he finally finds time to catch a break, he ... Jul 17, 2023
As someone who is an Isekai junkie, I am all in for Isekai shows that try out new concepts because the Isekai genre is broad and stuff you can do with it is amazing if you're creative enough. Now I thought this show was one of those happy go luck shows where nothing insanely bad happens(well it is) but there is a dark side to this show as well (they haven't really gotten super dark yet, will probably not happen lol) I liked how patients aren't treated with nonsensical OP abilities that the MC has and its actually proper treatment that you'd get from a
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Oct 26, 2022
i know for most people that this is not what an isekai anime they are looking for, but this is the kind of anime i wanna watch since it's simple but good, and the voice actor of falma is really good as well, it fits the voice and the character as well, i don't know how i can really explain this anime here but i will say for now this is the best isekai anime 2022 i've watched :D (i really hope they would at least continue the light novel and manga until the end if there is no another season of this anime cuz
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