The official website for the anime adaptation of Natsu Hyūga and Touko Shino’s light novel series, “The Apothecary Diaries” (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto), has made several exciting announcements. These include the introduction of 13 additional cast members, the revelation of the opening and ending theme songs, and the release of the primary promotional video.
In the promotional video, viewers get a glimpse of the anime’s opening theme song, “Hana ni Natte” (Become a Flower), performed by Ryokuōshoku Shakai, as well as the ending theme song, “Aikotoba” (Password), sung by Aina The End.
The expanded cast now includes:
- Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun
- Atsumi Tanezaki as Gyokuyō
- Yui Ishikawa as Lihua
- Hina Kino as Lishu
- Yuko Kaida as Ah-Duo
- Megumi Han as Meimei
- Ami Koshimizu as Pairin
- Hiroki Nanami as Joka
- Kimiko Saitō as Yarite Babaa (Madam)
- Hiroshi Yanaka as Luomen
- Kenji Akabane as Lihaku
- Misaki Kuno as Xiaolan
- Mitsuaki Kanuka as Yabu Isha (Quack Doctor)
The anime is scheduled to premiere on October 21, with the initial release consisting of the first three episodes. The series will run for two cours (quarters of a year), and Crunchyroll will stream the episodes as they air.
Notably, Aoi Yūki will lend her voice to the main character, Maomao, while Takeo Ōtsuka will portray Jinshi. The anime is directed by Norihiro Naganuma and produced by TOHO animation and OLM. Character design is the work of Yukiko Nakatani, and Shōji Hata serves as the sound director. The musical score is composed by Satoru Kousaki, Kevin Penkin, and Arisa Okehazama.
The light novel series, published digitally by J-Novel Club, follows the story of Maomao, a young woman with exceptional medical knowledge, who unexpectedly finds herself in the Emperor’s palace as a lady-in-waiting. She must navigate the intricate and perilous world of the court. The series, which began serialization in 2011, has been adapted into novels and a manga.
Square Enix Manga & Books handles the English release of the manga adaptation.
