Danica Davidson
July 7, 2023 
The anime The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto in Japanese) has released a teaser trailer that lets us know the show will debut this October. It additionally announced that Takeo Ōtsuka has been cast as Jinshi.
The anime is being made at TOHO and OLM, with Norihiro Naganuma, who worked on the first season of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, helming the project as director as well as taking on the scripts. Three different people are composing the music: Satoru Kousaki of Vivy -Fluorite Eye’s Song-, Kevin Penkin of Made in Abyss, and finally Arisa Okehazama of ONIMAI: I’m Now Your Sister! Credit for character design goes to Yukiko Nakatani, who has worked on Go! Princess Precure, Tropical-Rouge! Precure.
The franchise started out as a light novel series by Natsu Hyūga and Touko Shino, which is published digitally in America by J-Novel Club. The publisher gave this description for the plot:
“In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.
Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison!”
Besides an anime adaptation, the series also has an ongoing manga adaptation. This is being published in America by Square Enix Manga & Books, and volume eight was released last month.
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
