The Apothecary Diaries unveils Season 2 trailer and hints at new plot lines

Fans of the manga and the first season of The Apothecaries Diaries are keenly awaiting January 10, 2025, when Season 2 of the anime will begin for two cours.

The Apothecary Diaries is based on the hit light novel series by Natsu Hyūga and set in a world based on ancient China during the Tang Dynasty.

Maomao is a young and gifted pharmacist who finds herself serving in the palace as a low-ranking servant, until a eunuch, Jinshi, realizes she can read and has a knack for potions and poisons. This sets the pair on an uneasy trajectory as Maomao helps him uncover mysteries around the palace as well as more about Maomao’s past and why she’s testing all those poisons.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 trailer reveals new opening theme

Today – one month before the start of Season 2 – a trailer was released on the official Toho anime YouTube channel.

The trailer introduced some of the incoming plot threads as well as featuring the track ‘Hyakuka Ryoran’ (‘A Blooming of Flowers’) by Lilas Ikuta.

In a statement (via Kusuriya No Hitorigoto), the artist said: “I felt the response to the first season firsthand, so I am very honored to be in charge of the opening theme for the second season.

“I created the song with a sense of tension, hoping to deliver a song that would breathe new life into the world of the work, while incorporating the excitement I felt as I became more and more absorbed in The Apothecary Diaries and my love for the story and characters into the song.”

Toho

Ikuta added that the theme was “created to express the whimsical and charming side of the main character Neko Neko, the glittering and glamorous world of the harem, and the mystery that unfolds there through the sound and melody of the song.”

Season 2 is expected to follow the overarching narrative of palace intrigue with Jinshi playing Watson to Maomao’s Sherlock, with the talented apothecary using her knowledge to help solve mysteries from poisonings to murders.

For many fans, Season 1 was the highlight of 2024, so the series’ return is one of the most highly anticipated anime of 2025, to say the least. Fans are especially excited for the infamous ‘frog’ scene in which Maomao discovers a certain secret about the attractive Jinshi.

The cast for Season 1 will be returning, along with new characters and the same gorgeous art style we grew accustomed to.