The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure, the first movie in the anime series, opens in Japanese theaters on December 11. TOHO Animation STUDIO is producing the film with Norihiro Naganuma directing, and it is based on a new story concept from series creator Natsu Hyuuga. Crunchyroll has the North American and worldwide rights outside Asia, including India, and will distribute the film in theaters with Sony Pictures Entertainment. Check out the official post down below:
Crunchyroll has not announced international release dates or ticket details yet. In Japan, the second wave of advance tickets for the film goes on sale on November 13, and Season 3 of the TV anime is airing every Friday on Nippon TV with its 55th episode due the same night.
The Apothecary Diaries Watch Order
The anime numbers its episodes across seasons, so Season 3 picked up at episode 49. The full order, by release, is:
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 (episodes 1 to 24, October 2023 to March 2024)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (episodes 25 to 48, January to July 2025)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, first cour (from episode 49, airing since October 2, 2026)
- The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure (in Japanese theaters December 11, 2026)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, second cour (April 2027)
The film's official synopsis does not place its story in the TV timeline, so the list above puts it by release date. All 3 TV seasons stream on Crunchyroll, which simulcasts Season 3 in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS and the Indian Subcontinent.
Season 1 And Season 2
Season 1 premiered on October 22, 2023, on Nippon TV and ran 24 episodes through March 24, 2024. It was produced by TOHO Animation Studio and OLM, with Naganuma and Akinori Fudesaka directing and Yukiko Nakatani designing the characters. Crunchyroll's series description sets up the story:
"Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she's sold as a lowly servant to the emperor's palace. But she wasn't meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial heirs fall ill, she decides to step in and find a cure! This catches the eye of Jinshi, a handsome palace official who promotes her. Now, she's making a name for herself solving medical mysteries!"
Aoi Yuki voices Maomao and Takeo Otsuka voices Jinshi, and both return for Season 3 and the movie. Season 1's opening themes are "Hana ni Natte" by Ryokuoushoku Shakai and "Ambivalent" by Uru, and its ending themes are "Aikotoba" by Aina the End and "Ai wa Kusuri" by wacci.
Season 2 ran another 24 episodes from January 10 to July 4, 2025, in Nippon TV's Friday Anime Night block. Its opening themes are "Hyakka Ryoran" by Lilas Ikuta and "Kusushiki" by Mrs. Green Apple, with "Shiawase no Recipe" by Dai Hirai and "Hitorigoto" by Omoinotake as the ending themes.
Season 3 Is Airing Now
Season 3 premiered on October 2 in Japan and on Crunchyroll at 8:00 a.m. PT the same day. OLM is the sole animation studio this time, with Fudesaka directing, assistant direction by Wataru Nakagawa, series composition by Naganuma and scripts by Yuko Kakihara, Misuzu Chiba and Hitomi Ogawa. The music comes from Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin and Arisa Okehazama.
The official Japanese site says the season moves the story out of the rear palace into the city and on to a neighboring country, with signs of a coming disaster and rumors of a mysterious sage woman. Episode 49 is titled "Locusts." The cast adds Reina Ueda as Bai Niangniang, Hiroki Nanami as Joka and Natsumi Fujiwara as Kyou-u alongside returning voices such as Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun and Takuya Kirimoto as Lakan. Crunchyroll's official trailer for Season 3 is below:
Yorushika performs the opening theme "Kumo o Nuke Kazashimo e Watashi dake," and Eve performs the ending theme "AIYOU." In Japan, the season airs Fridays at 11:00 p.m. on Nippon TV's Friday Anime Night across 30 stations, and the official account confirmed the next episode's slot:
The second cour of Season 3 is scheduled for April 2027.
The Late Lady's Treasure Movie
Crunchyroll's synopsis has the emperor ordering Jinshi to grant the last wish of a concubine who died 5 years ago by returning her body to her homeland. Jinshi finds her remains in pristine condition and brings Maomao with him to Binan-shu, the southern province ruled by the Bi clan, where pirates are hunting for treasure their late leader hid in a city on the water. On the day of the concubine's funeral, an incident sets off a chain of events.
The official film site credits Hyuuga with the original story concept, Yuko Kakihara with the screenplay and Nakatani with the character designs and chief animation direction. Kosaki, Penkin and Okehazama return for the score. The cast includes Yuki, Otsuka, Konishi, Kirimoto, Toshiyuki Toyonaga and Koki Uchiyama from the TV series, with Ai Mikami, Mariya Ise, Kensho Ono and Miyuki Sawashiro among the new names. Animemojo covered the film's first trailer in The Apothecary Diaries Movie Reveals Its First Trailer And A December Release, With Season 3 Right Behind.
Kenshi Yonezu wrote, composed and performs the theme song "Haru ga Tomori," which he arranged with Yo Tomi. In his comment on the official site, Yonezu says he read the script and also drew on Japanese children's songs, naming "Tulip" and "Antagata Dokosa" as the biggest influences. The main trailer with the theme song is below:
Where To Start The Light Novels And Manga
The Apothecary Diaries began as a web novel on Shosetsuka ni Naro in 2011. The light novels are written by Hyuuga, illustrated by Touko Shino and published in Japan by Shufunotomo under its Hero Bunko imprint. J-Novel Club publishes the English edition digitally, and Square Enix publishes it in print. The official anime site says the series has passed 57 million copies in circulation.
J-Novel Club's description of Volume 5 opens after the destruction of the Shi clan, the conflict at the center of Season 2's final episodes, and mentions a potential plague of insects. That lines up with Season 3's first episode, so viewers who finished Season 2 can start the light novels at Volume 5.
There are 2 manga adaptations. Square Enix's version, with art by Nekokurage and composition by Itsuki Nanao, has run in Monthly Big Gangan since May 2017, and Square Enix publishes it in English. The second, drawn by Minoji Kurata, runs in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday Gene-X.
Are you catching up on Season 3 before The Late Lady's Treasure reaches theaters, or are you reading ahead from Volume 5 of the light novels?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.