Not for the first time, I'm struck by how unconventional this show is structurally.
14 days ago • Subscribe
More like this
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 28
I've found that "there are no coincidences" is a pretty good working assumption where Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is concerned.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 20
Once more the theme this week is coincidence and conspiracy, and a detective's ability to spot the difference.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 19
I've learned that with the anime version of Kusuriya at least, you never make assumptions about what sort of episode you're looking at.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 21
If I've learned anything in following Kuuriya no Hitorigoto for five months, it's not let its moods deceive me.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 27
Again, it's Jinshi and Xiamao manoeuvring each other like chess pieces that provides the real interest.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 22
We're faced with a three-pronged fork of a question here.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 26
If I chose one word to describe this series' narrative style it would be "languid".
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 30
I would say it was pretty atypical episode in a number of ways.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 31
When Maomao figured this out, it was such an aha moment that I actually shouted "Aha!".
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 24 (Season Finale)
Credit where it’s due - this is a really good adaptation of what’s clearly a good source material.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) – 25 (Season Premiere)
Airing as it does in premiere week, it's easy to see that this show stands on a different level that most of the schedule.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 29 Review
「月精」 (Gessei) "Moon Fairy" Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest one of all?"
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
Plot: Maomao, an apothecary’s daughter, has been plucked from her peaceful life and sold to the lowest echelons of the imperial court. Now merely a maid, Maomao settles…
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 12
「宦官と妓女」 (Kangan to Gijo) "The Eunuch and the Courtesan" I think one of recurring themes is that there is no such thing as freedom- you’re ultimately always bound by something…
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 18
There was a veritable tidal wave of new information here, though much of it came as confirmation rather than revelation.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 04
「恫喝」 (Dōkatsu) "The Threat" As much as Mao Mao wishes to be left alone, the Imperial court doesn’t.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 04
I must say, visually speaking this all worked far better for me, though I'm resigned to a return to the premiere's style.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 13
「外廷勤務」 (Gaitei Kinmu) "Serving in the Outer Court" Welcome back Mao Mao (or rather, Xiao Mao)
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 07
Considering Maomao openly suspected her father of selling her off, she too is very nonchalant about this reunion.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 05
The Apothecary Diaries is a bit of an unorthodox series to me in general, and not in an unappealing way
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 15
Lakan is a tough one to puzzle out.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 10
「蜂蜜」 (Hachimitsu) "Honey" A taste of honey, or how about let's not
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 10
Maomao is definitely wading into extremely shark-infested waters by looking into all this baby stuff with Ah-Duo.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 12
My track record with LN adaptations is checkered to say the least, but it's obvious that Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is no mass-produced model.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 08
「麦稈」 (Mugiwara) "Wheat Stalks" Even on vacation, Mao Mao doesn't get a break
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 14
I suppose there's a certain irony in a virgin being the one to instruct imperial consorts in the ways of seducing and pleasing men.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 17
One way or another I think the dynamic of things has changed, and Lakan is surely at the heart of it.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 07
「里帰り」 (Satogaeri) "Homecoming" Shouldn't Mao Mao's family have been more worried about her?
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 13
As I speculated two Sundays ago, it would be impossible for Maomao to simply return to her old position as a lady-in-waiting.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 16
I must say, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto has an easy charm about it that I find very winning.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 09
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto has a pretty flexible moral compass, which the protagonist personifies.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 01
「猫猫」 (Maomao) "Maomao" Maomao is a modern scientific mind in a pre-modern world.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 06
「園遊会」 (Enyūkai) "The Garden Party" Don't mess with MaoMao
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 05
「暗躍」 (Anyaku) "Covert Operations" MaoMao is in high demand
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 02
「無愛想な薬師」 (Buaisō na Kusushi) "Chilly Apothecary" Mao Mao's new job is a bizarre, yet fabulous example of the intersection between one’s skills and interests and societal needs.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 06
Palace politics are a bitch, no question about it. It seems to transcend time and place.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 09
「自殺か他殺か」 (Jisatsu ka Tasatsu ka) "Suicide or Murder?" Sometimes it's nice to do away with the bow
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 11
「二つを一つに」 (Futatsu o Hitotsu ni) "Reducing Two to One" The tangled thread of fate slowly becomes untangled centimeter by centimeter.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 11
I thought I had this puzzle more or less figured out, but my theory is wrong on at least one part - we're one baby short.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 08
It's not as though I can point to any single extraordinary element of that episode, but it was one of my favorites so far.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 03
「幽霊騒動」 (Yūrei Sōdō) "The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit" Just in time for Halloween
First Impressions – Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
The Apothecary Diaries joins the growing trend of anime starting with unofficial movies, whether they need to or not.
The Apothecary Diaries, episodes 29 and 30
Rating – Episode 29: A- Rating – Episode 30: A- Episodes 29 and 30 represent two different mysteries which may or may not be connected, though they do…
The Apothecary Diaries – 29 – Straying into Paradise
While looking for ways to recreate the old lady’s “moon fairy” dance for the foreign envoys, Maomao encounters Shisui in the otherwise abandoned part of the rear palace.…
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 28 Review
「鏡」 (Kagami) "Mirrors" Moon fairies and wizards, oh my.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 30 Review
「みたび、水晶宮」 (Mi Tabi, Suishōgū) "The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time" I couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 27 Review
「冬人夏草」 (Tōjinkasō) "Corpse Fungus" This series ties a bow tighter than a department store at Christmas.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 26 Review
「隊商」 (Kyaraban) "Caravan" In true Maomao fashion, it doesn't take long for her to sniff out trouble
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 25 Review
「猫猫と毛毛」 (Maomao to Maomao) "Maomao and Maomao" Knowledge is power.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – Episode 31 Review
「選択の廟」 (Sentaku no Byō) "The Shrine of Choosing" There's only so long Mao Mao can feign ignorance on the Jinshi front and with this episode, we hurtle closer…