The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Premiere Moves Fans with Maomao's Memories

The third season of the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" premiered on Friday with episode 49, titled "Locusts," sparking emotional reactions from viewers over protagonist Maomao's memories of her missing friend. In the episode, Maomao has returned to her life as an apothecary in the pleasure district after being dismissed from her poison-tasting role, while Jinshi now officially participates in governance and worries about a disaster omen left by Loulan. Maomao recalls Loulan's insect drawings and encounters several reminders of her vanished friend, prompting fans to comment on the poignant flashback scenes. The series, based on a light novel with over 57 million copies sold worldwide, previously aired its first season from October 2023 to March 2024 and its second from January to July 2025. A theatrical film opens December 11, and a live-action drama starring Mana Ashida is scheduled for 2028.