2024 was a great year for anime. From Solo Leveling to Dandadan, we were getting hit upon hits. One anime series, in particular, made the list for several anime fans: The Apothecary Diaries. It isn’t an action-packed Shonen but the charm lies in the unique characters, historical drama, and various mysteries.
Not only is it a rare anime that realistically depicts how politics and society were in historical China but it has well-written side characters and a compelling slow-burn romance. Season 2 premiered on 10 January 2025, with 8 episodes so far. It’s expected to have 24.
However, many fans have noticed that the pacing of the second season is significantly slower and lacks the tension of the first.
The Apothecary Diaries made it known that Maomao’s existence was threatened by the strict, patriarchal hierarchy. However, she is strangely lax this season, as are the others with her involvement. Is Season 2 straying away from the series’ core?
Season 2 lacks the danger of the first, and the hierarchical society doesn’t seem significant
The first season was clear about one thing: it’s a man’s world. In Imperial China, what else would you expect? Overstep and you risk execution. Maomao was kidnapped and forced into a situation she doesn’t know how to navigate. Season 2, compared to that, seems like a fun time.
In a setting where women aren’t allowed to be physicians, Maomao already stands out for her apothecary skills. The reason she humbles her appearance is because otherwise, she might be forced into being a concubine. Women are treated as commodities and she knew that. She was always on alert but not this season.
Jinshi openly calls her apothecary, she’s allowed to speak to the Emperor and his concubines quite casually. In no world would a woman of her status be given an audience. There aren’t many consequences out there, only close calls.
So where did the tension and politics go? In Season 2, she’s under Jinshi’s protection and that doesn’t exactly fit the tone of the story’s core.
These episodes of Season 2 are just the calm before the storm, so hold off on the assumptions
Of course, there is an explanation for why Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries is so different. Maomao can openly chat with the Emperor because he does have some amount of trust and respect. She did, after all, save the lives of his heirs and concubines.
However, that isn’t the only reason behind how calm this season is. The patriarchal society is very important to the storyline and never actually left. The anime adaptation closely follows the light novel and any good story has to create build-up before the real deal.
Moreover, it’s not like Maomao doesn’t have the trust and respect of people. She especially does have a great dynamic with the concubines. It’s not unrealistic for her to speak to them. However, underneath it all, they know how society views them.
So hold onto your horses as it’s only been 8 episodes. We still have 16 more left until the end of Season 2. The Apothecary Diaries is just setting the scene for what’s to come.
The Apothecary Diaries is available on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
