The Apothecary Diaries 薬屋のひとりごと (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) is a 24-episode (?) Japanese anime series that premiered on the early hours of October 22, 2023 in Japan with the first 3 episodes dropped at the same time. It is based on the Japanese novel series of the same name written by Hyūga Natsu 日向夏.
I’ve watched the first few episodes and they are quite enjoyable to watch. Since the novel series is aimed at young adults, the plots are not complicated and the mysteries are quite straight forward basically dealing with poisons since the protagonist is a young medicine “apprentice” who likes to experiment. That said, the stories do sort of remind me of Agatha Christie’s novels, LOL…
Be a Flower 花になって (opening theme song 1) – Ryokuoushoku Shakai 緑黄色社会
The Spell アイコトバ (closing theme song 1) – AiNA THE END アイナ・ジ・エンド
Ambivalent アンビバレント (opening theme song 2) – Uru
Love is Medicine 愛は薬 (closing theme song 2) – wacci
Flower in the Snow 雪中花 (episode 12 insert song) – Kishi Kanako きしかな子
Update February 24, 2024: Another song from the OST…
Blaze of Clear Sky 蒼空の炎 (episode 19 insert song) – Takenaka Daichi 竹中だいち
Update February 27, 2024: I decided to read the light novel after watching the first few episodes of the anime series, I must say the stories get better and better! Although the stories in the first few volumes seem quite straight forward and not that complicated, the latter volumes dealt deeper into the backgrounds of many different characters and become more complicated and very interesting! The relationships of the concubines and also the backgrounds of Gyokuyō’s (玉葉) family, especially her father and her eldest brother made my head spins, so complicated, LOL… However there are always the useless palace quack doctor, Guen (虞淵/庸醫), and later the farmer who refused to be called a farmer, Lahan’s older brother (羅半他哥), whose real name was not revealed (well at least at the end of volume 12 was about to be revealed) to provide light relief throughout the novel… I have just finished reading up to the end of volume 12 (the most recently available volume in the Chinese translation of the novel series) and now have to wait for the next volume to be made available, LOL… So now I will go back to continue watching the anime series. Very highly recommended novel!
Update March 28, 2024: Final song from the OST…
When Wishes Bloom 想い咲く時 (episode 24 insert song) – aoiema アオイエマ。
Eng sub version
Update December 1, 2024: Here’s the trailer for season 2…
Corner Café 
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