Apothecary Diaries Season 1 Ep1 (EARLY UNCUT ACCESS)
Added 2025-01-04 13:00:06 +0000 UTCEpisode 1 | Maomao
Comments
I never thought I'd like this series as much as I do, it's become one of my favorites (favs right now are Solo Leveling, Kaiju no 8 and this). Glad to see you are watching this (Why wouldn't you it's so good), as I start my own re-watch.
Sean Dame
2025-07-31 14:24:26 +0000 UTCeunuch at this time (in real life) had a lot of power, they had the best seat in the house to lisen in important conversations and only them interact with the emperor many wifes. If i'm remebering right they staged a rebellion 2 times. And to give more context, it was pretty normal to castrate ethinics tribes the were against china.
Gabriel Ramos
2025-06-21 01:20:48 +0000 UTCI never thought I would be into this type of Anime, I have always watched battle shounen and all that Demon Slayer, Naruto, DBZ, AoT, I mean you name it, but I watched this and instantly got hooked, I just finished binging season 1 and then came right here to re-watch it and see my favorite reactors impressions of it. I'm pumped!
Christopher Velasquez
2025-05-01 04:26:33 +0000 UTCI agree with watching things outside of the battle shonen genre. For me, I have seen so many battle shonen over the decades that I've been watching anime, that they all have become a bit too predictable. It's hard for me to get excited over any new battle shonen now. However, that still seems to be the most popular genre of anime, and if you are going to make react content you need to have some battle shonen for the views.
EHelström
2025-03-23 22:25:19 +0000 UTCme, being late to Patreon reacts for months due to work sucking IRL: I saw your first ep on your YT channel! I'll watch the rest here. I'm glad you are enjoying the series <3
Melley Cat
2025-01-26 04:44:32 +0000 UTCThere is a reason why I think you should watch more of such stuff. While Battle Shonen can be great, there are many more gemstones outside of that genre. Not to mention that a lot of this stuff is a bit monotonous (so are such shows that pull at heartstrings if you watch too many of them - though at least they have a bit wider variety). This isn't criticism of Battle Shonen genre in general. More endorsement of watching diverse stuff that brings with it something new to you - since it seems you haven't watched a lot outside of Shonen and specifically Battle Shonen. Then again - there are gems everywhere. But for the sake of maintaining audience and also getting new one, I would replace one Shonen Anime with something more like that. And that doesn't mean that said shows won't have action - "86" has a lot of it. And Rom Coms (though this label isn't great for Anime) often also have tense moments - "Rascal does not dream of Bunny Girl Senpai" despite it's title is quite wholesome but with witty dialogue and great characters.
Jan Negrey
2025-01-13 01:54:36 +0000 UTCUp to 19th Century and honestly in some parts of the world well into 20th century. Just like - lead pipes for bringing drinking water to homes.
Jan Negrey
2025-01-13 01:18:56 +0000 UTCSpy Family, yes. There are one or two particular phrases she says as Anya which sound like Frieren, but other than that you couldn't tell it's the same actress. She's so talented. When I looked her up I found she had been in quite a few animes I'd watched and I never recognised the voice. I like that. I love Zorro's (One Piece) actor but he seems to be in almost everything and he always sounds the same. It's so jarring when I recognise him. A sweetly chamaeleonic voice that does it's job without standing out for the wrong reasons is perfect for me.
Caradoc Elmet
2025-01-11 02:11:18 +0000 UTCThis show climbed into my top 5 list! Cant wait for you to enjoy this masterpiece.
Kythar
2025-01-08 22:14:16 +0000 UTCyeah like in 16th century they used to use lead based face powder. It made your skin white but would kill you.
Aleksi Nikupeteri
2025-01-07 21:36:00 +0000 UTChaha I did the exact same thing.
oreganoe
2025-01-06 07:53:52 +0000 UTCYES! I didn't notice until my second rewatch that when Jinshi gathers the servants Maomao has the tear in her skirt stitched up and the eunuch in the back looks at it and informs Jinshi with a nod.
AttackRunRepeat
2025-01-06 02:18:46 +0000 UTCI have been waiting for this!!!
Wherry
2025-01-06 00:27:19 +0000 UTCso Maomao is very pragmatic. She is aware that the Inner palace is pretty much a prison for the women who are there. I won't spoil anything but the show does get into what it takes for her to leave. Since she knows she is stuck there she tries to make the best of it. It's not that she doesn't want to leave or isn't pissed that she's there, she just knows there isn't much she can do about it at the moment.
Cronshaw
2025-01-05 23:53:48 +0000 UTCYeah, and that's only roles that I've personally seen. She has over 300, THREE HUNDRED credited roles. Of course, a lot of those are minor/unnamed characters, but a good number are main characters. She's a powerhouse in the VA industry
Kelven
2025-01-05 20:21:10 +0000 UTCThat is an insane range. I don't recognize all of those characters, but the ones I do, I'm just like, "Wait, she can also sound like THAT??"
Mune Yotsuki
2025-01-05 19:29:14 +0000 UTCMaomao's VA, Yuuki Aoi, is probably one of my favorites. Her voice is so unique and it really shows in this series. She's played so many different types of characters, her range is insane. Some of her other notable roles (it's a long list, only picking some of the more popular ones I know her from): Sora no Oto - Kannagi Noel Dance in the Vampire Bund - Mina Tepes Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - Kaname Madoka Gosick - Victorique de Blois Senki Zesshou Symphogear - Tachibana Hibiki My Hero Academia - Asui Tsuyu/Froppy Overlord - Clementine Persona 5 (game and anime) - Sakura Futaba One Punch Man - Senritsu no Tatsumaki Tanya the Evil - Tanya von Degurechaff Kumo Desu ga, Nanika? - "Watashi" Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - Lucy
Kelven
2025-01-05 14:49:59 +0000 UTCAgreed that this OP doesn't really fit the vibe of the show. It really threw me off when I first saw it because I read the manga first and thought to myself "wait a minute, this doesn't feel right..." lol. But ya, the song is still a banger.
Kelven
2025-01-05 14:08:42 +0000 UTCyes, because eunuchs has no banana
LawLaw
2025-01-05 02:12:17 +0000 UTCThe concubine whose baby died is Lihua. The person who knocked the flower off the ledge was one of Lihua's ladies-in-waiting. A lot of people mistook that for Lihua, myself included. I wasn't familiar enough with the characters to tell the difference yet.
a2daj
2025-01-04 22:24:28 +0000 UTCThere's a First Take video for the OP that was released a month ago. It's pretty good! For this show and Frieren, I felt the first OP didn't really match the vibe of the shows. That's not a bad thing though. I loved both and felt they grabbed the audience with their fast paced, upbeat feel which is helpful for a new show. The ED for both suited the vibe much more.
a2daj
2025-01-04 22:16:54 +0000 UTC"There's poison everywhere!" Yes there is, even today, but we have the comfort of warning labels, regulations and generally knowing what not to put in our mouths or on our skin :D
Milosz Skowronski
2025-01-04 19:59:56 +0000 UTCThis and frieren were two of my favorite shows released a year ago. Both took me by surprise, I watched both out of boredom just because I felt like I had nothing else to watch and they were just soo good.
Beto
2025-01-04 19:44:49 +0000 UTCso excited! show is already super interesting and fun. i decided to just watch this show for the first time here with the reactions so can't wait for more.
Cornelius Ukena
2025-01-04 19:09:35 +0000 UTCimmediately checked for episode 1 of season 2 but its the 10th ;(
charlie
2025-01-04 18:39:09 +0000 UTCI LOVE this show! The animation and music are gorgeous, the characters are great. The switch between serious and comedy are done really well. I think you’ll love the dynamic between Jinshi and MaoMao, although probably not at first. You’ll see why haha. Something to keep in mind for the setting, it’s fictionally set around the Ting dynasty in Imperial China. So there’s a lot of references to cultural and societal norms from this time. Regarding poison being in everything. “Poison” has a wide range probably compared to what you’re thinking in your head. Think things that are toxic, cause allergies, rashes, side effects, death. Those things can be considered “poisonous”, since back then they don’t have the knowledge and medicines we do now. Like some of the white face powder used to have lead in it, which today we know lead is poisonous, but back then they wouldn’t know until things like this happened. So excited for this show and season 2 starting soon! You’re going to love it.
Gabriella Pinkoski
2025-01-04 18:33:03 +0000 UTCOne of my (many) favorite things about Apothecary Diaries is how hard it goes on symbolism. Unfortunately, unless you look really closely and/or do some research, I feel most people are likely to miss a lot of these. For example, Maomao left the message about the powder attached to a rhododendron. This flower is known for its beauty, but it is also poisonous. Thematically it matches the powder which in Maomao’s words “trades life for beauty”. In Apothecary diaries you will find *a lot* of insert shots of flowers (and other things), and they will almost always have some sort of significant symbolic meaning, and oftentimes even more than one. It is the kind of show that is both great for a casual watch, but if you wanted to you could analyze every frame of it (hyperbole) The opening as well is visually full of flowers, which almost tells its own story!
Asbjørn Kennedy
2025-01-04 18:07:40 +0000 UTCJust like Frieren, this show was a really nice surprise x3.
Roy Meulblok
2025-01-04 16:35:15 +0000 UTCSo cool to be watching something in a Chinese setting for once, the first ep was really cool. I'm watching for the first time as well. Looking forward to the next ones.
Guilherme Müller
2025-01-04 16:34:36 +0000 UTCactually a unexpected great anime
Jwon
2025-01-04 16:32:37 +0000 UTCWell to the eunuchs matter. While girls (mostly from poor families) sell their bodies to earn money. Males could make good money by becoming eunuchs. It also helps that you don't have to be smart for most of those kinds of jobs. The catch is that you have to lose your manhood and in China that meant everything was cut. But that procedure had a mortality rate of over 60%. There are of course also those that got it removed as a punishment and now serve in there. Why the rear palace is forbidden for men (with their manhood) is easy. All those woman in there serve one single purpose to bear the emporers next kin thus continue the royal blood. If men had their important part instead the emporer could never be sure that that child is his.
RiShinMarco
2025-01-04 16:31:45 +0000 UTCI would say getting the names down is the hardest part of the show. Since those are Chinese names and we are just not used to them. Hell I read 12 volumes of the LN and still struggle with some of the names :D
RiShinMarco
2025-01-04 16:17:55 +0000 UTClove your reaction to EP1. 猫 (Māo) literally means cat in chinese. Doubling it to Māomāo is like a cute nickname usually done for children, you could probably translate it to kitten. In later episodes you might also hear her being called 小猫 (Xiǎomāo), which translates to small cat.
Lina
2025-01-04 15:21:05 +0000 UTCits awesome that you are reacting to this! and you were spot on old makeup especially high end cosmetics used to contain high levels of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead so essentially the concubines and the children were suffering from heavy metal poisoning. cant wait for the next ep!
Ben
2025-01-04 14:54:50 +0000 UTCSame here. I only watched Frieren and this because I wanted to watch more of some of my favourite reactors’ series. I was so glad to find female characters whose biggest problems weren’t anything to do with whether or not it’s ok to look cute in battle armour lol That just shows what trash I usually watch, I guess hehe. 2024 was the year of beautifully and intelligently written female characters, for me. I feel blessed by the anime I discovered last year, most of it due to reactors. Thanks Flexie!
Caradoc Elmet
2025-01-04 14:41:44 +0000 UTCim guessing anya is spy family? i knew she played frieren but i didnt know it's the same person. Huh. the voice definitely triggered a memory but i couldnt put a finger on it. thanks!
Cyber
2025-01-04 14:39:08 +0000 UTCFrieren? Anya Forger? She’s a really great voice actress. I love her.
Caradoc Elmet
2025-01-04 14:34:50 +0000 UTCI love the story and the songs in this series! Haven't seen season 2 yet so looking forward to reviewing season 1 with you!
Sei-chan
2025-01-04 14:32:47 +0000 UTCMaomao’s va also voices my favourite frog girl, Froppy! She voices tons of characters but that’s one I know you’re familiar with. Jinshi’s va also voices Aqua from Oshi no ko, amongst many other characters. It’s a pretty good cast list already!
Caradoc Elmet
2025-01-04 14:29:40 +0000 UTC🫢
Jessica McCann
2025-01-04 14:26:32 +0000 UTCI’m assuming the same thing 💗
Jessica McCann
2025-01-04 14:25:51 +0000 UTCI assumed only eunuchs are allowed in the palace because all the girls there belong to the emperor, but I may be wrong
Michal Krátky
2025-01-04 14:18:48 +0000 UTCMaomao is adorable! I think you'll have a great time with her in this show.
Ellen King
2025-01-04 14:03:05 +0000 UTCYeah, I’m pretty sure most of the episodes were already out by the time I started watching. Same with Frieren. If it wasn’t for some reactors I follow, these probably wouldn’t be on my radar.
Plushxi
2025-01-04 14:02:53 +0000 UTCMost eunuchs in China (the country in the Apothacary Diaries is based on China) became eunuchs by choice in order to get a job in the palace. They also removed the whole package, not just the testicles. On another note, the VA behind Lady Gyokuyou is also the voice behind Frieren.
Greybeard
2025-01-04 13:59:46 +0000 UTCI was referring to recent animes that both flexie and I have watched. So that's what came to mind. She did sound familiar like Alice in sao or something, I couldn't put my finger on it and I couldn't find immediate imbd entries. But that's what prompted me to hear who she is when's he was talking to Jinshi when mentioning the note the first time
Cyber
2025-01-04 13:57:46 +0000 UTCMAOMAO
Mesha
2025-01-04 13:52:05 +0000 UTCKinda funny that you mentions Hinatsuru when she is probably better known for other roles where she is the voice of the main character.
RiShinMarco
2025-01-04 13:50:53 +0000 UTCDid you only start this in 2024? Because it aired in October 2023 around 3.5 weeks after Frieren. Of course both continued into 2024.
RiShinMarco
2025-01-04 13:47:32 +0000 UTCYes finally <3
RiShinMarco
2025-01-04 13:44:17 +0000 UTCbtw i only realized now but ladyt Gyokkou's VA is the VA behind Hinatsuru, one of Tengen's wives, who was poisonned and missing against upper moon 6 :)
Cyber
2025-01-04 13:43:20 +0000 UTCThis was another surprise banger for me last year! Here we go!
Plushxi
2025-01-04 13:29:18 +0000 UTCHELL YEAH. You're in for a ride if you like shows the likes of Frieren.
Cyber
2025-01-04 13:03:51 +0000 UTC
