The tension between Maomao and Lakan is incredibly growing. Maomao accepted Jinshi's impossible task of blooming blue roses despite being off-season after learning Lakan had challenged the latter to find those flowers. Now, the time has come for Maomao and Lakan to face each other. The preview for The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23, titled Balsam and Woodsorrel, shows the two on a face-off as they play the game of banqi, a two-player Chinese board game.
You can see the teaser below:
The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23 preview begins with Maomao making her move as she plays banqi with Lakan. As Lakan thinks of his next move, Maomao brings out a small bottle and fixes a tray full of glasses. Lakan picks one, while Jinshi appears looking surprised. The next scene shows the tactician laughing hard. A montage of quick sequences then starts to play, with Maomao looking distressed, holding someone’s hand, and Lakan running in the middle of a heavy downpour. As he later wakes up in Verdigris House, Fengxian, Maomao’s biological mother, appears.
Alternatively, the preview stills for the upcoming episode seem to hint at a revelation of Lakan’s backstory. It shows Maomao holding the mysterious bottle, followed by Jinshi sneering as he looks at someone with a fox face. It then reveals Lakan playing with a woman whose face is strategically hidden behind a bouquet of red roses, and by its looks, it’s Fengxian. In addition, a young Lakan appears, playing banqi. Another still focuses on Fengxian’s incredible beauty, while the last shows Lakan looking happy playing banqi with her daughter.
You can see The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23 stills below:
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
Credit:
Natsu Hyuga / Imagika Foss / “A Pharmacist’s Monologue” Production Committee
What to Expect from The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23
The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23 will see Maomao challenging Lakan to a game of banqi. But this isn’t just for fun; it comes with a serious bet. If Lakan wins, Maomao will become his daughter, but if Maomao comes out as the victor, he has to free a courtesan from the Verdigris House. Jinshi and Gaoshun watch the two playing in horror as Maomao’s next move involves using alcohol laced with poison.
You can read the synopsis below:
After completing the blue roses, Maomao challenges her father, the tactician Lakan, to a game of elephant chess. If Lakan wins, Maomao must become his daughter, but if Maomao wins, Lakan must redeem a courtesan. Jinshi and Gaoshun can only watch in suspense as Maomao strategizes using alcohol laced with ‘poison.’ Later, Lakan loses in a game of wits and wakes up at the Verdigris House. But will any of the flowers there catch his eye when his heart is in love with a memory? Lakan’s history with the Verdigris House is finally revealed.
The anime is based on the light novel of the same title written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. It has been serialized online since 2011. It was then acquired by Shufunotmo and initially published as a novel with a single volume in 2012, followed by a light novel series in 2014. It was also adapted into two manga series in 2017, published by Square Enix and Shogakukan. J-Novel Club has licensed its digital release and Square Enix in print in North America. Square Enix has also licensed the manga with illustrations by Nekokurage. Toho Animation Studio and OLM produced its anime adaptation, premiering in October 2023 and releasing 22 episodes so far.
What are the release date and times of The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23?
The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23 is set to release on Saturday, March 16, and premiere on Sunday, March 17, on Nippon TV in Japan. International fans can stream it on Crunchyroll in North America and Netflix in select regions. For the release times based on your region, you can check the list below:
10:45 AM Pacific Time
12:45 PM Central Time
1:45 PM Eastern Time
6:45 PM Greenwich Mean Time
7:45 PM Central European Time
12:15 AM Indian Standard Time (March 17)
2:45 AM Philippine Standard Time (March 17)
5:45 AM Australia Standard Time (March 17)
The Apothecary Diaries Episode 23 will serve as the penultimate episode of the series as the anime nears its end. That said, fans can expect big revelations happening here, like the story of Maomao’s parents with the appearance of Fengxian.
