TOHO Animation and the official website of The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto)have released the main trailer for the highly-anticipated second season. The video features the upbeat opening theme song titled Hyakka Ryoran ("A Profusion of Flowers") performed by singer-songwriter Lilas Ikuta, who's also known as a vocalist of YOASOBI under the stage name Ikura. The trailer also announced that Asami Seto has joined the cast of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 as the maid Shisui.
While YOASOBI has produced various anime theme songs in the past, this marks Ikuta's first performance of an opening theme song for a TV anime show. Ikuta has released a statement about her involvement:
Because I have experienced firsthand the response to the first season, I am very honored to be in charge of the opening theme for the second season. While incorporating the excitement that I got more and more absorbed in The Apothecary Diaries and my love for the story and the characters into the music, We were working on the song with the tense that could bring a new breath into the world of the anime.
The official website also unveiled a new character visual for Shisui, who's described to be "a chatty, cheerful, insect-loving servant girl."
Shisui will be voiced by Asami Seto (Raphtalia in The Rising of the Shield Hero), who also shared a statement: "This work is full of my favorite things: the historical setting, the incidents that take place in the back palace, Maomao's solving the mysteries, the cool Jinshi-sama...etc," said Seto. "So I am very happy to be able to participate as a voice actor in this work."
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 is set to premiere in Japan on January 10, 2025, and will run for two consecutive cours. OLM and TOHO Animation studios will return to animate the Season 2. Norihiro Naganuma, who directed the first season, will return to direct the second season with the same main staff, which includes Akimi Fudesaka as a director, and Wataru Nakagawa as assistant director, and Yukiko Nakatani as the character designer. The trio of Kevin Penkin, Arisa Okehazama, and Satoru Kosaki will be in charge of the anime's music.
Here is the previously-revealed key visual for The Apothecary Diaries Season 2:
What is The Apothecary Diaries about?
The Apothecary Diaries anime is based on the mystery romance light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Toko Shino. Since 2011, the drama series has been serialized on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website before it was acquired by Shufunotomo, who initially published it as a novel with a single volume in 2012 and then as a light novel series in 2014.
The series also received a couple of manga adaptations in 2017: one published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X, and the other published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan. J-Novel Club licensed the light novel series digitally in North America, and Square Enix licensed it in print. Square Enix also licensed the manga illustrated by Nekokurage.
Crunchyroll shared a description for The Apothecary Diaries:
Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she’s sold as a lowly servant to the emperor’s palace. But she wasn’t meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial heirs fall ill, she decides to step in and find a cure! This catches the eye of Jinshi, a handsome palace official who promotes her. Now, she’s making a name for herself solving medical mysteries!
Crunchyroll, which is streaming the first season of The Apothecary Diaries, will also stream Season 2 as new episodes air in Japan. For more information about The Apothecary Diaries Season 2, check out the official website of the anime.
