Maomao and Jinshi are hitting the road. The first of four consecutive character trailers for The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure — the upcoming anime film — arrived October 11, a 45-second Maomao and Jinshi spotlight packed with newly unveiled scenes of the pair's journey to a water city in the south.
The 45-second trailer is packed with first-look footage of Maomao and Jinshi's party on the road to the water city — new scenes of the pair traveling together toward Mi-Nan Province in the south, where the film's mystery unfolds. It's the first of four character trailers rolling out on consecutive days: the Mi clan on October 12, the Snake gang on October 13, and Wakasei and Ginzan on October 14.
Watch the Maomao and Jinshi character trailer here:
The film brings back the television series' core creative team. Norihiro Naganuma directs, with Yūko Kakihara on series scripts, Yukiko Nakatani handling character design and chief animation direction, and music by Satoru Kōsaki, Kevin Penkin, and Arisa Okehazama. Animation production comes from TOHO animation STUDIO. Crucially, the film tells an original new story drafted by Hyuganatsu, the author of the original light novels — not an adaptation of an existing arc.
The cast reunites the series' leads alongside a notable new addition:
Aoi Yūki (Madoka Kaname in Puella Magi Madoka Magica) as Maomao
Takeo Ōtsuka (Aqua Hoshino in Oshi no Ko) as Jinshi
Mariya Ise (Killua Zoldyck in Hunter x Hunter) as Mu Qing, a new character
Katsuyuki Konishi (Tengen Uzui in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) as Gaoshun
Kōki Uchiyama (Kei Tsukishima in Haikyu!!) as Rikuson
Sumi Shimamoto as the narrator
What is The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure about?
The film opens on an imperial order: Jinshi must grant the dying wish of a concubine who died in the rear palace five years ago — to return her to her homeland. But when her body is examined before being sent home, it lies perfectly preserved, as if she were still alive. To unravel the mystery, Maomao accompanies Jinshi to Mi-Nan Province in the south, a lively water city governed by the Mi clan, where unfamiliar medicines and plants delight her. The region is far from peaceful, though: water bandits are rampaging over treasure hidden by the former clan head, and on the day of the concubine's funeral, a major incident erupts into something beyond imagination.
The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure opens in Japan on December 11, 2026. With three more character trailers still to come this week, more of the film's new faces and southern setting should emerge day by day.
Sources: Press release, TOHO Animation - YouTube
