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The Apothecary Diaries Film's New Video Unveils Miyuki Sawashiro, Ai Mikami in Cast

TOHO animation began streaming a character promotional video  for The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Bо̄hi no Hihо̄), the upcoming anime film based on Hyuganatsu and Touko Shino's The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) light novel series, on Wednesday. The video highlights the consort Ruoqing and the lady-in-waiting Yinshan, and announces their voice cast.

The new cast members include:

Miyuki Sawashiro as the middle level courtesan Ruoqing, who died five years ago in the Emperor's inner palace, and whose dying wish was to have her remains return to her homeland five years after her death.

Ai Mikami as Yinshan, Ruoqing's former lady-in-waiting, and the current attendant of Mu Qing, and a general servant of the Bi clan.

The film features a brand-new story by the original novel series' author Hyuganatsu. It follows Maomao and Jinshi as they travel to the hometown of a concubine who died five years ago in the imperial harem, to return her remains to her homeland. There, they encounter pirates, hidden treasures, the secret of the Empress' remains, and a mysterious boy who holds the key to the story.

Mariya Ise joins the cast as key character and Bi clan son Mu Qing. Nobuo Tobita plays Bi clan head Birō. Kumiko Watanabe plays Birō's wife Shūu. Hirofumi Nojima plays the Bi clan's eldest son Bisen. (All name Romanizations not confirmed.)

Kenshō Ono plays Kajadan river pirate leader Suija, while Ryōta Takeuchi plays Suija's subordinate Eishō, and Jirō Saitō plays the late former Kajadan leader Kaja. (All name Romanizations not confirmed.)

The film will open in theaters in Japan on December 11. Crunchyroll announced on Thursday it has acquired the North American and worldwide rights (excluding Asia but including India) to the film. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will announce the release date at a later time.

The third television anime season premiered on October 2 at 11:00 p.m. (10:00 a.m. EDT) in the "Friday Anime Night" programming block on NTV and 29 affiliated channels for its first cours (quarter of a year), and its second cours will premiere in April 2027.

The anime's first season premiered in October 2023 with the first three episodes, and aired for two cours. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan and is also streaming an English dub.

The second anime season premiered in January 2025 on Nippon TV's FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT programming block, and aired for two consecutive cours . Crunchyroll is streaming the second season, and it is also streaming an English dub.

J-Novel Club publishes the novel series digitally, and it describes the story:

In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.

Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That's her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao's façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor's favorite consort... so she can taste the lady's food for poison!

Hyuganatsu began serializing the story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in October 2011. Shufunotomo began publishing the novels in print volume with illustrations by Shino in August 2014. Nekokurage launched an ongoing manga adaptation in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017. Square Enix Manga & Books is releasing the manga adaptation in English. The company is also publishing the novels in print. Viz Media is releasing Minoji Kurata's separate manga adaptation titled The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace.

Sources: Apothecary Diaries anime's website, Comic Natalie