Reviews

The Apothecary Diaries: A Balm to My Soul

MarinaLeave a comment

The season might be over, but not only do we already have an announced sequel, we also have plenty of source material still to titillate us (and this I actually know firsthand). Even though this first series took up two cours, I still wasn’t ready for it to end. I know it sounds dramatic, but I can’t really bear the thought of future weeks going without The Apothecary Diaries, it was just that wonderful of a show to look forward to. I’ll be ready and waiting for when it returns.

There’s so much about the anime that I love to fit into one little final impression, but first and foremost would have to be characterization. Maomao is a gem. I won’t say something as trite as saying that she’s a gem in the rough needing polishing, because I love her exactly the way that she is. There were plenty of opportunities where the writer could have done some drastic transformation looks and personality wise, but they stuck to just the exterior, and never for long. You can remove the fake freckles and shove her into fine silks, but Maomao will stay who she is at heart, and bless her for it! I love her snark, her unapologetic obsessions, that mean streak that only comes out when warranted, and, above all, her active mind that can’t help but pick and pull apart the world around her.

Now, I would be remiss to overlook the arguments that surround this show and its characters, mostly in regards to the ship of Maomao and Jinshi. I know I’ll ruffle some feathers saying this, but I do enjoy the two of them together, but let me be clear that I like them as they are now, and have no desire to rush them elsewhere. They could stay this platonic pairing for all I care, as long as we just get more of them. If they do end up forming a romance? Then, I believe in the writer’s ability to write the change in a convincing way that completely makes sense for our girl, who currently treats Jinshi as an oddly influential reprobate with an unfortunate fixation on hers truly. We know there’s so much more to his character, but that will hopefully all be revealed in future season(s). For now? I’ll await the next mystery, complete with Maomao’s eager cat face.

Rating: 2.5 dango

*Rating system:

  • 0 dango – average and forgettable.
  • 1 dango – very good in its category.
  • 2 dango – excellent show that is worth a try.
  • 3 dango – exceptional show one must watch.

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