Anime Expo might be in the rearview, but we’ve still got one more Apothecary Diaries cast interview. Long story short, after finally being freed from the on-the-ground marathon of having to hoof it from the Peacock Theater to the Los Angeles Convention Center in under 10 minutes flat for two blockbuster shonen interviews I absolutely couldn’t miss—I was a sweaty mess, by the by—the folks at Crunchyroll assisted in getting one of the must-watch anime of the decade’s interview to see the light thanks to the communication boon that is email. Please clap.
For folks outside of the loop, The Apothecary Diaries is an anime taking the zeitgeist by storm. In essence, the show is what if Columbo were a diminutive and precocious apothecary girl named Maomao, with a penchant for poisons, who winds up in the rear palace of an Emperor’s castle to attend to his concubines. Maomao’s employment, if you can call it that, is far from a voluntary, low-risk task. What with all the politicking of poisoning concubines to gain higher stature within the palace, Maomao is routinely called upon to suss the culprits behind veiled political schemes despite her wishes to remain ignorant of them for her own safety as a commoner inside the proverbial lion’s den where her life is at the whims of her betters. Adding to the mix is a very pretty eunuch named Jinshi, who occasionally serves as the Watson to her Sherlock while also being her slow-burn romantic interest as the two uncover secrets within the Emperor’s rear palace and unravel each other’s mysteries. In essence, the show is part soap opera, part detective mystery, and all drama, and fans are head over heels with it. It’s so popular that newer shows and manga that strike the same register are increasingly sought out by fans as we await the show’s upcoming third season. That’s real motion. With the show poised for a third season and a movie in the wings, io9 spoke with Jinshi and Maomao’s Japanese voice actors, Takeo Otsuka and Aoi Yūki, about why the show resonates so well with anime fans, and to get a temperature check on their characters’ blossoming relationship.
