Light Novel 'Kusuriya no Hitorigoto' Gets TV Anime

by Vindstot
Feb 15, 2023 6:06 PM | 49 Comments

TOHO animation opened an official website for a television anime adaptation of Natsu Hyuuga's Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) light novel on Thursday, revealing the lead cast, staff, a teaser visual (pictured), and project promo. The anime series will premiere in 2023.

Voice actress Aoi Yuuki (Heike Monogatari, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners) is starring as Maomao.

Staff
Director, Series Composition: Norihiro Naganuma (Mahoutsukai no Yome)
Assistant Director: Akimi Fudesaka (Tsurezure Children)
Character Design: Yukiko Nakatani (Go! Princess Precure)
Color Design: Misato Aida (Uchi no Shishou wa Shippo ga Nai)
Art Director: Katsumi Takao (Pokemon Movie: Minna no Monogatari)
CGI Director: Yuu Nagai (Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu.)
Director of Photography: Rumi Ishiguro (Akiba Meido Sensou)
Editing: Daisuke Imai (Shadows House)
Sound Director: Shouji Hata (Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu)
Music: Satoru Kousaki (Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song), Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss), Alisa Okehazama (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Studio: TOHO animation STUDIO, OLM

Hyuuga originally began penning the medical mystery novel on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website in October 2011. Shufunotomo published it under its RayBooks imprint in a single novel volume in September 2012, featuring the cover illustration by Megumi Matsuda. The publisher began reprinting the series as a light novel through its Hero Bunko label with illustrations by Touko Shino in August 2014. The 12th volume went on sale last July, with the 13th volume scheduled for a February 25 release.

Itsuki Nanao began writing a manga adaptation in Monthly Big Gangan in May 2017, featuring illustrations by Nekokurage. Square Enix published the tenth volume last June, with the 11th volume scheduled to be released on February 25.

Sunday Gene-X began serializing a second manga adaptation by Minoji Kurata in August 2017. The 15th volume shipped in November 2022, with the 16th volume going on sale on February 25.

J-Novel Club licensed the light novel in English in November 2020 for digital release and published the sixth volume in October 2022. The seventh volume is planned for a March 1 release.

Square Enix Manga & Books licensed Nanao and Nekokurage's manga adaptation in English in November 2019 and shipped the seventh volume in December 2022. The eighth volume is planned for a June 6 release.

Synopsis
In an imperial court in ancient China, it has been a few months since a 17-year-old girl known as Maomao was kidnapped and forced to work as a low-level servant at the emperor's palace. Still, she manages to retain her curious and pragmatic spirit, planning to work until her years of servitude are over. One day, however, she catches wind of the fact that the emperor's two infants have fallen gravely ill. She decides to secretly take action, drawing on her experience as a pharmacist raised in the poor red-light district.

Despite Maomao's attempts to remain anonymous, she soon catches the eye of Jinshi, an influential eunuch who recognizes her talents. Maomao soon finds herself in the emperor's inner courst, where she gradually makes a name for herself by utilizing her knowledge and eccentric personality to solve various medical mysteries. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Project PV

Official site: https://kusuriyanohitorigoto.jp/
Official Twitter: @kusuriya_PR
Light novel special site: https://herobunko.com/special/kusuriya/

Source: Moca News

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto on MAL

20 of 49 Comments Recent Comments

I heard a lot of good things about these LNs. always wanted to read them but lacked time. Purchased first 3 volumes after this announcment and I love them so far. And I would argue about demographics post above. Having a strong female lead and bishonen male lead does not make the series automatically oriented for female audience. I do not see any significant amount of related tropes here. It's like, say, caling "House" a "male-oriented" seies. IMHO it will fit equally to any gender demographic.

Feb 25, 2023 1:01 PM by Nachtwandler_21

If we were to try to classify the LN using manga demographic, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto would be either a Josei or a shoujo rather than a seinen. That being said, Manga demographics barely mean a thing anymore nowadays even for manga, and it even means less for anything else. But it is true that the LN label it's published into clearly do novels oriented toward women rather than men.

Feb 23, 2023 1:13 PM by Zefyris

uncleqrow said:
But it's TOHO though.... A literal shounen anime studio. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is not a shounen, in fact it was way deep in the seinen demography with A LOT of really mature contents (death, assassination, prostitution, medically disturbing scenes, on top of the MC is a literal drug addict). I actually fear that they may tone some scenes down to accommodate shounen demography.

So much stupid shit in one post.
This is Toho Animation studio's first anime. Main Toho produced shitload of battle manga adaptations.
KnH is LIGHT NOVEL, manga demographics don't apply here. It's two manga adaptations are in seinen magazines.
The so called "mature contents" appear in many sshounen manga for long time (for example Akame ga Kill).
Shounen only applies to manga/magazine, not anime.

Feb 22, 2023 1:37 PM by bastek66

But it's TOHO though.... A literal shounen anime studio. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is not a shounen, in fact it was way deep in the seinen demography with A LOT of really mature contents (death, assassination, prostitution, medically disturbing scenes, on top of the MC is a literal drug addict). I actually fear that they may tone some scenes down to accommodate shounen demography.

Feb 21, 2023 1:03 AM by uncleqrow

Hypeeeee
MC voiced by Yuuki Aoi!!! Animation is soooo good

Feb 19, 2023 6:56 PM by Maple-Senpai

The manga was good, but I dropped midway because I got bored. I'll definitely reread again now that more chapters were released

Feb 17, 2023 9:28 PM by HyroSan

deg said:
promoting alternative medicines of china eh looks cool too

if anything, the series has protagonist that criticize ancient backward practice that persist.

Feb 17, 2023 4:22 PM by Kuma

Many people speak well of this work, by the synopsis and PV you can see that it is worth it!

Feb 17, 2023 1:14 PM by Kinyoubi

oh my god!! it's happening!!!! so excited

Feb 17, 2023 8:40 AM by yuurei_tokyo

First look at the title and synopsis screamed "just another apothecary anime", but people seem to be loving the LN + record sales = must be something unique? Definitely piqued my interest.

Feb 17, 2023 5:30 AM by Sigmar-Unberogen

Yuuki-san lets fkicng GO!!!

Feb 16, 2023 1:47 PM by knktzvra

promoting alternative medicines of china eh looks cool too

Feb 16, 2023 10:19 AM by deg

So it's finally happening. The LN juggernaut that was already selling more per volume than almost any LN series in history and this WITHOUT an anime series to advertise it(18 millions sales in only 12 volumes by last year, probably above 20 millions by now with still the same amount of volumes) is getting an anime adaptation.

Definitely one of my favourite Japanese novel, and the protagonist is easily in my top 10 protagonist of all time (manga/anime/japanese novel together). That's cool.

But you know what's even cooler? Aoi Yuuki was one of the two seiyuu I was hopping for Maomao if that were to happen one day. One of the best part of this story is Maomao's lines. The better at voicing quirky characters her seiyuu is, the better the anime will be. This is so much win.

Feb 16, 2023 10:08 AM by Zefyris

Won so many times they had to move it to 'hall of fame' ))

Feb 16, 2023 9:48 AM by Vsegda7

yo very unique and long synopsis... i will keep an eye on this just because of animation and OLM studio involved.

Feb 16, 2023 9:42 AM by Firemax

Hell yeah, I've been waiting for this to get an anime adaptation for a while. Super excited!!!

Feb 16, 2023 9:28 AM by worstwotaku

Oh, this seems surprisingly good! I remember it winning some title, so I'll continue to keep a close eye on it.

Feb 16, 2023 8:54 AM by _MushiRock11_

I want this to get an anime adaptation about a year and a half ago and here it is now getting one.

Feb 16, 2023 8:42 AM by Hoppy

Sounds pretty good, will keep an eye out for.