Content Warning: Forced Prostitution, Dubious Consent, Gun Violence, Bullying, Sexual References, Past Child Sexual Assault, Disguised Aphrodisiacs, Indentured Servitude
Synopsis
Based on the light novel of the same name, The Apothecary Diaries follows the stories of the genius apothecary and reluctant detective, Maomao. Born in the pleasure district and raised by her adoptive father, Maomao dedicated herself to becoming an expert apothecary. But after being kidnapped and sold off to the inner palace to work for the emperor’s concubines, Maomao finds that her skills are more useful than ever! The inner palace is riddled with mysteries, poisoners, and some of the most fascinating people you could ever hope to meet. That includes the mysterious eunuch, Jinshi, who seems to be taking a special interest in Maomao. How could he not, when she’s the only one immune to his charms?
The Good
Whilst Volume 12 was widely anticipated by fans for its famous “frog” scene, it’s not Jinshi’s romantic longing for the nonplussed Maomao that sells the series. At its heart The Apothecary Diaries is a mystery manga. Maomao is the quintessential detective, joining the long line of Autistic Coded Sleuths. Maomao admits to not being able to read emotions, and that her special interest in poison can be so all consuming that she can’t focus on anything else – including her own health. However, where some characters in this genre are portrayed as cold hearted, Maomao is anything but. She loves her friends, and openly tells them so. She might not be able to anticipate their wants, but once they tell them to her she’s more than willing to do all she can to help. She’s a fantastic, vibrant heroine who will definitely appeal to fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.
The mysteries here are incredibly satisfying. Many detective series make the mistake of either insulting the reader’s intelligence, or refusing to provide the information needed to solve things. With Apothecary Diaries the reader is able to solve the mystery alongside Maomao. An existing knowledge of the 17th century helps, but if you don’t know about historical beauty techniques you’re not left out. The explanation is fun, exciting, and in no way condescending.
In this adaptation, Nekokurage shows their remarkable talent for detailed artwork. Volume 12 and 13 cover a range of genres- comedy, romance, adventure, cooking, and horror just to name a few. Nekoruage is able to take on the challenge of creating different moods whilst maintaining a consistent visual language. Their backgrounds are beautifully detailed. I was particularly impressed with their drawings of the mountain and forest landscapes. I also liked their use of pacing when it came to panelling. They knew when to keep it dynamic to enhance the action, when to utilise the impact of a page turn with a full double spread, and when to keep it simple for comedy’s sake. Their short gag manga at the end of the volume are always a delight to read!
Touco Shino’s character designs are flawless. Each has their own unique style that makes them easy to tell apart from a silhouette alone. I highly recommend manga readers check out the official art book which contains the illustrations from the original light novel, upon which Nekoruage bases their own work.
The Bad
If you’re looking for historical accuracy, look elsewhere. Writer Natsu Hyuuga does specify that whilst Apothecary Diaries takes inspiration from the Late Ming Dynasty, it isn’t actually set there, but rather a completely fictional land. However, this feels more like an excuse for ignoring a culture’s history and legacy, rather than a form of creativity. I take issue with how Maomao’s brilliant deductions are often born out of her father’s knowledge from studying abroad. Especially since some things that are claimed to be exotic or rare, actually originate from China. Denying that takes away the cultural legacy the work explicitly pulls from. For example, when Maomao makes ice cream she claims to only have seen it done once, and nobody in the palace has even heard of it. However, not only does the first record of adding dairy to iced drinks come from the Tang Dynasty, but some historians even propose that the endothermic reaction used to make ice cream was discovered in China!
Hyuuga steps too close to over-romanticising the setting. Whilst the crimes of the previous emperor are given the serious emotional weight they deserve, that cannot be said for the current emperor. There’s no real acknowledgement that this gorgeous luxurious palace is a prison for sex slaves. The women here might have financial power, but they were sold to the emperor and forced to be his breeding stock. It doesn’t matter if they were always prepared for this duty, or that they’re here as volunteers to curry favour for their family – it doesn’t change the fact that they have no freedom. If they try to leave the palace, or deny the emperor his desires, they will face deadly consequences. Whilst there are definitely a few stories that do cover these atrocities, it’s with side characters and not the main cast. It seems that this is all put aside for the sake of a story about beautiful, busty, women competing for the attention of an all powerful man.
I’m not an expert, and I am not Chinese. So I cannot speak to the heart of any of this. But I do think that it’s important to keep in mind that Hyuuga isn’t Chinese either, and that this very hands-off approach to romanticising history would come under huge criticism if a British author wrote it. Japan is, after all, also a colonial nation.
The Verdict
Apothecary Diaries is beloved by so many for a reason. It’s fun, emotional, witty, and beautifully drawn. The characters leap off the page, and the women have a complexity to them not found in a lot of mainstream series. The mysteries are enticing, and satisfying, making you want to keep reading to see if you and Maomao reach the same conclusions. However, that doesn’t make it perfect. There’s a certain amount of fan-service involved in these stories, with a lot of jokes and references made to the characters’ breast size. By setting it in a fantasy version of China, Hyuuga has tried to wash their hands of keeping things historically accurate. However, in doing so they have helped perpetuate assumptions and stereotypes of the nation the story pays tribute to.
I still love this series, and shall continue to fill my flat with acrylic figures, art books, and posters. However, to call it flawless would be a blatant lie.
You can buy The Apothecary Diaries manga from Amazon, Bookshop, and Barnes & Noble
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Credits
Story: Natsu Hyuuga
Art: Nekokurage
Character Design: Touco Shino
Compiler: Itsuki Nanao
Translator: Julie Goniwich
Letterer: Lys Blakeslee
Cover Design: Andrea Miller
Editor: Tania Biswas
English edition published by Square Enix
Article edited by: Bill Curtis
The Good
- Fun Mysteries
- Great Characters
- Wonderful Artwork
The Bad
- Historically Inaccurate
- Romanticises Era
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