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.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: Among the show’s elements, do you find yourself most drawn to its detective-style puzzles, its romantic tension, or its period-drama atmosphere?
Aoi Yūki: I would argue that it’s actually the cocktail—the balance of all three of those. The fact that you’re trying to mix these things that would seem difficult, yet somehow the show pulls it off in a way that builds this world and makes it so charming, is what I think is its attractive point.
Takeo Otsuka: I’m tempted to say same as Yūki-san. But I do feel that if it’s missing any one of those elements you described, it would no longer be The Apothecary Diaries. I think it’s all of them coming together that makes the experience possible. Even while performing, I feel like there are certain hints, Easter eggs, setups, and payoffs that are happening. And even how Maomao interacts with the other characters and the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi—I know that’s kind of placed at center stage—but there are other different romances happening. Every character is so unique, and every character is so strong in their own right. It’s that totality of it that makes the show feel so complete.
io9: Season two gives us an even closer look at the emotional undercurrents inside the rear palace. Was there a particular scene this season that surprised you in how it deepened your understanding of Maomao or Jinshi?
Yūki: A lot of the mystery revolves around human relationships that we see in the rear palace, and by having these exchanges and talking to other characters, they begin to reveal their true selves. The same is true for Maomao and Jinshi as well. Watching the story progress and the way the mysteries are tangled up in human relationships really shows a lot about how the world works.
Otsuka: Jinshi’s character is always more reactive to what’s happening around him. I think a lot of his actions are influenced by others’ actions and what they say. When we perform, we go into the booth with a lot of other actors to perform scenes together. I think that personality translates as well. I’ll react to how the others are performing and then deliver my performance, which becomes more genuine in expressing who Jinshi is. I think the character is almost built by us recording together. Without the entire cast, we wouldn’t see Jinshi the way we see him in the show.
io9: Looking back at your characters’ journeys from the beginning of the anime to the end of season two, how do you interpret the evolution of their relationship and the way Maomao and Jinshi understand each other now?
Yūki: Maomao was raised with Luomen’s belief that “you shouldn’t speak based on speculation.” Even so, in season two, I got the impression that she began sharing her thoughts with Jinshi and the others even while they were still only speculation. I think that change has strengthened the sense of partnership between her and Jinshi.
Otsuka: Compared to season one, I felt that in season two it was okay for Jinshi’s genuine emotions to show a little more in the way he reacts to Maomao’s every move. Even in the visuals we were watching during the recording sessions, I felt that Jinshi’s facial expressions had become much more expressive than they were in Season 1.
io9: Season two unfurls several long-standing mysteries. Were there any reveals you personally managed to figure out ahead of reading the script, or did some of them catch you off guard in the same way they did viewers?
Yūki: Looking back, there were clues everywhere from the moment Maomao met Shisui. Season two had all kinds of foreshadowing woven in from the first cour, but then Suirei appeared just when you’d forgotten about it all, which made the reveal all the more shocking. In hindsight, you could probably say the story was leading toward Maomao being kidnapped, but it unfolded in a way that never made you see it coming.
Otsuka: Take the incident where Jinshi was targeted in the episode “The Hunt,” for example. This series is so good at making you forget about the clues it has planted. As you watch one incident after another unfold, you don’t realize it until much later, when you finally remember, “Oh right, that happened too!” I think that feeling of putting all the pieces together afterward is part of what makes the series so enjoyable.
io9: The “frog scene” quickly became one of the most talked-about moments from season two. From your experience in both, what was the recording process like for that scene? How many takes did it take for you to capture the comedy and timing of the errors of that moment?
Yūki: You could even say it was the closest thing the series has to a sexy scene, so everyone had a lot of fun with it during recording. (Laughs) I think a big part of why that scene came together so well was thanks to Otsuka-san’s performance.
Otsuka: With that scene, I remember wondering, “How far should I take this?” It took some thought to figure out the right approach to the performance. Throughout the scene, there are moments where the tension suddenly lets up, even though it’s a serious situation, and I felt that was very much in the spirit of The Apothecary Diaries. I also approached it with the feeling that it was a scene built on everything that had come before.
The Apothecary Diaries is streaming on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu, with season 3 in development and a movie on the way.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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