Adapting light novels to other forms of media, such as anime, has always been a challenge due to the descriptive nature of the storytelling. This is evident in the fact that there are very few examples of successful light novel adaptations. Animes like Studio Shaft's Monogatari, Ufotable's Garden of Sinners, A.C.G.T's Kino's Journey, and the recently trending Jobless Reincarnation are among the few successful adaptations. My today's subject of review is Apothecary Diaries, which may show the same qualities as Monogatari or Garden of Sinners, but is definitely a shining example of a successful light novel adaptation.

The tale starts with a particularly unique and refreshing concept and in a very minimalist manner. Maomao, an ordinary, impulsive, yet curious and incredibly brilliant girl, is our story's central character. As she grew up with her apothecary father, she developed an immense fascination for poisons, herbs and other drugs and, as a result, attained great mastery in that field. One day, Parenthetically, on her way home, she got kidnapped and lodged at that period's Chinese inner palace. Eventually, by slowly getting entangled with a myriad of political and encircling mysteries, her story come the story of the Apothecary Diaries begins. Among the ensemble of all characters throughout the entire screenplay, her character serves as the pivotal driving force of the story. The excellent amalgamation of exceptional character design with sincerely done characterization renders her an easily likeable character; her eccentric personality and interactions with surroundings and other characters ensure the screenplay with an engaging viewing experience in the span of 24 episodes. Notable among other characters was Jinsi, the overseer of all the decisions that take place in the palace. His and Maomao's playful relationship provided me with some great entertainment this anime had to offer. As described, I found Maomao's character to be enjoyable for the majority of the time, but her dominating the entire screen time and overshadowing other characters was a lingering issue, which at times caused me frustration because there were some characters with good prospects but they remained underutilized.

As a content that focuses on mystery, the atmosphere is the most vital element to me for immersing in its world. Luckily, Apothecary Diaries excels in this aspect, providing a captivating and immersive experience. One of the most appealing aspects of its ambience was its detailed and natural depiction of that Era, which adds a layer of realism and authenticity to the story. The show illustrates the brothels of that period without shying away from the sensitive topics. Moreover, it vividly showcases the lifestyle of womens of that time and boldly incorporates many sensitive cultural and customary practices of the inner palace. With these, the mysterious events that unfold throughout the series are presented with a combination of soft colour palettes and slightly eerie music. All these things created a very memorable and captivating ambience, which was the primary element that kept me engaged with the show.

The purpose of a well-constructed atmosphere and a compelling main character with a lovable personality is only truly fulfilled when the core story is good. Apothecary Diaries succeeds in this regard for the most part. As the anime narrates its story primarily through short tales due to its episodic nature, it's natural for me to not enjoy every one of those tales. There were a few episodes that didn't meet my standards. However, the way the author connected the plotlines and characters introduced previously to construct a well-organized storyline in the grand scheme of things is applaudable. I am really looking forward to seeing its future for what it unfolds. It's frank to assume that the future seasons are going to appear with bigger surprises to uncover and thicker conspiracies to unfold.

Throughout my review, I predominantly praised the show for its noteworthy qualities, which it undoubtedly possesses. However, when it comes to my personal feelings, my expectation from the anime was to show a bit more ambitious nature. But anyway, It has an immense potential to deliver an unforgettable narrative in the upcoming seasons.