Apothecary Diaries is a really good show. The premise is unique and Maomao is immediately likable and interesting as a main character. The way she uses her knowledge as an apothecary to solve problems in the palace is very entertaining, and it even makes the smaller plotlines stand out. The art and sound are both great, and the character designs are memorable. Side characters are usually good, though most of them don’t get a ton of depth, mainly because the story is so focused on Maomao, which isn't a problem tbh.

The main issue I had while watching is how Maomao is never really challenged. She’s almost always right, and a lot of the time she just happens to know the exact niche fact needed to solve the mystery. It starts to feel kind of unbelievable, especially since she’s supposed to be like 16 or something, not a lifelong apothecary like her teacher. I don’t mind if the main character is unrealistically smart sometimes, but she’s ALWAYS right, and that makes the plot pretty repetitive for a while. There’s not much tension when you know she’ll figure it out with ease. And while it’s fine for a protagonist in anime to be overpowered, Maomao’s lack of meaningful failure or challenge through most of the series weakens her growth a lot.

There’s also this weird disconnect with how she’s super logical about everything except when it comes to Jinshi’s feelings for her. For someone as sharp as Maomao, it takes her way too long to catch on, and it’s kind of hard to buy that she wouldn’t notice what’s going on. I get that she’s emotionally guarded, but seriously...

The middle part of the show is where I started to lose a bit of interest. Almost every episode follows the same formula with a problem showing up, Maomao solving it, and we move on. Even big moments like her getting fired get resolved way too quickly to matter. I was hoping for some bigger shake-up or real consequences, but the show mostly sticks to its routine. I do like how many of the mysteries link together later, but this middle section was unbearably repetitive.

That said, the last stretch of episodes is much better. Episode 19 is the first time Maomao actually runs into a real problem. She’s almost too late, and there are actual consequences (she hurts her leg, Jinshi almost dies). It’s the first time the show made me worry that Maomao might actually fail, and that made it a lot more interesting. The final episodes, especially 23 and 24, are some of the best in the season. The backstory with Lakan adds depth and emotional weight, and it finally feels like Maomao is more than just a walking encyclopedia, but a real character with complex motivations.

Overall, Maomao does have some character development. You can't really point out a change in her character from the start of the season to the end, but our view of her definitely does have some major changes. I might have been nitpicky about her never failing or changing, but the show does a good job making her feel more human by the end. Overall, for a season 1, its a phenomenal introduction to a very endearing character.

There's also a subtle sense of a deeper, connected mystery that ties all the incidents together. It's not very easy to follow, and the show kind of just dumped all the key revelations at once (Episode 19), which really limited the viewer engagement in solving the mystery alongside our main character. I would have preferred they dropped some breadcrumbs earlier to make the overarching plot more satisfying, but the eventual payoff is still rewarding.

Also, Netflix subtitles are pretty hard to follow. They use formal speech patterns, making the scenes harder to follow and may necessitate a rewatch to fully understand. It may not be an issue for everybody, but it was very annoying to me.

In this review, it may have seemed like I didn't like the show much, but thats because I focused more on the negatives than on the positives. I was nit picking at anything I didn't like because I'm sure theres so many other places where you can find praise for one the highest rated anime in recent times.

Overall, The Apothecary Diaries is one the most enjoyable shows I've watched in a while. The start and end are especially strong. It’s held back a bit by a repetitive middle and a main character who’s a little too perfect for most of the season, but it’s still something I’d recommend to almost everybody. It has a unique storyline, an interesting world, likable characters, and when the show lets the drama breathe, it really works.