Thoughts and considerations on season 2 of “The Apothecary Diaries” | The evolution of the harem suspense as the mystery deepens and relationships become unstable!
The second season of “The Apothecary Diaries” is back as an anime in the winter of 2024. As it was a long-awaited sequel, viewers had high expectations, but… in conclusion, it exceeded expectations! The story was even more intense than the first season, and the relationships between the characters were intricately intertwined, making it a season that was extremely worth watching.
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Story: Not just a harem mystery
In the second season, not only the harem but also the political movements of the outer court and the emperor’s entourage were depicted, and the scale of the story expanded at once. One of the most impressive developments was when Nekone stepped out of the harem as a pharmacist and became more deeply involved with the emperor and Jinshi.
The sense of gradually getting closer to Jinshi’s secret and the level of the incidents that Nekone gets involved in have also increased, which was also good as the suspense elements increased.
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Characters: The relationship between Nekoneko and Jinshi is super hot
In the first season, it was a “Nekoneko pretending to be indifferent vs Jinshi wanting to spoil her” structure, but in the second season, there are more scenes where Nekoneko gradually starts to become aware of Jinshi as “someone she cares about”, which must have made many people smile (lol).
Especially towards the end, the scene where Jinshi confronts Nekoneko quite seriously as “someone he wants to protect” was very emotional. Nekoneko’s airheadedness (?) is the same as always, and Jinshi’s lack of ability to run around is still there, which was a relief.
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Highlights: The balance of incidents and human drama is divine
It’s amazing how, in addition to the mystery-solving elements surrounding poison and disease, the weight of “human karma” and the “class system” behind the incidents are also depicted so well.
・The front and back of aristocratic society
・The intentions of the servants
・The lack of options for “living as a woman”
Deep themes such as these are casually inserted, and I felt that it was amazing that it would not end as just a mystery anime.
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Artwork & direction: Stable + solid highlights
The quality of the art is stable in the second season. The subtle expressions of the characters and the gorgeous atmosphere of the harem are still alive and well. In particular, the movements of emotions are expressed delicately, and the scene where Nekoneko doesn’t say anything but her agitation is conveyed just by her facial expressions is spine-chilling.
The depictions of action and suspense are gradually increasing, and the pace of stillness and movement is well-balanced.
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Expectations for the future: How will they portray the true identity of Jinji?
Towards the end, we are gradually getting closer to the core of “who is Jinji?”, and as a viewer, I am excited, wondering “Is the core coming soon?” Even those who are familiar with the original work should have found the production unique to the anime to be refreshing.
The lead-in to the third season was perfect, so I’m even more excited for the sequel!
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Summary: The second season was a story about “human relationships”
I think the second season of “The Apothecary Diaries” went beyond a simple mystery and focused on “connections between people” and “changes in the heart.” The distance between Nekoneko and Jinji changes little by little through the incident, and the feelings of the people around them.
It’s not flashy, but it’s a story that hits you deep.
*If you have any thoughts or opinions, please let us know in the comments!
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