The highly anticipated second season of The Apothecary Diaries made its grand return this year, continuing to captivate audiences with its intricate storytelling and historical intrigue.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Premiere with 6.73 Million Viewers.
Fans had been eagerly awaiting the sequel for the beloved light novel adaptation since the anime’s first season concluded last year. The viewing figures for the season premiere are further testament to that and the show’s massive popularity as a whole, with the episode drawing an impressive viewership of 3.36 million, scoring a 2.7% rating during its live broadcast.
With DVR catch-up included (Live+7 Days), the episode’s viewership doubled to 6.73 million viewers (5.4%), with more than 4.67 million households tuning into the season premiere. These figures are especially impressive considering the fact that the late-night anime landscape is often dominated by Shonen Jump or Shonen anime.
Beyond traditional television, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 has also dominated the streaming landscape. Since January 12, it has been Japan’s most-watched TV show across all streaming platforms, showcasing its immense popularity nationwide. Additionally, the series is the Second Most-Watched Anime on Netflix Japan, only behind Sakamoto Days, a testament to its widespread appeal and binge-worthy narrative.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 reinvigorates manga and light novel sales for the series.
The anime’s return has also reinvigorated sales of its source material. The manga sold a massive 242,000 copies in January following the show’s return, while the light novel series sold 58,804 copies and was the Second Best-Selling Light Novel for the month of January—strong indicators of the anime’s impact and fanfare across the country.
Premiering less than a year since the conclusion of the anime’s first season, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 has captalized on the series’s strong momentum proving once again that its blend of mystery, intense courtly drama, and compelling characters resonates deeply with audiences. Whether through television ratings, streaming dominance, or manga and light novel sales, these numbers have only solidified the anime’s sophomore outing as the most popular anime in Japan for the Winter 2025 anime season.
What is The Apothecary Diaries?
The Apothecary Diaries is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Toko Shino. Shunfunotomo’s Hero Bunko currently publishes the light novel series, while J-Novel Club publishes the digital English version. Square Enix publishes the novels in print.
The series also has two manga adaptations: the manga series of the same name by Itsuki Nanao, illustrated by Nekokurage on Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan; and Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Maomao no Kokyu Nazotoki Techo (The Apothecary Diaries: The Palace Cloister Mystery-Solving Notebook of Maomao) by Minoji Kurata on Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday Gene-X.
TOHO Animation and OML animated the first season of The Apothecary Diaries in 2023. The second season is currently ongoing and is set to have a total of 25 episodes.
Crunchyroll describes the plot of Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries:
When a favored concubine becomes pregnant, Maomao is put to the test as her food taster. She must keep her wits sharp, not only to protect the concubine but also against rising dangers in the palace. A new concubine with powerful ties, an unsolved attempt at Jinshi’s life, and a foreign envoy with impossible demands hint at a grand conspiracy poised to engulf the empire.
The Apothecary Diaries has 38 million copies in circulation through its manga and light novels.
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Source: Video Research Ltd.