A retrospective screening of the first season of the anime "The Apothecary Diaries," based on the light novel by Hinata Natsu that originated on the novel submission website "Let's Become a Novelist," was held at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) on February 15th, with Aoi Yuki, who plays Nekoneko, Takeo Otsuka, who plays Jinshi, and Takuya Kirimoto, who plays Rakan, in attendance. This was Kirimoto's first time appearing at a "The Apothecary Diaries" event, and he expressed his joy, saying, "I'm happy. I've been looking forward to it," revealing for the first time behind-the-scenes stories from the recording of famous scenes from the first and second seasons of the anime.
Regarding his role as the Arhat, Kirimoto said, "I was surprised. During the audition, I thought it was a character I often play, but I didn't think I would get it. I could understand that he was a weirdo, so I thought about it in that direction. During the first recording session, the director explained to me, 'He's a weirdo.' I was nervous and it sounded like 'pervert.' He was more than just weirdo, he was a pervert. I went into the recording thinking of myself as the pervert and the director as the weirdo."
Rakan is carefree and sometimes his true feelings are hard to read. He first appeared as a mysterious character. Kirimoto said, "I tried to portray the essence of laughter, the feeling of laughing somewhere, and instead of receiving the other person's direct attack, I tried to return it."
Looking back on the recordings, Otsuka said, "There were many times when we recorded together. He wouldn't return the ball I threw to him. He would throw something completely different. It felt different, there was a good sense of tension, and I felt like I was floating around in the atmosphere of an arhat." Kirimoto added, "(Otsuka) throws straight balls comfortably, so I thought it would be more interesting if I returned it with a different type of ball."
In episode 19, "Coincidence or Fate," there is a famous scene in which Rakan goes to rescue Nekoneko. Yuki said, "It was recorded separately, but when I saw the finished footage, it was so powerful, like a tiger had appeared. How can I convey this convincing power? I thought I couldn't do it..." When asked by Kirimoto, he revealed his acting plan, saying, "First, I input a sense of perversion, and no matter how much I try to change it, as long as I keep the core in mind, I won't waver. I have had that experience on stage as well. I remember working backwards. I don't know if I managed it, though."
The final episode of the first season depicted the relationship between Rakan and Nekoneko's mother, Housen, which was very moving. Kirimoto said, "I was entrusted with an important scene at the very end. I received the script and it was going to be in the whole movie, so I felt it would be difficult. I read the script every day for a week until the recording. I thought about what I should do and tried to act."
The exchange between Rakan and Jinshi in episode 44 of the second season, "The Fortress," is a memorable scene, with Otsuka saying, "It's the scene where Jinshi takes a step forward and makes up his mind. He discusses some sensitive topics in his exchange with Rakan. In many ways, it's also one of the turning points in 'The Apothecary Diaries.'" Kirimoto reflected, "Before that, Ojiki had scolded him, and he realized what he had to do. It's a scene that shows the greatness of Rakan. One wrong step and he'll jump over a dangerous spot. It's a memorable scene."
When the topic turned to the opposite-sex character he would like to play, Kirimoto replied, "For me it would be the capable old lady. I love her and she's my favorite. We recorded a scene together where I get beaten up, and her lines really hit me hard and made me cry."
Kirimoto said, "I feel very fortunate to have been able to be involved in this production," and spoke of his love for the arhats in "A Pharmacist's Soliloquy."
The light novel version of "The Apothecary Diaries" is published by Hero Bunko (Imagica Infos), and its comic adaptation has also gained popularity. The original series has sold over 45 million copies in total. The story is set in the glamorous harem of a certain continent, where a young poison taster named Nekoneko and the handsome harem manager, Jinshi, become embroiled in an incident that unfolds in a harem filled with conspiracies and rumors. The first season of the TV anime aired from October 2023 to March 2024, and the second season aired from January to July 2025.
It has also been announced that a third season of the TV anime and the first movie version of the anime will be produced. The third season of the TV anime will be split into two seasons, with the first season airing in October on Nippon Television and the second season starting in April 2027. The movie version will be a completely new story with the original story idea by the original author, Natsu Hinata, and will be released in December.
