It has been announced that the first theatrical anime film based on the light novel by Natsu Hyuga , which originated on the Shosetsuka ni Naro submission site " The Apothecary Diaries," will be released on December 11th. The film will feature a completely new story with the original author, Natsu Hyuga, in charge of the story concept, and it has also been announced that the title will be "Theatrical Version of The Apothecary Diaries: The Secret Treasure of the Deceased The Apothecary Diaries ." The film is said to be the biggest mystery in the series' history, with "the secret of the corpse" and "hidden treasure" intricately intertwined.
Maomao and Jinshi embark on a journey to the southern lands, the hometown of a concubine who died in the imperial harem five years ago, in order to return her body to her homeland. Arriving in the vibrant floating city of Minan Province, Maomao is thrilled by the prospect of discovering new medicines and plants, but she soon finds herself confronted with a great mystery hidden within the concubine's body. The existence of pirates wreaking havoc in the region and hidden treasures are also revealed.
A new trailer has also been released on YouTube, featuring a mysterious boy who holds the key to the story and other new characters. In the latter half of the video, Maomao's line, "What kind of secret is he hiding?" is heard, along with glimpses of the intertwined motives of various characters.
A teaser visual has also been unveiled, depicting dazzling treasures illuminated by the torch held by Maomao inside a cave, with the burning opposite bank visible in the distance and numerous flaming arrows. The tagline reads, "That mystery will lead you to the hidden treasure."
The theatrical version visuals for Maomao and Jinshi have also been released. Maomao is wearing her trademark green outfit, arms crossed, and gazing with an intelligent look. Jinshi, while retaining his handsome appearance, is clad in a noble travel outfit predominantly in deep blue.
Mariya Ise will play Mu Qing, a young man from the Wei clan who rules the vibrant floating city of Wei Nanzhou, which Maomao and Jinshi visit. Mu Qing is said to be a key character in the story.
"The Apothecary Diaries" is a light novel series published by Hero Bunko (Imagica Infos), and its manga adaptation is also popular. The original series has sold over 45 million copies in total. In the opulent imperial harem of a certain continent, a young girl named Maomao, who works as a poison taster, becomes involved in incidents that occur in the harem, which is rife with intrigue and rumors, together with the handsome harem administrator, Jinshi. The first season of the TV anime aired from October 2023 to March 2024, and the second season aired from January to July 2025. The third season of the TV anime will be split into two cours, with the first cour airing on Nippon Television in October and the second cour airing from April 2027.
◇Staff (titles omitted)
Original Story Concept: Natsu Hyuga(Hero Bunko/Imagica Infos)▽Character Design: Touko Shino ▽Director: Norihiro Naganuma▽Screenplay: Yuko Kakihara▽Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Yukiko Nakatani▽Color Design: Misato Aida▽Art Director: Masakazu Miyake▽Art Board: Takumi Tanji TJ▽CG Producer: Masaya Machida▽Director of Photography: Atsushi Takeyama▽Editing: Daisuke Imai▽Sound Director: Shoji Hata▽Music: Satoru Kousaki, Kevin Penkin, Arisa Okehazama▽Animation Production: TOHO animation STUDIO▽Production: "The Apothecary Diaries" Movie Production Committee▽Distribution: Toho
◇Cast (titles omitted)
Maomao: Aoi Yuki; Jinshi: Takeo Otsuka; Muqing: Mariya Ise
