The Apothecary Diaries Live-Action Series Set for 2028, Mana Ashida Stars as Maomao
The live-action adaptation marks a major expansion of The Apothecary Diaries into a new medium, with the original author's personal endorsement of the lead casting adding weight to the project's fidelity to the source material.
Key Facts
- The Apothecary Diaries live-action series will stream exclusively worldwide on Amazon Prime Video in 2028.
- Mana Ashida stars as Maomao in the live-action series.
- Yuki Saito directs the series, with Erika Yoshida writing the screenplay.
- The series is co-produced by TOHO and Amazon MGM Studios.
- The Apothecary Diaries anime film, The Deceased Empress' Treasure, opens in theaters on December 11.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Anime Corner.
Amazon Prime Video announced on Thursday that it is producing a live-action series adaptation of Hyuganatsu and Touko Shino's The Apothecary Diaries light novel series, with Mana Ashida cast as protagonist Maomao. The series will stream exclusively worldwide on Amazon Prime Video in 2028. It is co-produced by TOHO and Amazon MGM Studios, with Yuki Saito directing and Erika Yoshida writing the screenplay. A teaser visual featuring Ashida as Maomao was revealed alongside the announcement. Ashida, who said she was already a fan of the novels, described the filming period as one where she poured her heart into her love for Maomao and the series. Original author Hyuganatsu welcomed the adaptation, saying she felt confident after Ashida was chosen, and that she visited the set several times, impressed by the elaborate sets and costumes. The Apothecary Diaries began as a web novel in October 2011, with print novels starting in August 2014 and a manga adaptation in May 2017. The story follows Maomao, a young apothecary sold into service in the emperor's rear palace, where her medical knowledge catches the attention of the head eunuch Jinshi. The series has two anime seasons, with a third season premiering October 2, 2026, and an anime film opening December 11.
- Mana Ashida is known for Pacific Rim and Mother.
- J-Novel Club publishes the novels digitally in English; Square Enix Manga & Books handles the manga adaptation in English.
- The first anime season aired from October 2023 for two cours; the second premiered in January 2025 on Nippon TV's FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT block.
- The third anime season starts October 2 at 11:00 p.m. JST on NTV and 29 affiliates, with its second cour in April 2027.
- The anime film, The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure, opens December 11 with a new story by Hyuganatsu.
- Ashida said she felt nervous joining a work she loved, and that the cast and staff respected the original in small details.
- Hyuganatsu said she thought "That's Maomao!" when she met Ashida, and praised the script, props, hair and makeup, and etiquette guidance on set.
- Hyuganatsu joked about the production cost, and told an anecdote about covering her niece's eyes when the actor playing Jinshi was present.
- A second manga adaptation, written and illustrated by Minoji Kurata, also exists alongside the Nekokurage version.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.