Last updated: 1 November 2026
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is the third season of the palace mystery anime by studio OLM, adapted from Hyuganatsu's light novels. It premiered on Friday 2 October 2026 with new episodes every Friday, and it airs in two parts. The second part begins in April 2027. Maomao returns to work as an apothecary while Jinshi faces up to his revealed identity as the emperor's brother.
About The Apothecary Diaries Season 3
Maomao is a clever young apothecary who solves medical mysteries inside the imperial palace. In Season 3, which premiered on Friday 2 October 2026, the story grows beyond the palace walls: after the Shi clan's rebellion shook the court, Maomao returns to her old life as a pharmacist in the pleasure district, but the court's secrets will not leave her alone, and Jinshi, now openly carrying the heavy duties of the emperor's brother, still needs her mind. The season is airing in two parts: the first cour runs through autumn 2026, and the second cour follows in April 2027. The production also shifts, studio OLM now animates the series on its own, with director Akinori Fudesaka returning from Season 2, while TOHO animation STUDIO steps back after co-producing the first two seasons. Expect the same slow, smart mysteries as ever: poisons, plagues and palace politics, solved by a heroine who would honestly rather be tasting toxins than attending banquets. A theatrical film with an original story by the author follows in Japanese cinemas in December 2026.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is a TV anime from 2026, first released in Fall 2026. It belongs to the Mystery and Drama genres and is listed as currently airing. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Maomao grew up in the pleasure district, raised by an apothecary who taught her everything about herbs, poisons and the human body. Kidnapped and sold into service at the imperial palace, she planned to keep her head down, until babies in the emperor's household started falling ill, and her quiet deductions caught the eye of Jinshi, the palace's beautiful and powerful manager of the rear palace.
Across two seasons Maomao has untangled poisoned cosmetics, staged accidents and a clan rebellion, rising from laundry maid to a lady-in-waiting whose reasoning the court quietly depends on. Season 3 begins in the aftermath of that rebellion: the Shi clan is fallen, its surviving children scattered, and Maomao is back among the apothecaries and courtesans of the pleasure district. But locusts are gathering on the horizon, a mysterious 'immortal maiden' is drawing crowds, and Jinshi's true position, revealed at last, drags them both toward responsibilities neither can refuse.
The mysteries stay small and human even as the stakes turn national, which is exactly the series' charm: empires wobble, but everything still turns on one observant girl noticing one small, wrong detail.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Episodes 1–24 | 2023–2024 | Maomao is sold into the rear palace and rises as she solves its medical mysteries. |
| Season 2 | Episodes 25–48 | 2025 | Deeper court intrigue builds to the Shi clan's rebellion and Jinshi's revealed identity. |
| Season 3, Cour 1 | Episodes 49–60 | 2026 | This season: Maomao returns to the pleasure district as locusts, rumours and old secrets gather. |
| Season 3, Cour 2 | To follow | 2027 | The second half of Season 3, set for April 2027. |
Why Watch The Apothecary Diaries Season 3
- A detective story in palace dress: every case turns on medicine, poison and one small overlooked clue.
- Maomao herself, deadpan, brilliant and funnier than almost any heroine in anime right now.
- The story widens beyond the palace: the pleasure district, the provinces and a looming locust plague.
- Jinshi's revealed identity finally moves the central relationship onto new ground.
- Yorushika's opening and Eve's ending give the season a signature sound from its first episode.
Who Is It For?
Aimed at teens and adults who enjoy slow-burn mystery and court drama more than action. Expect poisonings, illness, death and palace intrigue handled thoughtfully rather than graphically, plus a dry, witty tone throughout.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of The Apothecary Diaries Season 3.
- MaomaoMain character: a sharp young apothecary who solves the court's medical mysteriesJapanese voiceAoi Yuki
- JinshiMain character: the beautiful palace official who keeps pulling Maomao into bigger secretsJapanese voiceTakeo Otsuka
- GaoshunJinshi's loyal, unflappable aideJapanese voiceKatsuyuki Konishi
- GyokuyouThe emperor's favoured consort, Maomao's mistress at the Jade PavilionJapanese voiceAtsumi Tanezaki
- LihuaA high-ranking consort whose early tragedy first proved Maomao's skillJapanese voiceYui Ishikawa
- LishuThe young, timid Virtuous ConsortJapanese voiceHina Kino
- Ah-DuoA former consort with a deep connection to Jinshi's pastJapanese voiceYuko Kaida
- LakanA brilliant, unsettling strategist with a personal interest in MaomaoJapanese voiceTakuya Kirimoto
- SuireiA mysterious court lady tied to a forbidden resurrection drugJapanese voiceKaori Nazuka
- ShisuiA cheerful, insect-loving maid who befriends Maomao: and is more than she seemsJapanese voiceAsami Seto
- XiaolanMaomao's bright, gossip-loving fellow servant and friendJapanese voiceMisaki Kuno
- LihakuA good-hearted military officer often roped into Maomao's investigationsJapanese voiceKenji Akabane
- BasenGaoshun's son, a earnest young officer serving JinshiJapanese voiceTatsumaru Tachibana
- LahanA numbers-obsessed official from Lakan's clan with his own agendaJapanese voiceToshiyuki Toyonaga
- PairinA famed courtesan of the Verdigris House, one of Maomao's big-sister figuresJapanese voiceAmi Koshimizu
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Hyuganatsu (Natsu Hyuga)
- Animation Studio
- OLM (Season 3; TOHO animation STUDIO co-produced Seasons 1–2)
- Director
- Norihiro Naganuma (Season 1); Akinori Fudesaka (Seasons 2–3)
- Character Design
- Yukiko Nakatani
- Music
- Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin and Alisa Okehazama
Manga & Source Material
The Apothecary Diaries began as a web novel by Hyuganatsu (Natsu Hyuga), first posted online in 2011, before becoming a light novel series illustrated by Touko Shino. Unusually, it has two different manga adaptations running at the same time.
- Written by Hyuganatsu and illustrated by Touko Shino
- Light novels published by Shufunotomo's Hero Bunko imprint since August 2014; 16 volumes as of 2025, and the series is ongoing
- Two manga adaptations began in 2017: Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan version drawn by Nekokurage, and Shogakukan's Sunday Gene-X version, Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace, drawn by Minoji Kurata
- The franchise passed 57 million copies in circulation worldwide by 2026
- The anime's third season adapts the novels' post-rebellion story, and an original film written by Hyuganatsu follows in December 2026
Music
Each cour of The Apothecary Diaries brings a new opening and ending pair, and the artists are major names, from Ryokuoushoku Shakai and Lilas Ikuta to Mrs. GREEN APPLE. Season 3's pair, Yorushika and Eve, both return to the series after earlier anime hits.
Opening Themes
- “Hana ni Natte”by Ryokuoushoku ShakaiSeason 1, first cour opening (2023)
- “Ambivalent”by UruSeason 1, second cour opening (2024)
- “Hyakka Ryoran”by Lilas IkutaSeason 2, first cour opening (2025)
- “Kusushiki”by Mrs. GREEN APPLESeason 2, second cour opening (2025)
- “Kumo o Nukekazashimo e Watashidake”by YorushikaCurrentSeason 3, first cour opening (2026): this season
Ending Themes
- “Aikotoba”by Aina the EndSeason 1, first cour ending (2023)
- “Ai wa Kusuri”by wacciSeason 1, second cour ending (2024)
- “Shiawase no Recipe”by Dai HiraiSeason 2, first cour ending (2025)
- “Hitorigoto”by OmoinotakeSeason 2, second cour ending (2025)
- “AIYOU”by EveCurrentSeason 3, first cour ending (2026): this season
Series Timeline
- 2011
Hyuganatsu begins posting The Apothecary Diaries as a web novel online.
- 2014
The light novel edition begins under the Hero Bunko imprint, illustrated by Touko Shino.
- 2017
Two manga adaptations launch in the same year, in Monthly Big Gangan and Sunday Gene-X.
- 2023
The anime's first season premieres in October and runs for 24 episodes.
- 2025
Season 2 airs from January to July, ending with the Shi clan rebellion storyline.
- 2026
Season 3 premieres on 2 October; an original theatrical film follows in Japanese cinemas on 11 December.
- 2027
Season 3's second cour begins in April.
Release Schedule
- Japanese broadcast
- Fridays at 11:00 p.m. on Nippon TV's Friday Anime Night block
- Premiere
- Friday 2 October 2026 (episode 49 of the series overall)
- Latest episode
- Episode 5 of Season 3 (episode 53 overall), aired Friday 30 October 2026
- Next episode
- Episode 6 is due Friday 6 November 2026
- Streaming
- Crunchyroll streams new episodes weekly in most countries; Netflix carries the season in select regions of Asia
- Cour 2
- The season's second part is set for April 2027
Schedule information as of 1 November 2026. Dates can change, check the official announcements for the latest news.
Quick Answers
Is The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 finished?
No, not yet. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is currently airing, which means new episodes are still being released.
What genre is The Apothecary Diaries Season 3?
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is a Mystery and Drama anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Mystery anime page.
When did The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 release?
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 first released in Fall 2026. It is a TV series.
Do I need to watch the first two seasons before Season 3?
Yes. Season 3 continues directly from the Shi clan rebellion that ends Season 2, and its biggest threads (Jinshi's revealed identity, Loulan's final message, Maomao's family) only make sense if you have seen Seasons 1 and 2. They run 24 episodes each.
How many episodes will The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 have?
Season 3 is a split-cour season. The first cour is listed as 12 episodes (episodes 49–60 of the series overall) and runs from October 2026; the second cour premieres in April 2027. Episode counts for the second cour have not been finalised in official listings yet.
When does The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 cour 2 start?
The second cour is set for April 2027. An original theatrical film, written by light novel author Hyuganatsu, opens in Japanese cinemas on 11 December 2026, between the two cours.
Who sings the Season 3 opening and ending themes?
The opening theme is "Kumo o Nukekazashimo e Watashidake" by Yorushika, and the ending theme is "AIYOU" by Eve. Both were first heard in the season's official trailers.
News
2 November 2026The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 6 Arrives Friday 6 November on Crunchyroll
Maomao's next case lands this week. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 6 is out on Friday, 6 November 2026 on Crunchyroll. Here are the release times.
2 October 2026The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Is Now Airing: New Episodes Every Friday
Maomao returned to the imperial court on Friday, 2 October 2026. The palace mystery series is back, with new episodes every Friday.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1The Apothecary DiariesSeason 1 (2023): Maomao enters the palace; start here.
- 2The Apothecary Diaries Season 2Season 2 (2025): deeper palace mysteries and the Shi clan rebellion.
- 3The Apothecary Diaries Season 3Season 3 (2026): this series; watch after Season 2.
- 4The Apothecary Diaries: The MovieMovie (December 2026): an original story written by Hyuganatsu, opening in Japanese cinemas between Season 3's two cours; optional.
Where to Watch
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.