Anime
The Apothecary Diaries: Live-action series for 2028
Mana Ashida takes on the role of Maomao, and Prime Video plans a worldwide release.
"The Apothecary Diaries" will be adapted as a live-action series and is set to premiere exclusively worldwide on Prime Video in 2028. Mana Ashida takes the lead role of Maomao; the series is co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Toho.
According to Anime!Anime!, the production is planned for more than 240 countries and regions. Filming reportedly ran for about half a year on a large-scale set recreating the imperial palace and the surroundings of the court. Yuki Saito is directing, the screenplay is by Erika Yoshida, and TOHO Studio is handling production work.
Mana Ashida plays Maomao
A first teaser visual was released with the announcement. It shows Ashida as Maomao in a red garment, with her face only partially visible. Other cast members have not yet been announced.
The source material by Natsu Hyuga is published as a light novel by Hero Bunko. The focus is on the apothecary Maomao, who lives in a fictional empire and uses her knowledge of medicines and poisons to investigate mysterious incidents at court. According to Anime!Anime!, the series has now seen more than 57 million copies in circulation worldwide.
For anime viewers, the live-action series remains just an additional branch of the franchise. Season 3 of the anime premieres on October 2, 2026; in addition, an exhibition on "The Apothecary Diaries" is currently running in Japan (details).
The live-action production is set to release in 2028 as a Prime Original. Prime Video has not yet named a specific release date. Since a worldwide release across more than 240 countries and regions has been explicitly announced, a release for the German market is also intended; details on dubbing or subtitles are still pending.