The Apothecary Diaries, with its themes of mystery and history set in an ancient Chinese-inspired Imperial Palace, has gained robust popularity as an anime and is currently continuing into its second season. The main character, Maomao, has her own charm of intelligence and pragmatism that has captured the hearts of fans everywhere. Her slow-burn romance with Master Jinshi, which is based on mutual respect and intellectual parity, has also garnered suspenseful interest. With such great story and character structures, it’s no wonder the show has sparked such popularity.
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All caught up with The Apothecary Diaries and still craving more? We’ve got just the show for you! If those themes, settings, and character traits interest you, you’ll want to check out a similar anime that has its own captivating story. Also, having a main character with charming intelligence and pragmatism solving mysteries in an ancient Chinese-inspired Imperial Palace with a slow-burn romance based on mutual respect and intellectual parity, Raven of the Inner Palace is the perfect watch to pair with any fan’s love of The Apothecary Diaries.
A Mysterious Consort Solving Equally Mysterious Cases
The mysterious Raven Consort, Ryuu Jusetsu (Liu Shouxue), is both feared and revered, with many a rumor spread about her existence throughout the Imperial Palace. Preferring isolation from even the emperor himself, she is said to be an immortal sage possessing mystic abilities that can range from finding lost items to even contacting the dead. But when the young emperor Ka Koshun (Xia Gaojun) one day requests her help to solve a mysterious case, this leads to her venturing outside of her palace for the first time. Though Jusetsu seems annoyed at the continuing visits and requests from Koshun, she also can’t seem to turn him down. Although the Raven Consort’s predecessor had warned her that she is destined to remain alone and never desire anything, Jusetsu begins opening up to Koshun and her new sole attendant Jiujiu, the multiplying solved cases garnering unwanted outside attention.
Oddly stemming from the same company that brought audiences Pac-Man and the Tales Of series, Bandai Namco Pictures is also known for creating much of Gintama’s acclaimed anime, Gundam, and many more. The studio adapted the 13-episode anime series in 2022 from the 2018 7-volume light novel series written by Kōko Shirakawa, illustrated by Ayuko, and published by Shueisha. With some themes similar to those of The Apothecary Diaries, Raven of the Inner Palace has its own unique features that set it apart in the best of ways.
The Raven Consort in Comparison to the Apothecary
The Apothecary Diaries has its own interesting perspective following Maomao, a girl kidnapped and sold to serve at the Imperial Palace, and her love interest, Master Jinshi, a eunuch who also serves at the palace. Meanwhile, Raven of the Inner Palace views life at an Imperial Palace from a very different perspective. Instead, the story follows the circumstances of the emperor himself and one of his consorts. As Maomao had taken on mysterious cases to solve around the palace, so too does the Raven Consort Jusetsu. Except, though Maomao uses her skills as an apothecary to solve her cases, Jusetsu takes a more mystical approach, using her magical abilities as the chosen Raven Consort to consult with spirits.
Though Maomao and Jusetsu have very different hierarchal rankings within palaces, they both come from more humble backgrounds, each having been born in red-light districts. Also, as for love interests compared to The Apothecary Diaries, Master Jinshi and Emperor Ka Koshun may have more in common with their backgrounds than fans may realize. They also have some resemblances in both appearances and personality traits, taking care to treat their heroines with the utmost respect and equality.
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What Raven of the Inner Palace Does Differently from The Apothecary Diaries
Although The Apothecary Diaries and Raven of the Inner Palace have many similar qualities for fans to admire, there are plenty of unique aspects of Raven of the Inner Palace to appreciate, too. For instance, the more mystical approach to solving cases gives the story a more fantastical feel. With Jusetsu’s abilities and mysterious origins intertwining both her and Koshun’s circumstances and fates, the tragic tale of the Summer and Winter Kings breathes an air of mythological background to the story.
Including the retelling of their mythological histories, the cases throughout Raven of the Inner Palace are imparted through visuals resembling Chinese shadow puppetry, a more subtle storytelling device than The Apothecary Diaries’ more straightforward presentation. The use of this traditional theatrical art form manipulates colorful silhouette figures against a backlit screen to act out a story. This unique style of animation in this series gives the stories a very textured, traditional feel, an added bonus to make it feel fresh, especially helpful when seeking something in the same vein as Maomao’s adventures, but with a twist.
Raven of the Inner Palace can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
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