There are many reasons for readers and viewers to fall in love with The Apothecary Diaries: the faux-historical setting, the politics, the characters, the poisonous obsession, and the slow-burning romance. It’s all that, and so much more. It’s easy to dive into this story, watching as Maomao lets her curiosity take her from one case to the next, slowly making more of a name for herself within the Inner Palace (and beyond). Unfortunately, we’re going to be waiting a little bit for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, and while the manga and light novels are readily available, some may be craving a new anime in the meantime.
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The most obvious comps for The Apothecary Diaries are going to have a solid foundation in historical fiction, but there are plenty of other options, depending on which element you loved most about the series. There are plenty of series with strong female leads, complicated characters, political systems, and romance. Likewise, there’s been a rising appreciation for tales that experiment with poison and potions, so if that is your cup of tea, we’ve got you covered.
10) Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
It’s safe to say that Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master dives far deeper into the world of mythology and the supernatural than the Apothecary Diaries ever will. However, this series also delivers on courtly intrigue, conspiracy theories, and characters with complex motivations.
Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master is set in the fictional Kingdom of Yamauchi, in which the path of succession is far from clear, causing plenty of conflicts and complications. The story follows Yukiya, a raven assigned to attend Crown Prince Wakamiya. While Yukiya didn’t choose this life, he does realize he’s perfectly positioned to help his prince succeed. Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master is clever, blending mythology with politics and drama in equal measure.
9) Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools
Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools is a classic isekai series with some slice-of-life elements. The story follows a worker who is reincarnated as Dahlia. She was reborn into a world of magic, and she’s going to make the most of it. Dahlia is a gifted magical toolmaker, and she’s decided that following her freshly broken engagement, this is what she would rather focus her life on.
This series doesn’t have the same high-stakes politics or mystery as The Apothecary Diaries, but it is still a solid series for fans to check out. It’s set in a fantasy world, has a strong female protagonist, and overall is deeply introspective. Dahlia just wants to choose her own path in life, create her inventions, and more. In other words, she’s not all that dissimilar to what made us fall in love with Maomao.
8) Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective
Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective is a relatively new anime, so if you’re looking for something that doesn’t have a whole lot of backlog, this is a great start. The title makes the plot of this series fairly clear, as it’s more of a modern medical mystery adventure.
Takao Ameku is a resident detective and medical expert working at Tenikai General Hospital. She deals with the hardest cases the hospital has to offer. She’s a stubborn, brilliant, and determined character that fans will have no trouble adoring. Unlike Maomao, Takao Ameku isn’t afraid of getting attention for her resolved mysteries, but then again, she doesn’t have to worry about court politics or potential beheadings.
7) Nina the Starry Bride
Viewers craving a world of politics should make note of Nina the Starry Bride. Nina is an orphan. Worse, she was born to the overlooked part of society, and thus, simply staying alive was a struggle for Nina and her friends. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Nina, she also happens to be a perfect doppleganger of the newly deceased princess.
While it’s Nina’s looks that pull her into a world of courtly politics, her adaptability and intelligence are what will keep her alive. There are many similarities between Nina and Maomao, starting with their origins and how they were involuntarily thrown into a political scheme. Nina the Starry Bride also has a love triangle, clear commentary on how their worlds view women, and much more.
6) Fairies Albums
Fairies Albums is a donghua that dives headfirst into the supernatural, complete with some medical mystery elements. In other words, it’s a period drama with strong supernatural elements. Enter Tao Yao, a doctor for spirits. She travels around ancient China in order to meet and aid spirits. At her side are two allies, a monk named Mo Ya and a snake demon named Liugonzi.
Obviously, there are many relevant themes in common between Fairies Albums and The Apothecary Diaries. Both are set in historical China, deal with medical professionals appropriate to their time, and likewise handle different mysteries. In Tao Yao’s case, those mysteries vary from spirit to spirit.
5) Ascendance of a Bookworm
If you love watching The Apothecary Diaries for Maomao’s love of medicine and poisons, perhaps consider giving Ascendance of a Bookworm a try. Ascendance of a Bookworm is essentially a love letter to book lovers everywhere. The story revolves around Myne, a girl who has always loved books with all of her heart.
There’s just one problem: Myne has been reborn into a medieval world sorely lacking in books. The horror! Naturally, Myne does what any book lover would do; she makes a plan to create her own library from the ground up. Myne is just as obsessive as Maomao, though their passions vary drastically. Both protagonists are intelligent, driven, and unwavering when it comes to pursuing their passions.
4) Yona of the Dawn
On paper, there are a ton of similarities between Yona of the Dawn and The Apothecary Diaries. Perhaps the biggest difference is that Yona and Maomao come from very different lives. One is a Princess forced into exile, the other is an apothecary forced into politics. It’s a bit ironic, actually.
Yona of the Dawn revolves around the titular character, Princess Yona. Her world fell apart when her cousin staged a coup, and now she and her most loyal guard are on the run. Yona of the Dawn is one part historical fantasy and one part political drama, with an added romantic subplot for good measure.
3) The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent
The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent is another isekai, and while that differs from Maomao’s origins, this series still has a lot to offer to The Apothecary Diaries fans. The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent is set in a faux-historical world complete with royalty and courtly intrigue.
Sei Takanashi went home from work one day to wake up in a magical world, Salutania. In this new life, she has now set her sights on the Medicinal Flora Research Institute, which will allow her to perfect the art of potions. Her passions naturally bring her across several plots, characters, and complications. Did we mention that The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent has a slow-burn romance perfect for Maomao x Jinshi fans?
2) Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits
If the cozy caretaking elements of The Apothecary Diaries are more your style, there’s always Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits. This series still has plenty of politics, albeit more of a supernatural spirit and jokai style of political machinations.
The story follows Aoi, a passionate cook who finds herself in way over her head thanks to her grandfather’s debt. Now she’s in a new realm, literally, she’s living in the Hidden Realm. She has two choices: marry Odanna to settle her debt or find a way to make enough money to pay it all back. So she starts her own little Bed and Breakfast, cooking delightful meals and warming the hearts around her.
1) Snow White with the Red Hair
If you can only choose one anime on this list to binge, but want to choose one with the most similarities, pick Snow White with the Red Hair. Shirayuki is an herbalist forced into servitude, where she then draws the attention of the prince, before having to flee due to political complications. Does that sound at all familiar?
Snow White with the Red Hair leans more heavily into the fantasy setting than The Apothecary Diaries, and the setting is more medieval European, but otherwise, there are a lot of themes in common, starting with the love of medicine and including women who get caught up in court drama. The series also pushes the romance more the the forefront, which is perfect for fans that want something slightly less slow-burning than Jinshi and Maomao’s budding relationship.
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