The Apothecary Diaries Competitor Drops New Look Ahead of 2027 Return

September 28, 2026, 3:00pm

Now that the Fall 2026 anime season is almost here, fans are already bidding farewell to most of their beloved Summer 2026 shows. However, the Fall 2026 season is going to be the biggest quarter of the year, with several major sequels, including The Apothecary Diaries Season 3. Set in a Chinese-style imperial palace, this mystery drama immediately became a fan-favorite after its debut in 2023. Since then, its popularity only keeps increasing, which is all the more reason why fans couldn’t ignore its similarity with a major Summer 2026 anime. Produced by Doga Kobo, the same animation studio behind Oshi no Ko, Though I Am an Inept Villainess became a massive hit right after its premiere.

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Last week, the anime concluded the first part of Season 1 before officially confirming Part 2. While fans await the anime’s return, the official website dropped a new visual for Part 2. The visual depicts the evolving relationship between the main characters for the entirety of the season. Additionally, the official YouTube channel of TOHO Animation also shared a new music video featuring milet’s opening theme song, Sunny. The video looks back on some of the best moments from the first part, including the finale.

What to Expect From Though I Am an Inept Villainess Part 2

The first season is officially split into two cours, and the second one will return in January next year as part of the Winter 2027 lineup. While the episode count hasn’t been revealed yet, we can expect it to be somewhere around 11 to 13. The first part wrapped up in Episode 11 before pointing toward the upcoming Harvest Festival in the southern lands. Things will take a huge turn in the upcoming episodes as Reirin and Keigetsu continue to struggle in the Inner Palace after their bodies have been switched. The story begins with Keigetsu’s jealousy towards Reirin, forcing her to plan an evil scheme and successfully swap bodies with her. However, since then the story has focused on their growing relationship as they form a sort of partnership after the initial differences between them.

Though I Am an Inept Villainess Light Novel Is Heading Towards Its Finale

While the anime still has a huge chunk of story left to adapt, it was confirmed in August this year that the light novel has already entered its final arc. The anime is based on an acclaimed light novel written by Satsuki Nakamura and illustrated by Kana Yuki. The light novel has been ongoing since 2020, and it will enter its final arc in the upcoming Volume 13. The update came from @MangaMoguraRE and many other major handles on X, known for sharing reliable information on anything related to anime, manga, light novels, and more. While the finale date hasn’t been revealed yet, the update only reveals that the final arc will be commencing, so we can expect the story to continue for a few months or even more than a year before wrapping up.