The Apothecary Diaries is one of the largest franchises in recent years, known for its exceptional story and gorgeous animation. Written by Hyūganatsu, the critically acclaimed light novel received an anime adaptation in 2023, and the series only continues to grow in popularity. The first two seasons of the anime have been major hits, boosting the sales of the light novel and the manga adaptations. 2026 is by far the most exciting year for fans thanks to the upcoming third season and the first feature-length movie. The third season is only a month away, while the movie is set to release in December this year. As fans await the anime’s return, Prime Video confirmed the first-ever live-action adaptation of the series.
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Considering that the light novel has been ongoing since 2014, the announcement is a major win for the series. The official X handle of Prime Video confirmed the live-action, titled Intelligence Declassified, will be released in a drama format, although the exact number of episodes hasn’t been revealed yet. Additionally, the drama will premiere in 2028 exclusively on the platform. Mana Ashida, a renowned Japanese actress and singer, will be playing the role of Maomao, and more cast members will be introduced at a later date. The announcement immediately went viral with millions of impressions, and even the creator quoted the post with a special message for fans.
The Apothecary Diaries Creator Shares Thoughts on The Live-Action Drama
In her official X handle, Hyūganatsu shared, “We’re doing a live-action adaptation. I checked it out, and the casting is so spot-on it practically leaps off the page, along with sets and props that form a perfect tableau all on their own.”
She also added, “The script is bold, but written without any sense of awkwardness—truly impressive. Also, it might be hard to tell from the teaser, but it’s a wig with this bizarre, subtle shade that turns faintly green when the light hits it.”
While the author didn’t share major updates on the upcoming adaptation, she did confirm that the casting has her approval. For now, only the actress playing the role of Maomao has been revealed, but more cast members have already been confirmed, and fans will learn about them later. Additionally, Prime Video also shared a teaser visual along with the announcement. The author confirmed that while the hair color is dark, it does have a faint green color. In the light novel and manga art as well, Maomao has a darker shade of hair color, unlike the anime, which highlights her green hair.
We might see the same change in Jinshi as well, whose hair color is actually described as black in the novel, unlike the anime. Additionally, it wouldn’t be surprising if the drama deviated from the main story a little, considering how the author described it as “bold.” Since the creator has nothing but praise for the live-action, fans are all the more reassured regarding the adaptation.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Will Premiere in a Month
The third season will begin streaming on October 2nd as part of the Fall 2026 anime lineup. Unlike the first two seasons, which released both their cours simultaneously, the third season will only air its first cour in the Fall 2026 season. The anime will return with part of the third season in Spring 2027.
The first cour will adapt Volume 5 of the light novel, where Maomao will solve the mystery behind the strange incidents in the northern farming villages. The anime will return to Crunchyroll, where you can also catch up with the first two seasons. As for the movie, it will hit Japanese theatres on December 11th, 2026, but international fans will have to wait until next year to watch it.
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