Beloved historical drama The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 has made its debut this Winter 2025 on Crunchyroll. It’s one of the most highly anticipated anime of the season and is off to an incredible. Both opening and ending visuals are stellar just like the first season. However, the opening theme teases the frog scene from the manga and light novel. Anime-only fans may not be aware but it’s a popular scene among the fandom focused on Maomao and Jinshi.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Written by Natsu Hyuuga, The Apothecary Diaries is set in an ancient Chinese court following Maomao, a genius sharp-witted girl with incredible knowledge in apothecary and a hobby for solving mysteries. After being kidnapped and sold to the inner palace as a servant girl, Maomao strives to keep a low profile till her tenure is over. However, she catches Jinshi’s eye, a beautiful eunuch and manager of the rear palace, who asks for help in a number of mysterious cases surrounding the palace. The second season will run for two cours and adapt Volumes 3 and 4 from the light novel.
Warning: Spoilers from The Apothecary Diaries manga ahead!
RELATED: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Needs to Solve Its Biggest Mystery So Far
What Is the Frog Scene in The Apothecary Diaries?
The scene is included in Chapter 63 of the manga. In the light novel Volume 3, it happens around the ending so we can expect this scene to be covered in the first cour. Jinshi asks Maomao to join in on a hunting trip with Gaoshun and Basun. Maomao notices they’re behaving differently and spends the rest of the day indoors. Not to mention the food being served to Jinshi contains aphrodisiacs. He refuses the dinner and on the following day, Jinshi, Gaoshun, and Basen join the hunt, leaving Maomao behind.
However, she attends the banquet and sees Jinshi leaving his seat before following him into the woods. They’re suddenly attacked and escape by jumping into a nearby waterfall. While others search for the two of them, Jinshi takes Maomao into the cavern. Maomao and Jinshi being drenched in water. It also shows a small glimpse of a cave. In the manga and the light novel, the duo scratch their heads over attempting to escape.
Maomao stands on Jinshi’s shoulders to reach the cave opening. However, she loses her balance because a frog lands on her head. They both fall and Maomao ends up on Jinshi. She mistakenly places her hand in between his legs and realizes Jinshi is not an eunuch. Jinshi is already comtemplating whether he should tell the truth to her or not. But because she knows its dangerous for Jinshi to hide his identity, she acts clueless and claims she touched a gross.
Maomao even wipes her hand, saying frogs are slimy and gross. They’re both rescued shortly after. The story is slowly progressing their relationship with each adventure and being stuck in the cave alone was one of those moments. Jinshi is well aware of his feelings towards Maomao but the latter is still keeping a distance. Although he wants to be honest with her, Jinshi doesn’t realize that Maomao knows more about him than she lets on.
H/T: @keiuzuki
Related Posts
-
Shueisha / MAPPA / A-1 Pictures / Toho Animation
