Based on Natsu Hyuga’s hit light novel, the anime adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries concluded in its second season in July this year. Right after the season finale, the series confirmed an anime sequel with a cryptic teaser without sharing a release window or further details. In October 2025, the anime commemorated its second anniversary and revealed that the third season will be released in two cours, with the first one dropping in Fall 2026, most likely in the first or second week of October. Additionally, the second cour will be released in Spring 2027, after the studio takes a brief break in Winter of the same year. However, the most exciting part of the announcement was the series’ first feature film with an original story by the author.
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It’s expected to hit the Japanese theatres in December next year, although the details on the global release date have yet to be confirmed. Fans couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming releases, as the story only continues to get even more exciting. The first two seasons adapt four volumes of the light novel, and Season 3 will begin with Volume 5, where Jinshi and Maomao will travel together to investigate mysterious occurrences. Meanwhile, there is no information regarding the plot of the upcoming film. As anticipation grows, the voices behind Maomao and Jinshi share their thoughts on what’s to expect.
The Apothecary Diaries Stars Hype the Original Film
Mantan Web shared the interview with Aoi Yuki (Maomao) and Takeo Otsuka (Jinshi). While the voice actors are as much in the dark as fans, they did share their excitement over the completely new project.
Yuki shared, “Up until the second season, the staff worked with love on how to express the original work in the anime, but the movie is a completely new work in which the original author, Natsu-sensei, created the story with the assumption that it would be made into an anime. We don’t know the specific details yet, but we are very much looking forward to seeing what mysteries await Nekoneko.”
Additionally, Otsuka hyped, “The first season of the third season will be released in October 2026, followed by the movie in December, and the second season in April 2027, so we’ll be able to enjoy The Apothecary all the way through! It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
He also shared a cryptic message about the promotional visual, “Hints about the sequel are scattered throughout the sequel announcement PV, so I hope you’ll consider that as well. The visuals used when the third season and the movie were announced were apparently created with a focus on the story of the movie. I hope you’ll make your own guesses based on Nekoneko’s expression and the flickering flames.”
The novel currently has 16 volumes as of December 2025 during its 11 years of serialization, as fans await the next installment. The upcoming Season 3 will take Maomao and Jinshi to the Northern farming villages, where major trouble is brewing as the latter once again seeks Maomao’s help to investigate the cause. While you wait for the upcoming sequels, you can catch up with the first two anime seasons on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
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