Maomao, the sharp-tongued young apothecary at the heart of The Apothecary Diaries, is not known for her sunny face. She saves her excitement for poisons, herbs and strange medicine. So when she broke into a huge grin in the latest episodes, viewers in Japan noticed straight away.
A small note on names: the character is written 猫猫 in Japanese. The characters literally mean “cat cat”, which is why some automatic translations turned her into a “cat-loving child”. She is not a cat. She just smiles about as rarely as one.
The smile
Episode 52, called “The Last Volume”, aired in Japan on Friday, 23 October. Maomao is chasing a mystery about an illustrated book on grasshoppers. When she realises she has already seen the insect book she needs, at a clinic, she grins and slaps the desk, praising her clever friend Shisui for leaving the clue.
Fans on social media reacted fast, according to the Japanese site Anime!Anime!. “A smile this big is rare!” wrote one. Another pointed out it was a smile Maomao never shows in front of Jinshi, the handsome palace official who is usually trying hard to impress her.
The same episode had a sillier moment that fans loved too: Maomao offers Jinshi a spoonful of grasshopper stew, and he actually eats it.
What came next
Episode 53, “The White Snake Immortal”, aired on 30 October and introduced a mysterious figure called Bai Niangniang. Viewers praised voice actress Reina Ueda for her eerie performance, with many saying the character's creepy smile gave them goosebumps. That's quite a contrast with Maomao's happy one.
Maomao is voiced by Aoi Yūki. The series is based on the light novels by Natsu Hyūganatsu and is available outside Japan on streaming services such as Crunchyroll and Netflix, depending on your country.