REVIEW: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Episode 21 — “How To Buy Out A Contract”

With her return to the Rear Palace, Maomao (Aoi Yûki) finds herself in the presence of familiar faces. And as usual, everyone has problems. Luckily, Maomao is willing to lend her insightful thoughts and practical knowledge to help solve their problems in The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) Episode 21, “How to Buy Out a Contract.”

This week’s story opens with Maomao helping again at the doctor’s office. Amidst their cleaning, she learns that the doctor’s family is in the paper trade. Unfortunately, things are on the decline back home. It seems there is a problem with the recent batches of paper that are going out. Maomao’s razor-sharp mind soon pieces together a likely answer for the problematic paper. Rather than tell the answer, however, she attempts to steer the other’s mind to the solution on its own.

While her companion eventually concludes the same as what Maomao has, it takes a bit of work to get there. This sequence opens The Apothecary Diaries Episode 21 with a charm-filled humor that remains for most of the episode. Maomao’s mild frustration with the doctor is played for laughs thanks to how skillfully the animation delivers Maomao’s highly expressive personality.

Once her work is done at the doctor’s office, Maomao returns to Lady Gyokuyô’s. But she doesn’t get to stay long, as she learns of an urgent request for her presence from Lihaku (Kenji Akabane). However, Maomao’s mad rush to Lihaku rewards her with nothing more urgent than a love-sick officer.

Lihaku knows someone wants to buy one of the Three Princesses’ contracts. Fearing it may be Pairin’s (Ami Koshimizu, Birdie Wing: Golf Girl’s Story), Lihaku wishes to know what it would take to buy out her contract for himself. While Maomao ponders the question, The Apothecary Diaries Episode 21 takes viewers on an unexpected trip to its star’s past.

In this excellent flashback sequence, viewers learn that the Three Princesses cared for her before Maomao lived with her foster father. Pairin’s strong material instincts even led her to act as Maomao’s wet nurse. This glimpse into the past further solidifies why the brothel and its inhabitants mean so much to Maomao. The warmth radiating throughout the sequence emphasizes how precious the memory is to her.

While the price to buy out Pairin’s contract Maomao eventually estimates is deflating by itself for Lihaku, there is another question that needs answering. Will Pairin accept him even if he gets the money together? Being familiar with her lifelong friend’s tastes, Maomao commands Lihaku to strip for her.

This leads to more visual comedy as The Apothecary Diaries Episode 21 sees Lihaku strike some classic body-building posses for Maomao. Albeit with some goofy exaggeration thrown in. This sequence is nothing but laughs as Maomao judges his odds of being desirable to Pairin.

However, the show is cut short when Jinshi (Takeo Otsuka) shows up. Maomao soon finds herself facing off with Jinshi’s overly jealous personality. While this moment also plays out for laughs, it falls short compared to previous efforts. Jinshi’s exasperated jealousy just isn’t funny. His possessiveness of Maoamo lacks any charm. Rather, it unnecessarily harkens back to some of the character’s less stellar moments.

While this moment does little for Jinshi’s character, the following scene helps restore some of the character’s luster. We come into a meeting between Jinshi and Lihaku that Jinshi has arranged. While the viewer initially assumes Jinshi intends to scold the young officer for his behavior, it turns out that he wants to help Lihaku pay off Pairin’s contract. While the scene gives no solid reason for his motives, Jinshi’s intention to help feels genuine. The character’s body language radiates compassion for Lihaku’s predicament. While Lihaku appreciates Jinshi’s generosity, he declines the offer. Seeing it necessary to earn the money to be worthy of Pairin’s affection, Lihaku decides how he might gather the required sum.

The final scene of the episode jumps to Lakan (Takuya Kirimoto). Pondering something alone, the character brings his usually unsettling aura to the episode’s final moments. The distastefulness that always surrounds Lakan is even more palpable, thanks to the warmth, humor, and compassion that fills the rest of the story.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 21 delivers a fun, engaging narrative. With only one failing, the episode gives fans much of what they love about the series.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.