REVIEW: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Episode 25 — “Maomao and Maomao”

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25, “Maomao and Maomao,” produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, returns to the Rear Palace to catch up with Maomao (Aoi Yûki, NieR Automata ver1.1a) as she continues to fulfill her duties. We see new trends circulate through the palace, and a mysterious visitor is about to arrive, potentially setting the stage for the coming season.

Rather than opening at the Rear Palace as many may expect, this episode first visits the Pleasure District. We learn Maomao ordered something from the brothel, though what is not revealed. This sequence opens the new season with a burst of color and activity.

Establishing the location from high above, a wave of flower petals heavily obscures the view of the district, flooding the screen with soft pink hues.  Once the camera moves in closer, the moment is filled with the bustle of life and the bright, eye-catching colors of the ladies’ dresses. All of this comes together to create an atmosphere that begins the episode with a welcoming energy.

When The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 does travel to the Rear Palace, it initially follows Jinshi (Takeo Otsuka, Oshi No Ko) as he visits each of the Emperor’s chief concubines. This quick montage serves as a great reminder of who these characters are, even though most of the appearances a extremely brief.

It doesn’t take long to reacquaint ourselves with Maomao 

Jinshi ends his rounds with Lady Gyokuyô (Atsumi Tanezaki, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End), where we see her daughter has grown noticeably since last season. Of course, it’s not the little princess that Jinshi is hoping to see. When the Lady notices his scanning around the space, she informs Jinshi that Maomao is currently at the clinic.

This is the first of several moments this episode has with the little princess. This scene continues to build warmth into the episode. Seeing the princess excitable playing while attended by the happily watchful eye of Gyokuyô’s ladies is a moment that cannot help but make you smile.

The show finally catches up with its star when it shifts its focus to the clinic. Maomao is hard at work, making scented oils and disinfectants. When Jinshi arrives, the pair are soon bantering back and forth, bringing the familiar energy they exuded throughout the first season.

Unfortunately for Maomao, it is while Jinshi is visiting that she receives the order from the pleasure district that was the center of the episode’s opening. Turns out, there are instructional materials about sex. This leads to a fair bit of embarrassment for Maomao, even though she has good cause to order them.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 perfectly captures a playful dynamic

The playful ribbing and shifting focus of the following exchange entertain while managing to excellently mimic the natural flow of friends conversing. Written dialogue often feels far more focused than how real people talk. While The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 doesn’t waste time going far afield with its discourse, it nevertheless captures the fluid nature of two people talking off-script. The casual playfulness excellently reestablishes the give and take between Jinshi and Maomao.

From here, the narrative stays with Maomao as she visits with her friend Xiaolan (Misaki Kuno, Lycoris Recoil). We see Xiaolan performing an impassioned speech for her friend, inspired by a popular new novel that is going around the palace. Despite Xiaolan’s inability to read, she is enamored with the tale, thanks to another servant who reads it aloud to those who can’t. Later in the episode, another visit reveals that Xiaolan’s friendly reader has to stop due to her throat becoming damaged, which prompts Xiaolan to ask Maomao to teach her how to read and write.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25‘s choice to use popular literature as a catalyst to encourage people to read is a fabulous one. If you can show someone that an activity will bring them joy, they are more likely to pursue it. The fact that it will also make your life easier in the long run can be a bonus.

The episode then returns to Lady Gyokuyô’s pavilion. We learn that Princess Lingli is now old enough to be allowed outside. With the child’s boundless energy, the pavilion has become a bit too small, so expeditions around the palace have been approved, with a fair amount of security, of course. Maomao is asked to be one of the Princess’ escorts, with Lady Gyokuyô making the special request that Maomao teach her daughter about plants while on their walks.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 is a delightful return

While out, the group comes across a stray kitten. Once apprehended. Lingli wants to keep it. But since special permissions must be gotten first, and the animal needs to be cleaned and nursed back to health before it is safe to present to the child, Maomao takes it to the clinic to care for it.

The rest of The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 focuses on Maomao’s efforts to nurse the kitten, also named Maomao, back to health. The care and attention Maomao gives her new charge are unsurprising despite her self-professed dislike of cats. However, during a visit with Jinshi, it is highlighted that Maomao and cats have a lot in common, playing out with a comical realization for Jinshi.

As the episode closes, Maomao learns from some of the other ladies that a caravan is expected to arrive soon. While we are not told of its purpose, a final shot shows a pair of women, draped in deep red lighting, sporting an air of mystery and possible foreboding about them.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 welcomes its cast back in a light-hearted and fun way. It touches upon each central figure as it gets the new season rolling.

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 25 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.