REVIEW: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Season 3 Episode 5 – “The White-Snake Immortal”

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 is the series at its purest. Maomao (Aoi Yūki) faces an unusual puzzle and must figure out the mechanics behind smoke and mirrors that make it seem like a magic trick. “The White-Snake Immortal” follows up on the mysterious “White Lady,” an albino performer people believe can perform unlikely acts such as reading minds and creating spectacular visions. The reality is just as spectacular, but only because of the effort it takes. 

In many regards, The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 is as straightforward as the series gets. Invited by Lahan (Toyonaga Toshiyuki), Maomao attends one of the White Lady’s performances to investigate the truth. This is inspired by Lakan (Takuya Kirimoto). Lakan, a master strategist, hears about the White Lady’s performances and simply says it sounds concerning. It’s enough to push Lahan to seek Maomao out for her help. 

The majority of the episode is spent with Maomao taking in the show – and taking part – and then explaining her theories. It’s perfect for those puzzle people who like to get ahead of the magic, who are clever enough to figure out what scientific trickery has taken place. For those of us who feel inept in these instances, its best to watch it unfold. 

Aoi Yūki delivers a heightened performance in The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5. 

From guessing a number Maomao writes down and where she places it, to watching as copper turns into gold when dipped in a liquid, and an onslaught of butterflies made from smoke, the show dazzles the crowd. But before even realizing the specific details of what makes each trick work, Maomao realizes that the conditions of the avenue are meant to disorient. The room is filled with hazy smoke, and a high-pitched ringing fills the background. Even the drinks they’re given are laced with something that keeps the room in a dreamy, not quite drunken, stupor. 

As for the magic itself, it’s all about the props and the White Lady herself. She didn’t just guess the right number; she created an ink that left residue, so whatever number Maomao wrote down would leave hints of her drawing behind. Her sensitive hearing means the contraption used to hide the paper with the number on it is built and operated like a flute, with air creating a specific note to alert her to its placement. The butterflies and their effect rely on the distracted audience and the poor visual quality of the room. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 explains every bit of magic performed. But what makes “The White Snake Immortal” so fun isn’t the “magic” or the explanations but the way Maomao reacts to it. She isn’t scrutinizing but fully immersed out of her own love of science. Aoi Yūki is remarkable in these moments, bringing Maomao’s fervent enthusiasm to the surface with a subtle, clipped lilt, everything a little brighter and pointed as she tells Lahan what he missed. 

While puzzles are solved, bigger questions remain about the White Lady.

In the end, the real mystery is the White Lady’s purpose. She seemingly sips a droplet of mercury at the end of her show, with no understanding of why. As she performs for the high, men who should be focused on the incoming locust plague, she’s creating a fleeting distraction. And then she too disappears. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 ends with the White Lady leaving the city, with local merchants falling ill from mercury poisoning. 

As she travels away, it opens the story to wider possibilities beyond the city we’re most accustomed to. It also adds to the increasing pile of mysteries left ambiguous, as Maomao gets close to the truth without fully understanding the motives. With some lavish backdrops, the series continues to use the opulence of the city’s richer population to make a point, as the colorful, textured tapestry’s shroud it in shadows. Beautiful but full of hidden threats. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 succeeds because of Maomao not just because of how she solves the mystery but because of how she changes when confronted with something that initially puzzles her. Bolstered by Aoi Yūki’s performance, “The White Snake Immortal” is gripping as we watch answers lead only to further, bigger questions. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 5 is available now on Crunchyroll. 

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