REVIEW: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Season 3 Episode 7 – “The Bet”

There are several reasons why The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7 stands out as the best of the season thus far. There’s Aoi Yūki‘s hilarious vocal performance as Maomao grows increasingly drunk over the course of the back half of the episode. The narrative strikes the right balance between being tightly wound while still touching on the history of the story (such as why paper would be such a hot commodity now). But more than anything, the continued, developing bond between Maomao and Jinshi (Takeo Ōtsuka) shines through in a single, key sequence, with the tone seeping into the rest of “The Bet.” 

Their dynamic has subtly evolved over the course of the series. But what’s different about Season 3 (or even since the Season 2 finale) and “The Bet” in particular is that it no longer feels so one-sided. For the longest time, Jinshi has made his feelings clear, even if neither articulated them well. He wanted her around, and that was that. He was also willing to risk everything for her, but they don’t address that, either. 

In The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7, the feelings, whatever they amount to, feel mutual. When Jinshi comes to ask Maomao to reapply his fake scar makeup, it seems poised to begin like any old interaction between them. She begrudgingly gives him space, which he latches onto, and they share one of their give-and-takes that dig into whatever mystery of the week they’ve found themselves in. 

Jinshi and Maomao enjoy a moment of youthful peace. 

The series pivots and lets them exist, acting their age with no one around to perform for. It isn’t just that she helps clean the existing makeup off; first, it’s how she lingers on the real scar underneath. And it’s not just that she helps him reapply it, but that, in an act of subconscious tenderness, she brushes his bangs off his face first. These gestures exude such warmth that they remind us of how long they’ve existed around one another, comfortable in a way they can only be together. 

It’s what makes their playful antics so charming. When Maomao paints herself with red face paint, it’s only in an effort to make Jinshi laugh. She isn’t working as his apothecary. Instead, it’s just for the easy levity that comes in shared laughter and her attempts to lighten whatever mental load he’s suffering from.

It’s cute. It’s so cute that it makes the end of the scene come too soon, though even that is full of highlights. Because, as Maomao admits, the two of them rushing to stop Basen from reacting to their hijinks is the most coordinated they’ve ever been, and it’s a satisfying extra layer to what is already a well-developed dynamic. 

A playful attitude defines the charming The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7. 

Most of The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7 is spent with Maomao gaining the advantage against the corrupt landlord of Guen’s family. The landlord looks to take over the family’s paper-making business now that they’re able to tax the service more, increasing his own income while devastating another family and, simultaneously, creating a subpar product. 

Maomao and Jinshi see through this immediately and Maomao, in complete gremlin mode (a compliment) challenges the landlord and his men to a drinking contest. If she loses, the landlord can sell her. If she wins, they owe her however much she’d sell for. In one of the more sobering moments of “The Bet,” she mentions how much she would know about a woman’s worth when it comes to others who seek to sell them. 

Through (mostly) sportsmanship efforts, she drinks them into oblivion. Jinshi only loses his cool momentarily when he flaunts his own wealth in an effort to sweeten the competition. And, through it all, Aoi Yūki is hilarious. Her performance expands and constricts with whatever the moment calls for, clipping and cutting a higher pitch when she grows drunk, only lightly frayed at the edges with slurred speech, avoiding the more obvious, go-to tells of someone inebriated. 

Aoi Yūki delivers a delightful performance in “The Bet.”

Maomao doesn’t simply win. She also exposes the landlords’ dirty laundry, threatening to pass along the fact that they’re committing tax evasion by illegally selling alcohol. Despite the melodramatic position the end of the previous episode left us in, there’s no forbidden romance. Just a young man from a put-upon family in love with his landlord’s daughter. Certainly not ideal, but nothing that threatens national or even personal stability. 

Maomao is put off by the absurdity of the drama and even more incensed by how quickly it seems to wrap itself up. And that’s the fun of The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7. Yes, the worldbuilding of this sprawling, slow-burn story is immense. And yes, watching Maomao play the role of master sleuth is a great way to add a procedural element to anime. But sometimes it’s also fun to watch a self-contained, issue-of-the-week story get resolved where the biggest moment of “drama” is a subdued character beat between the two protagonists. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7 is the highlight of the season so far because of how it makes a small story feel big. While the story of this particular village is over and the problem resolved, it further develops Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship in a genuine way that rivals the Season 2 finale when they lay beaten and emotionally battered. These interpersonal moments are just as vital as the procedural and inner court mysteries. Because if we don’t care about how Maomao and Jinshi grow and change, the greater political scope would hardly matter. 

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll. 

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