Manga You Should Be Reading: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’

With Witch Hat Atelier, I started a new series here at BNP about the manga series you should be reading. I aim to write about manga series that are highly acclaimed, manga series that are finally getting anime adaptations, and hopefully manga that will move you the way that they have moved me. At heart, with these entries–major spoiler free–I hope to give you a good feel of the series and why it is so loved and poured over. This here is a manga series that I did not catch the very beginning of but quickly caught up and devoured it for good reason. My friends, you should be reading the brilliant The Apothecary Diaries!

The Apothecary Diaries Story and Art by: Natsu Hyuuga (Author), Nekokurage (Artist), Itsuki Nanao (Compiler), Touco Shino (Character Designer) Publisher: Square Enix Manga & Books  Available Formats: Print & Digital Ongoing or Completed: Ongoing (7 volumes as of April 2023) Localization Team: Julie Goniwich (Translator), Lys Blakeslee (Letterer), Andrea Miller (Cover Designer), Tania Biswas (Editor) What is this Manga About:

Panel from Volume 1 of The Apothecary Diaries published by Square Enix Manga & Books 

Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is kidnapped and forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. She is just trying to keep her head down. She intends to work off whatever contract she’s been sold off with and make her way back home to her apothecary father and extended family. The Rear Palace…