#The apothecary diaries is the most annoying one

[tae-shimura-is-my-wife]

They aren't shoujo but...

Originally I wouldn't post it because I didn't wanna to cause controversies and thought it was silly, but this has been annoying me for a while so here we go...

The idea that shoujo is any mang/anime containing romance is annoying and tiring when it's a diverse demographic, and is even worse because a lot of people use the "romance" aspect as a way to dumb down the demo, so I really understand shoujo fans frustrations with it but there's certain mangas that folks get PISSED OF when most think they're shoujos even insinuating it's a completely crazy statement which in my opinion isn't fair.

︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵

Apothecary Diaries

Let's start with this one, that actually is the one which makes me more annoyed (and novel fans too)

Apothecary Diaries is a light novel that was published digitally, since LNs don't have demographics like mangas, they're categorized as joseimuke (for women/girls) or danseimuke (for men/boys), and guess what? It was written by a female author aimed at a female audience oh wow! "But the manga adaptation is a seinen!" yes, but this isn't a strong argument when code geass manga is a shoujo and we know very DAMN WELL women aren't the target audience for it 💀. Also an interesting thing to note is the (printed)novel beloging to square enix and they don't have a josei demographic, so it didn't have much chances of getting labeled as their og target audience.

Also it's kinda funny that people got kinda pissed at the notion of elements that could intend it being for women like Maomao herself or Jinshi (there's plenty of Jinshis in joseimuke medias so why they got mad) and it's especially funny because jp otaku men hated it when the anime aired, calling Maomao ugly and annoying, saying that Jinshi is too unrealistic and it's a female power fantasy why this is a bad thing help .

·· ──────── · ──────── ··

Horimiya

Recently I discovered a lot of people hate that anime/manga and hate the fl, welcome back Toradora! Now to our shounen or... not exaclty? It was published in Monthly G Fantasy a manga magazine known for their bishounen characters and fanservice for fujoshis; some of their titles are Black Butler, Jibaku Shounen and they also do the manga adaptation of Twisted Wonderland a joseimuke game,

Despite being a shounen jp sites sell them in the joseimuke category and some of their titles can be found in the female aisle alongside with shoujo and josei and most of the information of the magazine is focused on it young female readers, which is ironic since other magazines don't keep ofuscating their male readers y'know, but looking at what is published there is kinda obvious the actual male demographic is almost inexistent.

Now to the actual manga, let's be for real Miyamura ALONE is a reason to why most wouldn't think this is for men yeah bishounens exist in male demographics but not in romances, it's literally a recurring joke on how shounen romance girls look stunning meanwhile the men are average as hell, but in Horimiya is the opposite, look Hori is super pretty but compared to Miya she gets overshadowed to the point HE is the main selling point of the series.

Since i talked about Miyamura being the main point, this is also a reason why much wouldn't think this is for men, generally the idea of shounen romances is getting a perfect waifu, she's the main point, a girl that a guy would dream have, but when Horimiya launched actually the girls were fantasazing about Miya and they still do! Miyamura has more merch than Hori and look it's basically IMPOSSIBLE to have anything of a male character in a male targeted romance, since the idea is to you collect and appreciate your 2d gf, just search for popular shounen and seinen merch of that genre and see what I'm talking about.

To finish Horimiya most jp sites tag it as "for girls" manga and it's not even because of being a romance as many would think, since Blue Box and Kaoru Hana are sold as shounen in the same stores, so yeah maybe people weren't that crazy about calling it shoujo 😆.

·· ──────── · ──────── ··

Skip and Loafer

And last but not least Skip to Loafer you probably would be thinking "this chick gonna say this shit is secretely a seinen shoujo?" but no! It magazine is pure seinen, so if this isn't from a proto-shoujo magazine, neither having the a adaptation being joseimuke why is it here? Simple the content, Skip to Loafer is a coming of age story about a high school girl that focus on growing up, female friendships, characters emotions and has realistic deciptions of girlhood, hmm where did these things are more common? Which demographic would have something like that? It's obvious guys c'mon! The only thing that makes it not be a shoujo is the label, to the point where a lot of shoujo fans thought it was one and it's constatly compared to kimitodo, also the author already wrote bl and josei before so it's not like people are completly crazy thinking this could be for girls, and let's be honest, do you really think this is a series which the target audience are adult men? SERIOUSLY?

And yeah there's some men that said this is better than shoujo and stuff, but if it was shoujo they would say the same shit, saying "it's not like the other shoujos" how they did with Yona, Fruits Basket, Rayearth and even Sailor Moon recently and please stop letting dumb dudebros that don't even know what shounen or seinen is affect you that much, most of the fans are women both in jp and west, and most of them already watched shoujo before.

Just to conclude that part and also adding some things seinen and shoujo line sometimes can be very blurred, a lot of shoujo authors are or were seinen writers, also Kageki Shoujo were a seinen before moving to Melody and Orange moved to a seinen mag.

︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵

And to finish I understand the frustration of people recommending this series instead of actual shoujo ones (except Apothecary Diaries bc it is for women), especially because the manga community tend to snob shoujo series and see them as lesser just for being targeted at girls, demographics do matter! But I don't think is fair to get pissed off at people interpreting these works as targeting girls, considering they do have a female appeal and were purposely created that way by its women mangaka. I still think the real enemies are the ones calling Nisekoi, My Dress Up Darling, Rent a Girlfriend a shoujo💀.

[winterspellsfrozenkit]

Maomao's Dislike of Jinshi

So I've been watching Apothecary Diaries and I think people are missing out on the root cause of why Maomao doesn't like Jinshi's interactions with her. It's not because he's too pretty, of high standing, or because she thinks he's annoying/etc., as they're just parts that make up the actual root cause. It's because she knows he's being fake.

Jinshi, because of who he is, where he lives, and how he was raised, covers up his true intentions almost constantly. That was how he trapped Maomao and singled her out as the one who warned Concubine Gyokuyou, after all. The premise to get all the servants in the room, the note telling her to stay put, and making her come with him without telling her where they were going? He let her worry that she was in trouble, so to keep her off-balance when he introduced her to Gyokuyou and also had kept her note to keep her pinned in a corner so she would have to comply with what he and Gyokuyou wanted.

Maomao prefers working with honest people. It's why she never wanted to ascend into the ranks where court politics were a constant presence, because in court politics, you have to assume most people are lying to you on some level. That's why she likes Gyokuyou; Gyokuyou has a similar mentality about the importance of honesty in the people around her and she reciprocates that honesty with the select people she lets her walls down around. When Jinshi is flirting or being super sweet to someone, Maomao knows he's often not being sincere, so when he flirts or acts all sweet with her, she's not going to believe in the sincerity of it because it's dangerous for her if he's not being sincere.

In Maomao's world, a man who makes false promises will not have severe consequences for his actions, unlike the women who fall for them. Growing up where she did and doing the work she did, Maomao knows exactly what kind of damage someone else's lies can bring to someone else who got caught in them. Maomao is not blind to the ugly truths of the world around her, unlike many her age, so interacting with Jinshi, someone who is usually some level of false in almost every encounter with her, is frustrating to her and he won't leave her alone. Lies are a form of poison themselves as they deteriorate a person's life and relationships and if not caught, can lead someone to their death or a fate akin to death, but unlike physical toxins, Maomao can't fix any damage from that kind of societal poison. As someone who wants a lowkey and unremarkable life because it's more peaceful, Jinshi could damage her goals with his falsehoods if she falls for any of them.

And we see that when Jinshi is actually honest about himself and his feelings with her, she treats him better. When he gives her his hairpin, when he's hugging her and crying because of what happened with Ah-Duo, and when he's at the Verdigris House, drowning his sorrows over letting Maomao go from the Rear Palace, Maomao is kinder to him and doesn't look at him with the immediate disdain and suspicion she often throws his way. Maomao even states she prefers the Jinshi, who is more childlike and bratty, which is something we see Gaoshun constantly discourage when Jinshi has those moments where his mask breaks. But in those moments, he's being honest.

For the position of Maomao's love interest, Jinshi's already got one foot ahead of any other guy around Maomao, as he is willing to let Maomao have more freedom in her special interests and gives her things and access to areas that play into her interests, like her dad does, which is more than most men in her society would ever allow. The only reason he actively goes against her toying with poison is he knows exactly what she's going to do with the poisons. But his main hinderance to getting Maomao to like him back is the training of being two-faced that's been ingrained into him for his survival in court. If he was more honest with her, rather than hiding himself under the veneer of a pretty man who is sweet, gets along with everyone, and keeps his knowledge close to the chest, he'd do so much better in earning Maomao's respect and affection.

[stuffeddeer]

You're oblivious and Jinshi's an idiot | The Apothecary Diaries | Jinshi x reader

cw - gn but you're in the rear palace and maidservant is used a few times in reference to you and your job, brief mention of nail picking

You calmly sit beside the purple haired eunuch, feeling a little anxious at placing yourself in such a position. Sitting beside someone of higher rank is criminal, so nonchalantly taking up the same space as they are. Anxiously tapping your fingers against your thighs, hands resting politely in your lap and head turned down, you await his next words.

"You won't turn to me?" He seems slightly teasing, but you're too nervous to check.

Jinshi rests his elbow on top of the no doubt expensive wooden table, chin pillowed by his palm and keeping his head up. His second arm moves forward, hand lifting close to you. With careful movements, Jinshi's pointer finger brushes back a strand of loose hair, finger pad trailing down your jaw until it stops on your chin.

Still, you say nothing, body still and turned down. His pointer finger curls as it slides below your chin, pulling you to the side to look at him. An amused smile is on his lips - he was definitely teasing a moment ago - and a glimmer of affection softens his eyes. "You agreed to dinner, did you not?" He leans toward you ever so slightly, a barely imperceptible change.

"Yes, Master Jinshi," you reply obediently. Perhaps Maomao was busy with lady-in-waiting duties, you had originally thought, assuming that you were called in as a poison taster.

The lean toward you is much more apparent this time, Jinshi letting out a sigh just before doing it. He's a mere few inches from your shoulder, hand dropping from your face to grip the edge of your chair closest to him. "Then I don't understand why you seem so reserved. You're usually much more open and energetic with me."

Your lips part, about to reply with the first thought on your mind, before quickly closing your mouth. One, two, three seconds pass as you think of how to traverse the situation you've found yourself in.

"My apologies, sir,” you choose to reply, “I shouldn't have behaved so inappropriately before.” Each word is chosen with intention as you reply steadily. Is that why you've been called here? For your lax behavior around the rear palace manager?

Yes, you weren't great at maintaining a professional facade while with Jinshi. He could be childish and annoying, that's true, but more than anything you just enjoyed playing with his self-assured and flirtatious persona whenever possible. Light teasing tended to leave him speechless and you adored watching the gears turn in his brain. With certainty, you can say you’re the only maidservant to ever give back the same energy he put out.

Jinshi pulls back, staring at you with a frown as he sits properly in his seat. "That's not what you were going to say."

"No," you agree.

The frown turns to a more pronounced pout, bottom lip jutting out and eyes narrowing. He's acting childish again, something that usually makes you smile (knowing you’ve successfully pushed his buttons) but only serves to make you more nervous as you anxiously pinch the fabric of your attire between your fingers. It's a nervous habit you picked up after trying to stop yourself from picking at your fingernails, each of which are low and choppy even if you've been quite a few months free of the practice.

"What had you wanted to say?" He implores. It's cute, honestly - watching Jinshi stare at you so pleadingly as he tries to keep his voice steady. You glance around, wondering where Gaoshun has been this whole time.

"I want for nothing, Master," you reply uncharacteristically of yourself, the words sounding rehearsed even though you hadn't been expecting this exchange at all.

Join me for dinner, he'd ordered curtly. No other information, merely requesting your presence for the night before leaving. He'd seemed to be in a rush, slightly flustered as he disappeared - likely late for some work he was most assuredly pushing off at the time. You barely finished nodding before he fled the parlor you'd met him in.

"What if I ordered you to tell me?"

"Will you?"

Of course not, Jinshi wants to say, the thought manifesting as a solemn sigh as he looks away. His eyes focus on the large wooden doors ahead, hands tugging at the ends of his hair as he tries to understand where he went wrong. There was no bad blood between you two he had believed - no arguments or chastising or even the slightest criticism or critique.

“Do you even have to ask?" He ends up murmuring lowly. The purple haired man blinks slowly a few times before hearing you sigh to his right. Creaks fill the room as you undoubtedly reposition yourself on the chair he'd pulled over for you to sit in, the sound followed by you clearing your throat.

"What was it you had said? I'm normally more open with you? I was merely going to point out that I'm not normally sitting or standing so closely,” you decide to answer. "I'm never right beside you like this. Our current position only serves to remind me of my rank and where I stand in comparison. I have no right to be here; It's not right for me to be at the same side of the table as you. To be called here for business and then disrespect— "

"Business?" Jinshi cuts you off, eyebrows furrowing as he turns to you with a sincere frown. "Is that why you think I called you here?"

Nervousness shoots up your spine and crawls around your skin as you suddenly feel ruffled. Being made to look a fool isn't something you're unacquainted with being a maidservant, but for some reason, being doled out the same treatment by Jinshi specifically left you feeling embarrassed and flustered. You try to wrack your brain for not only a proper response, but a smart or witty one - yet nothing comes to mind. Without thinking, your fingers come together as you begin picking at the edges of your fingernails. Your sharp tongue has turned limp, feeling heavy in your mouth as you struggle to reply.

It seemed like all Jinshi could do now was frown, the slight flicker of his lips further down causing your breath to hitch. "I'm sorry. It seems I hadn't made my intentions clear," Jinshi pinches the bridge of his nose, feeling annoyed with himself more than anything.

Your sandbag tongue pushes your jaw down, mouth parting as you're about to tell him it's fine - even though you still aren't sure what's happening. Before you can, Jinshi continues: "How would you suggest I ask for someone's hand? I had thought my courting was obvious prior, but now I'm not so sure..."

Courting? In what world had the beautiful eunuch, heartthrob of the rear palace, been courting anyone let alone you? Dozens of admirers, even ones sworn to the emperor, had been clawing each other left and right for a sprinkle of his attention. You'd been able to cozy up to his side as a friend and useful asset inside the rear palace walls, but you never expressed the same adoration and devotion that other palace residents have.

At risk of sounding a little self-centered, you just need to clarify, "You don't mean my hand, surely..?"

Jinshi looks appalled, mouth agape and eyes wide. "Have I been that inconspicuous with my courting? I could've sworn the whole inner court could tell!" He lets out a groan, face falling onto the table in front of him. A loud bang sounds as his forehead lands on the wood harshly.

Have you been that obtuse? Combing through your mind, you recall each time you'd seen Jinshi while out and about, trying to discern if he'd honestly been too discreet or if you'd just managed to write it off. And... nothing comes to mind. Gaoshun had shown more interest in you than Jinshi had, the former always checking up on you and making sure you were alright. His presence held that of a father figure.

Speaking of, where had he run off to? It's rare for you to be completely alone with Jinshi, today marking the first of this occasion. And based on how this is turning out, likely the last as well.

Jinshi flops his head to the side, gazing up at you from the table. "Gaoshun said you took to the gifts I had him deliver," he says childishly, voice soft through his pursed lips as he pouts. "I tried not to express favoritism, as I know you don't enjoy attention from the other maidservants and the court ladies with their needless prying, so I had him drop off small snacks in my stead."

A glimmer shines in your eyes as it finally clicks together. Gaoshun had always been so discreet passing you small snacks every few days. You honestly hadn't thought too much of it outside of thanking him gently, having assumed the older man merely feared for your health on hotter days. It's likely he mentioned at some point that they're from Jinshi and you had simply missed it. Or maybe you were expected to just know..?

Jinshi grumbles, a low hum sounding more like a whine than a groan, before he sits upright in his chair once again. "So, do you not like me?" He asks timidly.

"No," you reply easily. His face falls at this, causing you to backtrack. "I-I mean no I do not not like you. I'm- I'm saying I like you!.. I mean, we're friends, right?"

He pouts childishly, turning away from you with a hmph! "You know that's not what I mean!" The purple haired man's arms are crossed and nose stuck up, body language as dramatic as can be.

Of course you know what he means, yet you can't help but feel unsure anyway. There's no way the Jinshi likes you - a simple laundry attendant who picks on him sometimes. Many girls throw themselves at his feet, so why would he settle for you?

"I think I'm just a little confused," you carefully pick your words. Besides, he's your employer; Is it wise for you to encourage his delusions? There's no way the two of you could have an actual relationship. "You seem to be implying you like me, and I'm unsure if that's your intention." Once more, you shift anxiously in your seat.

The eunuch groans loudly, clearly frustrated with your incessant dismissal of his feelings. "That is my intention, yes. You're welcome to say you don't feel the same, if that's how you feel. However, I'd still like the chance to court you and try to change your mind, if you're comfortable with it."

Flustered and overwhelmed, you shake your head. "Is this appropriate? Can someone in your position court a person so drastically beneath them? What if I fall out of line, wouldn't you still have to correct me?"

A smile tugs at Jinshi's lips for a mere moment before he turns away. "I'm not courting you as the manager of the rear palace. I'd like to court you as a friend, someone you've spent time with absent of titles. I'm not your immediate superior, anyway - those directly above you can issue orders as they see fit, though you've never been the type to step out of line. And, we both know you have only a few months left on your contract. I'm hoping to pin you down before you leave the palace and another man gets to you first."

Now it's your turn to pout, your own lips pursed and eyes narrow as you stare at him. "You enjoy making things difficult," you start. “I can't believe you're doing all this to me. On top of that, you of all people know I do enjoy testing these metaphorical lines,” the last sentence punctuated with a huff.

It's true; that's how Jinshi grew to enjoy your presence. During his time knowing you, you had never been afraid to give back the same energy you received, playing along with Jinshi regardless of positions. However, you've always had a keen sense for what is or isn't allowed around whom - knowing to act like the perfect maidservant around the eunuchs directly responsible for your field of servitude, but understanding even without much prior knowledge that Jinshi is the type to let you get away with a little more.

"Then let's test this one. Let's see if we can push the 'metaphorical line' of our relationship, from professional to romantic," Jinshi's eyes glimmer with hope, a confident grin on his face at what he deemed a perfect segue.

After an annoyed grumble full of incoherent words under your breath, you turn to him with an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I'll allow you to court me - or continue to, rather - during these few months. And once I've fulfilled my contract and am able to return home, we can discuss the idea of potentially changing the status of our relationship."

As you spoke, Jinshi couldn't stop himself from bouncing ever so slightly up and down on his seat, excited beyond all measure. His hand reaches out to you and you flinch, pulling back before he can.

"And only then, Master Jinshi," you add.

He can't even find it in him to be sad, too excited that you've promised him a chance. “Yes, perfect, it’s a deal. Easiest deal I've made in my life. Could I get it in writing?" He begins to ramble on, allowing you to zone out and watch for a moment.

In an attempt to shut him up, you hold out your hand and place it over his mouth. Jinshi has never portrayed himself as someone who detests his own voice, but this was more than you'd ever heard from the man. With a gentle grip, he peels your hand from his mouth via your wrist, holding it tenderly for a moment before placing the tiniest kiss to the skin. Feeling flushed and mind short circuiting, you find yourself frozen in your seat once again. Did he just..?

The large wooden doors suddenly open, Gaoshun finally appearing. He's standing behind Suiren, the two both holding trays containing food. You can barely think, lips parting as you try to come up with a response. Right, you need to—

With Jinshi's hold on your hand, you can't quite hide your face with your sleeves as is custom, instead forced to sit awkwardly with your head bowed as he holds your palm near his face. Does this man know no shame? Your one sleeve is nervously covering the bottom half of your face, hoping for a shred of decency, while Jinshi casually chats with the two as though nothing had happened, is happening. Of course, Suiren and Gaoshun know better than to ask why.

Without a word from you, the two slip out of the office once again, leaving you alone with Jinshi. Your head finally lifts up, noticing the dish in front of the two of you as Jinshi gently drops your hand.

"Like it? Gaoshun had mentioned you'd been particularly happy when he dropped this off to you. I figured that must make it your favorite."

And he's right. You stare down at your favorite meal; The last time you'd gotten a taste was when Gaoshun had secretly passed you a few bites what was now a few weeks ago.

With a small smile, you turn to look at Jinshi. "It is. Thank you."

[manikas-whims]

Do you know any mangas that have that Gojohime couple dynamic?

sorry for such a late response anon..i’m not even sure if you check my blog these days but here's some mangas that remind me of GojoHime arranged in the order of most to least similar:

♡ Namaikizakari

• Similarity: its quite like GojoHime in that the female lead is older than the male lead. They are senpai-kouhai just like Gojo and Utahime.

• This is a Sports Shoujo Manga. There's gonna be a lot about basketball as the male lead is a basketball player at his school and the female lead works as a manager for the team.

• Boy likes the girl and decides to pursue her.

♡ The Apothecary Diaries

• Similarity: LITERALLY GOJOHIME IN A HISTORICAL SETTING. the amount of times I've heard people call them gjhm coded. Plus all the crossover fanarts I've seen as well as the fact that Gojo’s ENG VA also voices Jinshi.

• This is a historical, seinen drama. It will revolve around the concubines of the emperor and the royal court politics and conspiracies a lot. Female lead is an apothecary and the male lead’s position in the royal court is somewhat ambiguous but he definitely holds a high position. (DO WATCH THE ANIME)

• Boy develops an interest and later on, a crush on the girl. She dgaf about him. She's very much like Utahime in that 😆. The girl realises her own like for him slightly later. “Hissing Black Cat GF + Happy Golden Retriever BF”

♡ Kaichou wa Maid-sama

• Similarity: very similar because the male lead seems to be good at (and better) at everything, and is quite insufferable. Female lead does not bother with his shit 😆 “the one who easily gets Annoyed + the one who loves to Annoy” dynamic.

• This is a famous classic Shoujo and it’d be surprising if you don't know it already. High School Romance with a lot of comedy, and the occasional heavy moments. The development of the female lead and male lead, and the conclusion is one of my favs.

• Boy develops an interest in the Girl and slowly falls for her. Girl too, slowly begins to see the better sides of him and begins falling for him.

♡ The Script

• Similarity: the hair color? lol the hair colors are similar but aside from that the male lead and the female lead have similar dynamics as the above mentioned.

• Fantasy Romance Manhwa. It also has a light novel (right cover pic) which imo is better. The male lead shape-shifts into a white tiger. The female lead is a shaman and an exorcist. She helps undo curses on people. Love the plot!

• Boy fell first when they met during their childhood. The girl has forgotten him but soon remembers and her feelings reignite as well.

♡ Dreaming Freedom

• Similarity: just like the rest above. Sly Guy and Naive Girl who slowly becomes equally sly 🤭

• ⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: Yandere Male Lead, Toxic Relationship, Self Harm, Physical & Emotional Harm to others. This is a psychological, sorta surreal manhwa. It's about lucid dreaming and it's long term effects with a magical twist added so please do look that up if you don't know already.

• Boy fell first is obsessed with the Girl. Boy is possessive and jealous. The Girl becomes equally jealous and possessive of him so if you're into that you'll enjoy.

Hope at least one of these recommendations is to your liking and you have a great time reading! 🥰

[six-eyed-samurai]

SUMMARY: Hitoshi has never been so annoyed by his new cat stealing your attention from him and ruining all your dates. A/N: I'M SO SORRY I LET THIS COOK IN MY DRAFTS FOR SO LONG AND I GOT LAZY AT THE END @/katsukistofu anyways, actual A/N: the cat's name can be interpreted as a reference to the Apothecary Diaries or a pun on meowing or in Chinese literally catcat WARNINGS: Mentions of poop (it's cat, what'd you expect) and probably very OOC Hitoshi (forgive me I haven't finished MHA)

Hitoshi wanted to throttle everyone in the room and then himself. Not the best way to start your mornings.

“Everyone in the room” was actually just his cat. Of course you could count Eri and Aizawa downstairs but in truth the only one Hitoshi wanted to actually (not really) throttle was the cat. Possibly himself later too when you inevitably get mad/laugh at him.

He doubted the cat in question knew that though. Or if Maomao knew that she didn't care. Hitoshi side eyes her from the mirror, still in the process of getting ready. She continues her washing on his bed, either very obliviously or very smugly.

Hitoshi liked cats. Loved and adored them, in fact. But ever since THIS particular, traitorous feline waltzed into his life he might make an exception.

It probably started when he introduced Maomao to you. He'd been pretty worried to how his new pet would take to you, because if his beloved girlfriend and precious cat didn't get along he'd get another reason for insomnia. Thankfully however, you had immediately fallen for the innocent-looking Calico, getting on your knees at once to pet and coo and fawn over her. Maomao, in turn, ate it up and made a huge racket when you had to leave eventually. So far, so good - until Maomao decided to subsequently betray the one who had adopted her and be a gigantic (beep)block.

Only Eri believed him when he was complaining about how every time he tried to cuddle you, bam, Maomao was there to yowl and get in between. Wanna kiss? Um, no, Maomao just had to run into your legs and beg for head pats. Close the door and sleep without her? Nah, no, nope, she stayed outside wailing and scratching. Enjoy a movie night? Haha, Maomao thought not, so of course she tipped over the popcorn bowl on purpose, right?!

One time Hitoshi gave you a kitty plushy that resembled Maomao. The cat in question (jealously, he swore to the wide eyed Eri) stole it and it still hadn't been found; she took a dump right beside her litter box to be petty as well.

You ate it up. You succumbed to her cute, beseeching eyes to hug HER (and not him), let her get in the middle of you two on the couch (you even shooed him away to make room) and the audacity! You always complained if he took up most of the blanket you two were sharing, and when Maomao hogged up everything? You let her.

He couldn't believe how you utterly believed the cat's obviously jealous, possessive nature. The nerve of Maomao, to steal his girlfriend when he was the one to rescue her!

While Eri believed him completely, no matter how cute she was it wasn't going to give him much credibility.

Therefore, as Hitoshi suspiciously watched Maomao saunter out of his bedroom, he was going to come up with a plan to FINALLY get some long overdue kisses, dates and affection from you without Maomao interrupting.

STEP 1: Begin by showing the cat who's boss.

Hitoshi glared viciously at the creature who had first crawled in between you and him, therefore interrupting yet another cuddle session before demanding you to go get her some more treats as if he hadn't just fed her an hour ago. To top it off Maomao was now triumphantly meowing at him and pawing at the plushy you had gifted him.

“You're not getting that. You might have my own girlfriend wrapped around your paw but you and I know what you're REALLY like.” Hitoshi wondered if his mind control extended to animals, particularly the one now hissing at his reluctance to hand over the plushy.

“First you steal my girl and now you want my plush? That's low, even for you.” The cat's eyes widened innocently as Hiroshi's narrowed. “Let's not forget who rescued you from the streets, Mao. Or who's been changing your kitty litter, feeding you or bought you all those toys. Remember I'M the one paying for all your vet and grooming visits. So the least you can do is at least let me enjoy one movie night with my girlfriend, thanks, instead of hogging up everything.”

Huh. He didn't actually think that would work. Maomao looked disdainful but trotted away.

You reappeared, holding a bowl of popcorn and setting down a bowl of Maomao’s cat food. “Hey, where'd she go?”

“Somewhere.” Somewhere where she was probably throwing a tantrum, Hitoshi meant, but he grabbed you and managed to spend a pleasant two hours getting snuggled and teasing you about your overreactions to the movie.

Then Maomao jumped on him and spilt the leftover popcorn everywhere before walking off proudly.

STEP 2: Attempt to appease your feline by providing them with more affection, food and playtime. Your cat may simply be feeling left out.

In other words, bribery was his next method.

Bribery and spoiling, really. For the next three days Hitoshi did his utmost best - Maomao was fed nothing but her favourites, Hitoshi bought her a new toy which they spent countless hours playing with, he let her nap in his bed, Eri helped him pick out a new collar, blah blah blah. Everyone absolutely showered Maomao with attention and affection. So far she seemed very pleased with herself, strutting her around with her tail swishing and purring loudly for all to hear.

Surely, surely, she wouldn't mess with the study session you and him were going to have, right? Right?

Hitoshi was beginning to believe that as time passed; the both of your heads were bent forward, trying to make sense of maths. The click of pens, the flipping of pages, the crunch of your third bag of chips were the only sounds around. He wasn't worried about Maomao’s silence either - she couldn't possibly be causing trouble while sleeping in a patch of sunlight.

“I think we did a pretty good job, ‘Toshi.” You stretched your arms, yawning exaggeratedly. “Not to be lazy but I really want a snack. Something grape flavoured.”

Hitoshi raised his eyebrows, lifting his eyes away from his essay. “No.”

“Oh come on, don't act like you're not hungry, I heard your stomach growling-”

“No as in I know exactly what “snack” you want. Enough eating those grape gummies. You're addicted.”

“Hitoshi!” You whined. “Stop outing me!”

In the end you both compromised with a bag of sour cream chips each, no sharing. Well, no sharing from your end, really - Hitoshi gave in with a sigh as you leaned towards him with puppy dog eyes when your bag empties, feeding you the chips. Maomao awakens and decides to drop by, meowing for the crumbs as well. Hitoshi shoos her away from his books, informing her she’s already eaten and he wasn’t even sure if cats could eat sour cream. Maomao sulks when he gives the chip she wanted to you instead.

But it turns out it’s Hitoshi that’s left sulking as Maomao leaps onto the table and knocks over his coffee all over the desk and steals the chips. While he won’t admit it to you or Maomao or anyone - yes he’s concerned about the sour cream thing and wasted half an hour researching if his stupid cat was going to be okay.

STEP 3: If that fails try asking someone else to care for your cat while you both are away.

“Don’t forget to feed Maomao, she’s not supposed to have-”

“Hitoshiiii! I know!” Eri makes a face, hugging the cat close to her chest as she rolls her eyes and pouts. “Trust me, Maomao’s my cat as well!”

“Yeah, but you’re still taking her to your friend’s house, so I don’t want anyone getting into trouble.”

“Quit being a worrywart! Go have fun with your loooooooover!”

“You know what, the faster you leave, the happier I’ll be,” Hitoshi grumbled, pushing Eri out of the door gently to where Aizawa was waiting impatiently. “Shoo, homewrecker.”

“Bye, Hitoshi!”

“Good riddance.” He gives her a side hug anyway. Maomao hisses, annoyed she was being forced to leave. Hitoshi paid her no mind, seeing as she had been throwing hissy fits all day as if she knew you were coming and Maomao wouldn't be around.

You come over soon, exclaiming over the loss of his cat’s company, but you get over it quickly. You both have the house to yourself, after all, and the freedom to do whatever you wanted until Aizawa came back. Hitoshi's guardian needn't have been suspicious of you both getting up to no good however; you both wound up wasting most of your time making dinner - a shockingly complicated recipe you had insisted on.

“I'll bring the ingredients, you don't have to worry about anything!”

Pfft, yeah right, now he has to worry about the mess you’re - fine, you both are - making in the kitchen. The floor’s all wet, the sink is overflowing, it’s a literal water park. The recipe wasn’t even halfway done yet.

“You know what, I’m going to get a mop, you can continue with - whatever it is you’re doing.” Hitoshi pinches the bridge of his nose in mock exasperation. You roll your eyes but agree, huffing as you push your sleeves back again.

“By the way, where’s Maomao?”

“Eri took her to a sleepover. Didn’t think she liked that idea much though.”

“Real! Maomao only ever wants to be with you,” you laughed.

“Nah, more like you,” Hitoshi grumbled. “She’s never happy when she’s not there and you are.”

“Mhm, you’re-” You’re cut off by Hitoshi’s unexpected yelp and the clanging coming from the bathroom where he’s gone to go fetch the mop. Dropping whatever you’re holding you rush over there in a panic. “Toshi! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, that stupid cat took a shit here!”

“Isn’t she toilet trained? Did you step on- Oh god. You stepped on it.”

“Stop laughing at me!”

Even gone the blasted cat still managed to ruin a date. Hitoshi fumed silently.

STEP 4: Still unsuccessful? Try giving them a new friend, as they might be acting out from loneliness.

This particular method, unfortunately, quickly backfired on him.

“Aw look! They’re playing together, Jirou!”

“Huh, didn’t think Sora was capable of playing gently. She nearly gave Kaminari a heart attack jumping at him the other day.”

“Hey! Jirooooouuuuuu!”

“No, wait, Maomao, don’t do that!”

“Sora stop barking so loudly-”

Hitoshi’s overly exaggerated groan is barely heard over the din. His head lolled back, staring up at the sky. “Are we biking or not at this rate?”

Not that anyone heard him. You’re too preoccupied with cooing over Maomao, Jirou and her boyfriend Kaminari Denki trying to get their new puppy to stop eating rocks. It was supposed to be a biking-trip-at-the-park-double-date, for heaven’s sake, how did it spiral into this?

Maomao pawed at his leg. Hitoshi tilted his head back forward to glare half-heartedly at her. “You’re lucky you’re so cute. It’s your fault again.”

He’s even more offended when Maomao opts to sit in YOUR bicycle basket rather than his. Denki’s - traitorous friend that he is - snickering at him before Sora pees on his shoe.

STEP 5: As a last resort, consider punishing the kitten. Do not give them attention in any way. It is called the time out corner for a reason.

“Where’s Maomao?”

“Pay no attention to her.” Hitoshi burrowed deeper into your neck, his tone a request. “She’s being punished right now.”

“…for what?”

“A lot of things.”

“Like?”

“….every time you come she steals your attention. Just let me enjoy this.” Hitoshi’s voice holds the smallest hint of a whine. You mentally stored that away. “She was meowing at the door waiting for you at 3 in the morning!”

You twirl a strand of his purple hair, barely hiding your smirk. Ah, so all along…”Is that bad your cat loves me more than she loves you?”

“I adopted her!”

“Oh my god. You really are jealous of your cat.” You couldn’t help it. You collapsed on your side, crying with mirth. Hitoshi sits up straight, insulted, taking a cushion off the couch to smack you with.

“Stop that! I’m not!”

“Say that again; you’re not even convincing yourself!” Oh god, this made so much sense. You wiped at your streaming eyes, coughing up the last of the laughter. “No wonder you were - I can’t - this is too funny - I thought you were acting a little weird the past fortnight - oh my god -”

“Fine, fine, stop laughing! I was jealous! There, I said it, you happy?”

“But why?” You fondly pulled your dumbass of a boyfriend closer, squishing his cheek. Even sulky he was still cute.

“She keeps interrupting our dates.” Hitoshi’s voice is already muffled by your clothes but his muttering makes it worse.

“…”

“No.”

“….”

“STOP LAUGHING!”

“In all seriousness, Toshi, you could’ve just told me. We’ll remake all the dates without Maomao this time, alright? Swear on my life.” You even hold up a pinky.

His own grudgingly raises and locks it around yours.

“You can let Maomao out of punishment now.”

“Eh, no. She’s actually there because she scratched Aizawa’s car today.”

Alternatively, you could always just tell your girlfriend you’re jealous of the cat because the cat’s jealous of you both. She will immediately rush to reassure you and provide you with the much-craved, long-awaited affection you both had been denied by the cat.

Side effects, however, include providing her and everyone else with enough ammunition to tease you with for the next decade.

“Wait, Hitoshi was jealous of a cat?” Denki’s practically howling. Jirou sniggers quietly. “Does this mean he’s a pus-”

“Stop talking.”

Jirou nods appreciatively. “Now I wish i had mind control when it comes to this idiot.”

[greatwyrmgold]

I've been watching both Raven of the Inner Palace and the new season of The Apothecary Diaries lately. It's obvious why people compare the two series, but one big difference I've noted is the protagonists' social awareness.

The semi-titular apothecary isn't a social savant, but she knows her place and how to keep it. Maomao is a lowborn servant surrounded by noble consorts and high-ranking eunuchs and the like. If she annoys them, her life will get harder; if she pisses them off badly enough, her life might end.

She acts accordingly. Maomao doesn't always do the socially appropriate thing, but she needs some unusual stress before she snaps.

By contrast, the semi-titular Raven Consort is a mixture of sheltered, isolated, and naive. There's a lot she just doesn't understand about the "proper" way for a noble consort like her to act. She didn't understand how giving Jiujiu something the Emperor gave to her could be insulting to either of them, let alone both. And even when she's not overtly oblivious like that, she's relatively informal and headstrong, even in the presence of the Emperor.

Luckily, she is the Raven Consort. On one hand, she's isolated from any schemers who could exploit her political incompetence. On the other hand, her status is grand enough that she can get away with more; even the Emperor is not that high above her station. No one would behead her for breaking a mirror.

Of course, she spent most of her childhood in the palace, being raised/trained as the new Raven Consort. Meanwhile, Maomao spent her entire childhood in the red-light district, learning how to be a skilled commoner while the rich and powerful tower above you. Of course they would have different relationships to power.

[landofanimes]

My 2024 Anime Watchlist

Anime (and related media) I watched last year

Sailor Moon Cosmos (2023)

After 10 years Crystal finally comes to an end! The 2-part movie is cool, it gives us an epic streak of final battles in the second part, things feel very grand and it brings emotion. The ending is oh so lovely. Also I was happy to see some things animated for the first time! That said…Most of it goes by too fast, specially in the first movie. Too many beloved characters have limited screentime, which really brings the arc down. I know these are problems from the manga too, but damn…This solidified to me that in the manga/crystal version of events, Dream Arc is more enjoyable. That’s not the case in the 90s anime, which butchered a good chunk of the Dream Arc but has the characters around much longer in Stars (yes I know screentime in a movie is obviously shorter, but still). I think in the end the musicals brings us a good balance of Stars. If only they had included the Sailor Quartet in those myus, they would feel complete. But anyway… this was it. Could Crystal have been better? Yes. Should it have been longer? Yep. But overall? I really enjoyed the whole thing through and I’m happy it was made! Just really wish the last two arcs were seasons instead of movies, but oh well...What a decade!

I watched subbed and dubbed. Brazilian dubs are usually great but a couple choices sadly kinda killed this one, just like in Eternal (somehow I thought this time it was worse but I think it's just that in Eternal I was happy to see it dubbed, since Crystal wasn't). Unless they redub it, I'll stick to the subs.

Kaleido Star (2003-04)

Sora is a Japanese girls who finally gets to live her dream of working as a trapeze artist on Kaleido Stage, a famous american circus. Every spectacle means new challenges and lots of hard work. But some people want to see her (and even the whole circus) failing...

I used to watch this as a kid! Finally sat down to watch the whole thing, and it’s a great show. It has cool characters and it’s very entertaining to see them training and performing new shows at the circus. True, season 2 has some annoying characters, so season 1 is better...Except for the final arc, cause personally I found the end of season 2 much stronger than season 1 - it was a great way to end the show (I could see people prefering the s1 ending, it just didn't hit me as hard). There are also a couple of OVAs that take place after the ending. The first one is so-so, but the second is pretty cool and it works nice as a second ending/epilogue.

Watched it dubbed (except for the 2nd OVA since there is no dub)

Yu Yu Hakusho Stage Plays (2019, 2020)

Picking up from last year's Yu Yu maraton, I've watched the stage plays! First one is really just the beginning: Yusuke dies, comes back as a spiritual detective, and we get the Three Youkai mini arc. We also see Kurama and Hiei's first meeting, like in Two Shots. The second play covers both the 4 Beasts castle and Yukina's rescue (they basically skip the training). Since Kurama and Hiei are not much in the second half, their actors get to play a side character each.

Sadly I don’t think these were very good. Sure, visuals are cool, the characters are well done, and they have their moments, but overall these plays were not it, imo. The bit where they play the opening song with a fighting montage is great though, very entertaining.

Rurouni Kenshin (1996-98)

Another from my childhood I hadn't seen in full! First two arcs are good, specially the second one (plus you can notice there’s some filler in the first, but it’s ok). Third part diverges from the manga and is mostly anime original stuff - and noticeably much weaker. If I ever rewatch it I'll stick to the first 2.

Watched it dubbed.

The Apothecary Diaries (2023-)

I had been hearing about it and decided to catch up in January. What a Good series! I was impressed. Maomao is a great character, the court intrigue is a thrill and I’m looking forward for a better understanding between her and Jinshi, and yes, rooting for actual romance. The series got drama, mystery and comedy, it’s great. Happy for the upcoming second season!

Subs cause the dub only came later.

7th Time Loop Season 1 (2024)

Rishe is stuck in a 5 year time loop that starts at the annulment of her engagement with the prince. No matter what profession and life she lives, it always ends during a war. 5 years into her 6th life she swordfights Emperor Arnold, from the neighbouring country, who is responsible for the war - and is killed by him. In her 7th loop, she soon meets Prince Arnold (not yet emperor) and he unexpectedely is smitten with her and proposes. After working hard in her previous lives, she is determined to finally relax and hopefully find out more about how the war starts, so she accepts. As his fiancée she soon notices Arnold is not completly cold as she expected, wondering what makes him go down that path.

I believe I saw some posts here and then I saw a clip of Rishe dealing with poison and so I decided to watch. I loved it! It was not quite what I was expecting, but rather better. Rishe is a delight and the whole mystery surrounding Arnold’s past and future, which lead them to the war seen in the previous loops, is very intriguing. I’m also captured by Rishe’s past jobs (merchant, harbalist, knight, etc), they’ve made her very resourceful. I really like the court day to day stuff and the drama, and the way she navigates all that. The dynamic of her knowing certain people from past loops but them not knowing her is always intriguing – and we get to know a little more about her this way too. And of course, I love her growing romance with Arnold!

I watched a bunch of dubbed episodes but then I caught up and the subs come faster, so.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (2023-)

This one seemed to be a fan favorite of the season and well, I can see why…While 7TL and tAD are more my vibe, I can’t overlook Frieren. The way it presents grief, time, connection, and the mortality of people through the eyes of this seemly apathic elf is very touching. It made me cry a few times! It also has cool action. And of course, I can’t resist a good medieval fantasy setting. I’m not versed in rpg but even I can recognize some basic elements, it’s pretty cool.

Watched it dubbed!

From Studio Ghibli

Only Yesterday (1991) - This one is pretty slow, contemplative. It’s also a little boring imo... I can see its value, but it’s not really for me. Subs cause there is no dub.

The Cat Returns (2002) - I didn’t intend to watch this one but changed my mind at some point. It’s pretty fun! Not sure what I expected but it wasn’t this haha I quite liked it!! Subs cause there is no dub.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) - This is a pretty long one, and the different artstyle threw me off at first, I thought I might not like it... I finally got  to watch it though, and not only it is not boring, but it is visually very pretty. It could have ranked high but I didn’t vibe with the ending, so. I could see it being other people’s favorite though. Watched it dubbed.

Earwig and the Witch (2020) - This one’s got a bad reputation but I thought it was fine. Like sure, this 3D animation did not capture that Ghibli charm, but the character design does seem on point and I thought it  had an interesting setting. Overall I liked it, even though the ending is rather anticlimactic. Things shift abruptly and are over soon after, leaving some stuff unresolved too (I imagine there would be a sequel). It was still entertaining though. Watched it dubbed.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

I think this was the first time I watched a Ghibli movie in cinemas! It’s a good film. Not among my Ghibli favorites, but it would rank in the upper half. I'm sure it's other people’s favorite. I think the relationship with the stepmom could have been better developed, but it's still cool. The crazy, whimsical world kinda reminded me of Spirited Away at times. It's got that Miyazaki balance of weird and wonder, with a rather unique mythology and intriguing characters.

I wanted to watch it dub but there were limited screenings and the day I went had only subs.

Buddy Daddies (2023)

A duo of assassins with very different backgrounds and personalities are sent to kill a criminal. The mission is accomplished, they just didn't expect him to have a little daughter. Now they have to figure out how to take care of a child.

I heard good things about this one - and I loved it! I wish it had been longer, I believe it could easily fill 20 something episodes, but oh well… The trio is very endearing, their dynamics are great.

Subs cause no dub.

Yona of the Dawn Season 1 (2014-15)

Princess Yona has to flee her castle with her chidlhood friend/bodyguard Hak after her beloved cousin, Soo-Won murders her father, the king. While searching for the four legendary dragon warriors to help them reclaim the kingdom, Yona finds out her people have been suffering for years, and feels it is her duty to help them.

I was honestly surprised to see this series is already TEN years old. I remember people talking about it but I didn't remember it had been this long? Maybe I heard of it afterwards? Maybe not…Anyway. This series is great. I didn’t expect it to be so good. It’s an epic (east asian) medieval fantasy! It’s got drama, adventure, action, and I’m looking forward to the romantic plot development with Hak. It’s cool to see Yona growing from sheltered princess to a warrior. I’m honestly shocked they never made a second season, like, wtf. Fortunately they’ve started selling the manga in here, and I’ve been following it! Good stuff. I wish I could watch the plays, but specially the musical. Oh, I'm saving the OVAs for when I reach the respective manga chapters.

Subs cause no dub

Snow White with the Red Hair Seasons 1-2 (2015-16)

This one is also medieval fantasy, has plenty of drama, and while it does have action and adventure, it’s not so much in the epic side - it’s more…mundane? I mean sure, it’s got court intrigues, swordfights, and there’s a kidnapping at one point and whatnot… But the vibes are more on the quieter, lovelier side? I mean, there isn't an epic quest. But it’s cool to see Shirayuki’s journey in becoming a great herbalist while Zen trains in his princely duties and how they both fight to be together despite the obstacle of their different status (something which worries Zen's older brother and other influential people). Their friends also form a cool cast. Wish there were more seasons, but the ones we got are good. I’m not even mad at the misleading title cause the only reason I remembered its existence and watched it was because years ago I saw there was a Snow White anime. Alas, this has basically nothing to do with Snow White, but it’s so good I don’t even care. 

Subs cause no dub

Spy x Family - Code: White (2023)

Yes it’s filler but it’s fun! Plus it's not like Spy x Family plot moves fast anyway... So here we got a little winter family trip in search of a recipe (for the Mission!!!) turned into a crazy kidnapping and rescue as Loid and Yor separately go after Anya…it’s action-packed, whacky and fun! It’s Spy x Family!!! There are also a couple of cute Twiyor/family moments, which I love, of course. It’s a good pastime. Bring me season 3!

Watched it dubbed at the cinema!

A Sign of Affection Season 1 (2024)

A lovely show! It’s about the daily life of a deaf college-age girl, and her new romance with a guy who loves to travel, and how her world expands when meeting him and other people in college. I think most school settings stories I see are in high school or middle school so this is a nice change.

Watched it dubbed

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (2022-23)

People talked so much about this one I had to give it a go. The only Gundam series I had contact with before was Gundam Wing (watched some assorted episodes as a kid), so I thought that would be the first one I watched in full, but I still haven't done it, oops. And now I’ve seen Gundam Witch! Intriguing developments and characters! Deals with some serious issues, which apparently is an usual Gundam thing. It has some cool dynamics and the queer romance is cute, it has a good arc. The show is not quite my jam, so not a favorite, but it’s a good show, felt solid.

Watched it dubbed

My Happy Marriage (2023-)

Miyo lives in a Cinderella situation until she is engaged to Kyoka, a rich guy with a bad reputation… In a society where powerful families have superpowers, she’s got none, so her family wants to get rid of her…The poor thing lives with no affection and the guy is desensitized to previous fiancées chasing his status, but then he sees that’s not the case and is decided to treat her well AND to stand up to her family. Oh, and it’s got an historical setting. Also Kyoka is part of the special forces which fight evil spirits or something. He controls elements. I gotta say I was not expecting that kind of action in a Cinderella-esque story, ha! It was a good addition.

It's kinda tough to see Miyo so meek, but it's key to see she is not magically cured after the engagement, she still struggles from the abuse of her family, but with help, little by little she gains more confidence, which is lovely to see. She also finds her own way of helping Kyoka herself, the end of the season really makes it stronger. I don't think it's gonna be a favorite of mine, but it IS good. Season 2 incoming!

Watched it dubbed

My Happy Marriage Movie aka As Long as We Both Shall Live (2023)

The movie is basically a compressed version of what we see in season 1. As such, it is definitely inferior to the animated version, but it’s okay... Like, it has its moments but overall it really doesn't hit the same, specially the ending. I would say it has all the important bits of the first half of the season, but a lot of the second half is lost (Hazuki, you were missed, girl!).

Shaman King: Flowers Season 1 (2024)

I was entertained, I wanted to see more of the kids and their dynamics (and more of their parents), and I wish they would continue it…But I don't know, it's got some odd choices. Granted, it's a short season, if it had been longer it might have been more charming/intriguing. For example, Ren's son is the last to join so we don't see a lot of him, which is a shame. I also thought it was going to be a complete story but turns out the Flowers manga was continued in Super Star, and the season we got was really just Flowers…Also I still think it would have been a better investment to use the money to improve on the Shaman King remake, but anyway. I wonder if they will ever continue it.

Watched it dubbed

Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac Season 3 (2024)

This was about the same level as season 2 I guess. Though back then they let the fights begin in one episode and end on the next, while here they kinda kept it in the same episode, which made them feel shorter :/ Like, it was cool but still not even close to the original series. It has its moments, but parts of it are too quick, there’s a lack of stronger soundtracks to enhance the scenes, etc. The original content was interesting enough, but we had so little time it would have been better to use it on canon events... or at least parts of it.

I would watch more if they made it but it seems they’re going to stop this version in this arc – and I get it, like I said, its really not as good as it should/could be. I’m glad they finished it though, it would have been a bummer to see the arc only halfway done. I hope we don’t have to wait too many years until a new saint seiya anime…also I wonder what it will be.

Watched it dubbed

Delicious in Dungeon (2024-)

Everybody couldn’t shut up about it so I had to watch it XD yes, yes, it’s good! Well made rpg-esque medieval fantasy setting. It’s got plenty of comedy, and the story is pretty different from the usual stuff… It wasn’t until things started to get serious that it really got me though, like halfway through the season. From what I’ve heard, it should be done by season 2. I'll be there to watch it!

Watched it dubbed

Sailor Moon: Musical Festival Chronicle (2022)

Finally could watch this one, yay!!! Story-wise it's not really impressive, but then again this one is more of a celebration of myu history than anything else. Cool to see the old numbers back, lovely to see Satomi’s guest appearance and, of course, the BANDAI MYU team, hooray!!!! Oh and we could see more of Riona’s Mamoru too! Since The Super Live full recording was never released, we don’t have much of that, so this is nice.

I honestly thought this would be the end of the myu/moon renaissance, but after the announcement of the long run of the new Super Live in London, I'm not so sure! But alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Ranma ½ (2024-)

Ranma’s return!!!! Its been rather fun to follow Ranma and Akane’s shenanigans again. I’m glad I watched the full og anime a few years ago!!! I hope they get to adapt the manga until the end this time (I’ve never read it myself). Waiting for season 2!!!

Watched it dub (I’m so happy Netflix got the cast back!!!)

[pomnavi]

The Apothecary Diaries - LN 9, 10 Impressions

The Apothecary Diaries Volumes 9 and 10 by Natsu Hyuuga, Illustrations by Touko Shino. Published by J-Novel Club.

Volumes 9 and 10 kick off "Western Capital, part 2". There is a lot going on here politically since it is the region that Gyokuyou is from, and there are plenty of enemies with unknown motivations.

In Volume 9, Maomao has basically become Jinshi's personal doctor for [spoiler] reasons, so she must go though as much training as possible before they set off for I-sei province.

For those in the know, it's an open secret, but it puts Maomao in an even more precarious position, as there are no female doctors at all, due to the cultural stigma. This brings her into conflict with her peers, but she does her best to navigate it. Also, since this is at Jinshi's behest, and she is the daughter of Lakan and adopted daughter of Luomen, there's little that anyone can do to stop her. She has already proven that she has the skills, and now she has the motivation to study as hard as possible.

I liked learning about how even though doctors are revered, the training they have to go through is considered blasphemy, since they have to study corpses of animals and people through dissection. I really enjoy anything to do with medicine and biology, so it was super interesting to find out that the method of teaching is the same. Anatomy dissections are incredibly difficult since the structures are hard to identify (personal experience OTL), so the narrative introduces a proper foil to Maomao who has the same level of skills, but in surgery. Tianyu may be annoying, but he's the first peer of hers to be on the same level of knowledge in a related field, so Maomao's begrudging respect makes for an interesting dynamic between the two.

Volume 9 also contains their journey to I-sei, which includes some funny mysteries and side quests that I won't spoil here.

Volume 10 is basically all about farming and further political maneuvering. The narrative has been building towards an insect plague that they have to prepare for, and this book is all about their massive effort to save the province from famine.

They introduced a new character, "Lahan's Brother" who is a dispassionate but highly serious farmer. He's forced by Lahan to further the La clan's potato agenda, and unfortunately Maomao prevents anyone from ever knowing his name lmao. Poor Lahan's Brother, I hope we find out your name one day!

There's not a whole lot I can write about Volume 10 that wouldn't spoil the outcome of the plague plotline, but I CAN say that I liked the expansion and exploration of the side characters, including the Ma family. I've always been curious about Gaoshun's family, and this arc gives us plenty of screentime for Chue (wife of Gaoshun's 1st son, Baryou), Basen (Gaoshun's 2nd son), and even Taomei (Gaoshun's wife).

As always, it's a fun read, and I'll be sad when I catch up the most recent volume.

Dreamwidth mirror

[sleepydumplingg]

Y’all ever had that one character that most of the fandom hated because they had annoying or problematic traits, and you’re afraid to say you love them lmao (I’m talking about en’en from the apothecary diaries)

[mnkiss]

A quick list of animes I watched and don't want to forget 3:

Satsuriku no Tenshi - perfect for halloween, it was a short story with an easy to forget plot and characters I could root for. Tbh it hooked me with the never ending suspense and Zack. And I'll never forget the heartbreak at the end. So toxic and broken and tragic. The horror elements were fun, sometimes scary even so 7/10! Demon slayer - Its a bingeable shounen. The story is mid, the animation is cool, the MC is kind and likeable + i love how they show us the difference between "city japan" and "rural japan" (especially technology and behaviour-wise), but the constant screaming and second hand embarrassement is just too much. And besides getting stronger and using better techniques there are no character arcs (as of in S2). The boar + thunder kid just ruined the whole series for me t_t And the mountain peasant/animalistic superpower schtick is boring as hell after an episode or two. 6.5/10

Samurai Champloo - y2k graffiti/breakdance meets samurais. Boi, what an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G anime! The AV, OST, art style, all the fight scenes and character design... all of it is 10/10. Of course the found family trope can never be trumped, however the story itself was adventurous, not repetitive (except for them never having money lol), captivating, witty and emotional when it needed to be. Also the episodes tie into each other a lot, which makes the storytelling natural (+ its not just episodes put in order). The MC's are all 3D with weaknesses, believable behaviors and distinct manners + they have easy to remember names and styles. Watching the messy trio's friendship come to live is something I want to witness again for sure.

Konosuba! - A surprisingly bad and adorable parody of the isekai genre that I could only watch all the way through after the 3rd attempt. Most characters are completely helpless/stupid/naive but in an oddly charming way. The MC is ofc a pervert neet that is insufferable, but his oversexualized companions are cute, their friendship is cute, and their boobs are huge. Watch it while having dinner 6/10

Ouran highschool host club - light hearted and stupid and has some second hand embarrassement, but its a must watch! I wish the artstyle was different tho :/ 8.5/10

The Apothecary Diaries - Sherlock Holmes meets chinese historical romance fanfic. Beautiful, captivating and rewatchable. Very dreamy (but i have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of drama and sadness in the future? idk i havent started the light novel yet) 9/10

Midnight Occult Civil Servants - its so much more worth it than ppl think! Yes, the power of friendship is strong in this one, buuuut 1) its not overdone 2) the story is not sugarcoated and there are some interesting philosophical topics that we touch throughout the episodes 3) even though the MC is a naive and ridiculously hard working boy, he learns a lot from his mistakes and kinda grows up. His friends are lovely too! I just wish that their design was a bit more detailed, the animation got a bit more budget and that we could have gotten a bit more chapters... 8/10!

Mignon - a korean BL manwha adaptation. Each episode is around 5 mins so the story isnt too complicated. It has vampires (why dont we get more of them nowadays??) and sexy man-love. 6.5/10

Golden Boy - It is a golden comedy (and educational) anime and it's so humorous that I actually laughed watching it. At first it seems annoying/ridiculous but from the end of the first episode I understood the premise and the point of the anime. The boy doesnt learn much, but the women around him do. 7.5/10

Kamisama Kiss - I loved it at the beginning and then felt really let down by it, cuz 1) I learned about the end of the story and got pissed off (because ***SPOILER ALERT who the fuck thought that giving up your occult superpowers and long life is romantic? WHO?***) and 2) it got so rushed at the end. The art style is not my favorite ad some of the frames looked cheap, but I loved the comical use of expressions and some of the designs were really cool. 6/10 (and -100/10 because of the ending of the manga. Seriously. Fuck that.)

[carriagelamp]

It feels like I have been mostly reading duds this month… somewhat appropriately, I guess, given that January is rather the dud of months. About half of these books I really genuinely enjoyed (among others, Ducks, Fox 8, and Unseen Academicals were all great!) and the other half ranged from “fine but lacklustre” to “seriously?” I did end up reading more Canadian books than usual though, which was a pleasant surprise

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping

A reasonably fun Doctor Who short story collection that nominally had a “winter” conceit to tie them together but… not it didn’t. This could be read at any point of the year, it's not particularly Christmas-y. Instead each of the twelve stories focused on a different Doctor Who villain/monster, with the Doctor and his companions only occasionally featuring — it was actually rather refreshing!

Of the stories, my favourites were: Red-Eyed League (Praternoster Gang!!! I love love love stories with them!), Celestial Intervention, Student Bodies, A Soldier’s Education, The Rhino of 23 Strand Street, and Anything You Can Do. I think there was only one story I disliked enough to skip, the rest ranged from pretty good to at least passable.

Apothecary Diaries v2 & 3

Honestly, this disappointed me. I really truly loved the first book of The Apothecary Diaries but for the next two books I felt like I was forever waiting for something to happen. But it was really just more of the same episodic stories. Which, if that's what you want, it delivers! Obviously lots of people who aren't me love this series! But for me... no

It feels like this author is allergic to character development — or even character interactions! You get a few funny moments now and again, but absolutely nothing that’s willing to go past the surface. I understand that Maomao is not a very social or empathetic character (frankly it’s one of the things that I love about her) but there’s ways for an author to force character interactions and make characters go out of their comfort zone even if the character's themselves are reluctant. This author… doesn't. Maomao just bops around, doing her thing. Which is fine. But also boring.

Instead the novels hinge entirely on the quality of the mysteries which… frankly just aren’t in-depth enough or clever enough to carry that weight. So. Disappointing. I might try watching the anime at some point to see if that’s more enjoyable because I do still enjoy Maomao and Jinshi… maybe that’s why I’m most annoyed, because this has potential that is just seems to do nothing with…

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore

Another disappointment. I saw this on so many 2024 book list round-ups! I’ve been looking for a new nonfiction book! It’s about bookshops!!! But despite this perfectly cocktail, this just… didn’t do it for me. I was more interested in getting a larger, overarching look at how things evolved, which this book gave a little bit of, but it spent too much time in the weeds for me. It focused a lot on single, specific bookstores and people. Maybe because I’m not American and don’t know these towns/stores/people so they have less impact, but I found it got so entrenched in kinda repetitive minutiae that it lost sight of the bigger picture that I was craving.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Now this was a pleasant surprise. I’ve read Kate Beaton’s works before (I think everyone on the internet has… Hark! A Vagrant and Step Aside, Pops)

but I hadn’t been aware that she’d done a new graphic novel or that it was going in a more serious direction than her gag-a-day style!

Ducks is a memoir-style comic that looks at Beaton’s time working on the Albertan oil sands to pay off her student loan debts, and the horror that comes from taking so many people and forcing them into a pressure cooker of a work environment. The oil sand camps tend to be quite northern, intensely isolated, very male-dominated, and run by the bastard oil companies that treat employees like disposal commodities to shove into their meat grinder. The conditions are horrific, and what Beaton experiences is also horrific. This graphic novel does a great job giving a sincerely nuanced look at these conditions and poses some very difficult questions about human nature and society.

Eerie Tales from the School of Screams

Just a fun youth horror graphic novel! I’ve enjoyed Graham Annable (the Grickle)’s work for years, mostly through his youtube shorts and Puzzle Agent, so I was excited to see him put out a standalone book. His signature style -- in art, humour, and horror -- is very present in this work, and it tells a few different horror short stories in a way that’s inviting to younger readers while still being able to give a thrill to older readers. Definitely worth giving a read!

Fox 8

A very neat short story that I also saw crop up on some 2024 reading lists. I listened to its half-hour audiobook and was very happy to do so! It’s told in the perspective of a fox who is struggling to understand why his forest has been ravaged, the ensuring food scarcity, and the people that now live there. It primarily focuses around Fox 8’s fascination with the humans and the “mall” that they’ve built where the forest once stood. Equal parts funny and tragic with a very unique narrative voice.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North

A very cozy children’s novel. I’d read The Very, Very Far North last year and was excited to see it had a sequel. It follows a group of animal friends who all live in The Very, Very Far North, and deals mostly with low-stakes friendship challenges and personal problems. It's written in a very Winnie-the-Pooh style — not the most exciting book you’d pick up, but it feels perfectly designed to be a bedtime readaloud.

My Dress-Up Darling v4

Another meh for me. I enjoyed the first few books of this series which focus on a girl who wants to get into cosplay but lacks the skills to do so, and a boy who is interested in things like sewing and outfit design but has only ever used it for crafting hina dolls. Their growing friendship is cute and I like all the research that went into this! But this one… just didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed some parts well enough (the budget cosplay chapters were neat!), but while the past three books I found had a good balance between plot and fan-service, this one felt like too much fan-service and too little substance. I probably won’t buy anymore, but I might keep reading them through the library, because I am invested in the cuteness of the main couple and the pretty costumes...

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind v1

………..I’m going to commit a grave sin and say that I actually didn’t love this. Maybe it’s because Nausicaa isn’t my favourite Ghibli film, but I found this so politically dense that I just got… bored. The art was pretty though, of course, and it would be an excellent read for anyone who really liked Nausicaa the film and would like to delve deeper into the lore, because it is apparently a LOT more expansive than the film is able to touch on.

Nim’s Island

A kidlit classic (even though it only came out in the 90s… it feels like a ~classic~ for some reason? Or that’s the vibe I’ve always picked up) that I’ve meant to read since I was a kid myself xD I finally did it! It’s a Robinson Crusoe style story about a girl who lives on a small island with her father, who’s a Scientist Performing Science. The story starts with her father needing to go to sea to do Science and getting stranded, so we see Nim needing to manage the island on her own while corresponding with an author through email. It’s cute. A little dull, the plot varies between slow to non-existent. I might have liked it more as a kid, but as an adult it really didn’t do it for me.

The Teller of Small Fortunes

A cosy fantasy book that follows Tao, a fortune teller who specializes exclusively in reading “small fortunes” for people, reluctant to do anything bigger out of fear of drawing the Mage Guild’s attention. As she travels though she winds up telling a wandering mercenary’s fortune which have significantly bigger implications than she could have expected. Tao suddenly finds herself saddled with the mercenary (who is determined to see if stick around after hearing his fortune), as well as an ex-thief, a less-than-successful baker, and an ornery cat. For the first time in a long time, her life is suddenly full of people as she continues to travel the land and give out her small fortunes.

Cosy fantasy can be hit or miss for me (sometimes they feel agonisingly dull and pointless) but this one had just enough action and intrigue to keep a good forward momentum going. I enjoyed all the characters, and though I didn't think it totally stuck the landing the first half was very charming and I would recommend it to anyone that wants something soft and pleasant and magical.

Unseen Academicals

This must be my third or fourth time rereading Unseen Academicals, it’s one of my favourite Discworld novels; it’s technically the final book of the Wizard’s series, but it functions largely as a standalone since it has an entirely new cast of main characters and the wizards serve mostly as background cast. And man, did Sir Terry Pratchett absolutely nail his cast for this book. Mr Nutt, Trev, Glenda, and Juliette are all completely perfect and interact with each other in really interesting ways.

Technically this book is about football (soccer). More technically, it is not even remotely about football. More, more technically, it’s all about football. Also it's about gender and socio-economics and model minorities and genocide. Also it's Romeo and Juliette except it's not and also Romeo woke up in time to realise how stupid everything is.

Street football has always been popular in the city, creating a complex and occasionally violent subculture among the various streets and their teams, but now the higher-ups are beginning to take notice. Just as the wizards are starting to get involved in this Sport Of The People, other characters are determined to escape it and its ever present Shove. As always, Terry Pratchett does a great job dissecting people and society in a way that is both very poignant, a little tragic, and hilariously funny. Can’t recommend it enough, even if you’ve never read a Discworld book before.

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 41: The Irregular Hunt

''Isn't it better to hide quietly in the shadows? There are even flowers like buds, you know. It's better to keep it a secret so it protects. Undisturbed by anyone, it blooms magnificently.''

– Hana ni Natte (Be a Flower) by The Apothecary Diaries

xXxXxXx

Touka took a deep breath, not looking forward to what was about to happen next. She and Shadow had been called to do a full health exam, with both having some idea what this exam would actually be about. Rouge led them to the room where they were supposed to have their health exam done, knocking on the door and being met by a female chinchilla ARNav wearing a labcoat.

''Ah, I've been waiting for you,'' she said. ''Come in. No, not you!''

The chinchilla glared at Rouge, who just gave her the sweetest and most innocent look possible. ''Aw, not even for emotional support?''

''No,'' the chinchilla replied in a sharp tone, glaring back at Rouge before walking back into the room. Touka and Shadow glanced at Rouge, who just shrugged.

''Well, I tried. Good luck you two,'' she said, watching them enter the examination room. As they walked inside, both Touka and Shadow were wondering why an ARNav was sent to exam them. They quickly both concluded that it was probably because Shadow was an Irregular. Even if he worked now for ARMS, the humans would still be wary of him since he could absorb their BioEnergy if they weren't careful around him.

''You can call me Dr. Manilla,'' the chinchilla ARNav introduced herself. ''I'm the one in charge of examining any Irregular ARNav that gets brought here, while my co-worker is responsible for the human partners. But, due to your unique circumstances, I had been told that you would participate in this examination together, Miss Sakamoto.''

''I prefer to be referred to as Kageura,'' Touka grumbled in an irked tone. Dr. Manilla glanced at the papers on her chart.

''Huh, but here, it says you're registered as Touka Sakamoto,'' she replied.

''That's an unfortunate mistake made by the higher-ups. You can just refer to me by my name for simplicity's sake,'' Touka responded with a sigh. Dr. Manilla just shrugged, then pointed at a platform in the corner of the room.

''Fine then, Touka. Please, go stand on the scanner,'' she said, with Touka obediently following her orders, stepping onto the platform and observing it as it lit up, scanning her. A holographic screen appeared before Dr. Manilla, who read through the incoming data. Her eyes widened in surprise, something Shadow, who was standing to the side with his arms folded across his chest, had noticed. ''Interesting… So, Sakamoto's notes were indeed right.''

''What are you talking about?'' Touka asked, furrowing a brow.

''You have an unusually high level of BioEnergy, far greater than what a normal human would have,'' Dr. Manilla revealed. ''I believe that this is because of Sakamoto tampering with your genetics, giving you a quite resilient body. It is genuinely fascinating, and I would love to learn more about what he had done.''

''I don't want to do more examinations than necessary,'' Touka replied, glaring at the chinchilla ARNav. Dr. Manilla took note of the look Touka was giving her, as well as Shadow glaring daggers at her. The chinchilla ARNav just frowned at the two, a bit annoyed that doing further tests on Touka's body was not part of her work and that she would need to get permission from the Comander to do that.

''In any case, you're completely fine,'' Dr. Manilla responded, with Touka stepping off the platform. She then typed something on the holographic monitor before her, then turned back to Shadow. ''Now it's your turn.''

Shadow stepped on the platform, not at all happy about the scanner sweeping over him, sending the data to Dr. Manilla. However, to the siblings' surprise, the chinchilla ARNav looked quite frustrated as she typed furiously on the holographic screen. ''Agh, what is going on here? Why am I getting errors?''

''Is something wrong?'' Touka asked. Dr. Manilla held up her hand to shut her up, then kept typing on the holographic screen.

''We'll have to redo this. The data I got seemed to be corrupted,'' she said, with the scanner sweeping once again over Shadow. However, when Dr. Manilla attempted to analyze the data she had gotten was once again filled with errors. She groaned in frustration, eventually realizing that her computer system couldn't actually process the data beyond the bare minimum.

''I'll have to send this over to someone who can get through this, but from what I've seen, you're in the clear,'' Dr. Manilla told Shadow. ''It seems like you have an unusual amount of energy that can be used in various ways, but my computer just cannot process what this kind of energy is.''

Touka and Shadow exchanged glances, the smallest of smirks forming on their lips as they knew well what this energy was. Their expressions turned back to more serious ones as Dr. Manilla called out for them to follow her to a short corridor that led to a different room. This one seemed to have thicker walls, with a mirror adorning one of the walls, and Touka and Shadow quickly realizing it was a two-way mirror.

''This room is for testing out an Irregular's abilities,'' she explained, turning to Shadow. ''I'll activate a test dummy for you to use your powers on, so feel free to go all out. I have Prof. Sakamoto's notes in regards to your combat skills, and from what I've read, they're quite impressive. All you have to do is to show me that you didn't get rusty over the years.''

''Hmph.'' Shadow narrowed his eyes. He was the Ultimate Lifeform! Did she really believe that his combat skills would get worse only because he was stuck in a stasis pod for a decade? Admittedly, she wouldn't know about his battles in Neos City, but nevertheless, he did feel slighted. Nevertheless, he wondered just how much of his abilities he should show off. He didn't want these people to know just how powerful his Chaos Spear, Chaos Blast and Chaos Control were, as he knew they would take advantage of him. Still, he needed to prove himself worthy of his title. Clearly, Sonic wasn't the only one with an ego.

Dr. Manilla walked into the room next to this one to observe Shadow through the two-way mirror, while Touka was left standing in the corner. Shadow centered himself, observing the holographic opponent as Dr. Manilla activated the test dummy. His ears flicked, and his opponent charged at him, with Shadow punching the latter in the stomach before throwing it over his shoulder, causing it to land hard on the ground. The test dummy flickered and got up, with Shadow wondering if Dr. Manilla was also testing his own endurance as the close combat battle continued, with the test dummy getting tougher and tougher to fight against. Still, he decided to make it a challenge for himself not to use any of his powers, kicking the test dummy into the mirror and almost cracking it.

''Hey, watch it!'' Dr. Manilla shouted through the speaker.

''Tch, that was too easy,'' Shadow muttered, placing a hand on his waist.

''You know, you could just use your powers for this. This is supposed to be an exam to test all of your abilities, not just your close combat skills,'' Dr. Manilla told him. She then sighed, when she saw Shadow rolling his eyes. ''Fine, then. I suppose I we can skip this part and get to the more important stuff. You're going to absorb your partner's BioEnergy so I can see how you're handling it.''

Shadow's crimson eyes widened as he felt a chill flowing down his spine, but he tried to keep his expression impassive. Horrible memories of him hurting Touka due to Prof. Sakamoto's experiments and his own inexperience with BioEnergy flashed in his mind, and he shook his head. ''I refuse.''

''What?'' Dr. Manilla sounded quite surprised by his answer. Usually, Irregulars would act like rabid animals around BioEnergy, but she guessed that Shadow was a special case. After all, he was created to break the system and actually take properly advantage of BioEnergy. ''Well, you have no choice. If you have any complaints, take it up with the Commander.''

Shadow narrowed his eyes, turning to Touka as she stepped next to him. Neither of them wanted to go through this experience again, but they knew that they had no choice. At least, unless they wanted to use the alternative. Touka waved at the two-way mirror. ''Just, give us a moment.'' She then crouched next to Shadow, whispering, ''Should we go with Chaos Surge?''

''We can't let them know about this!'' Shadow hissed under his breath, shooting her a glare. Touka just nodded, a grim expression on her face.

''I know, Shadow, but if it comes to this, I want you to use Chaos Surge,'' she told him in a firm tone. ''I'll figure out a way to explain that power so they don't get suspicious.''

Shadow gave her a pleading look, his ears drooping as he was clearly unwilling to go through with this. Even though he was now used to using Chaos Surge, that still didn't mean that he wasn't traumatized by almost killing his own sister after having accidentally absorbed her BioEnergy. He knew that if he goes with the usual way the Irregulars would use BioEnergy, he might end up with the same situation as before and he refused to let that happen. However, Touka gave him an assuring look, and while this did help with Shadow's confidence, he still wished he didn't have to go through that.

''Are you two done with the pep talk? We don't have a whole day for this, you know,'' Dr. Manilla said, with Shadow and Touka hoping that she didn't overhear their conversation.

''Fine,'' Touka grumbled, glancing once again at Shadow in concern. She was willing to take the risk, but she also understood why Shadow refused to go through with this. Nevertheless, they were now property of ARMS, super soldiers that were forced to work for them, and they would have to follow orders. Still, they had a way out, but they needed to be patient.

Shadow took a deep breath and took Touka's hands into his own, sensing her BioEnergy. He was still reluctant to even start the absorption process, but being under the watchful eye of Dr. Manilla, he pressed on. He hated this, feeling Touka's BioEnergy coursing through his own. It wasn't unfamiliar, but his instincts were screaming to stop this, but hearing Dr. Manilla's voice over the speaker forced him to continue. He could see Touka looking uncomfortable and pale, her hands shaking. Even if she had a greater pool of BioEnergy than a normal person would, it didn't mean that she was immune to having it absorbed.

''Touka…''

''It's fine-'' Touka hissed back, her chest heaving with every breath as she glared at the two-way mirror. Both were already past the activation point for a Chaos Surge, with Touka suddenly falling on her knees, crying out as her mind was in a haze.

''Touka!''

''Don't move! We're not done yet!''

Shadow wanted to stop, but Dr. Manilla's voice over the speaker made him freeze for a moment. This was replaced with anger, and he pressed back the BioEnergy he had absorbed, cutting it off. Touka looked up at him, a small smile tugging on her lips as she clutched her chest, breathing heavily, but her eyes now glowing in an red and orange colour. Shadow turned to the two-way mirror, about to tell Dr. Manilla how he won't participate in the when both of them suddenly heard a scream.

''What the hell is this?! You two fried the goddamn computer!''

Touka, who was now sitting down on the ground, and Shadow exchanged glances, with Touka snorting in amusement. This was followed by a groan from Dr. Manilla, who then added, ''Your exam is over now. I need to get this sorted out… Screw the Sakamoto and his experiments ruining my equipment…''

Shadow glanced at Touka. ''Do you think you can walk?''

''Yeah, I just need a moment,'' Touka said, her eyes returning to her normal colour, before taking a deep breath and getting up. ''It's still not a pleasant experience…''

Shadow walked closely next to her, fearing that she might fall over, but fortunately, Touka managed to walk on her own. Rouge was waiting for them outside, trying her best not to show just how anxious she was. ''Are you two okay?''

''Yeah, we were until the Doctor wanted me to absorb Touka's BioEnergy,'' Shadow said, his tone grim. Rouge sighed, giving the two a sympathetic look.

''I was afraid they would do that. This was one of the experiments they put all of Irregulars through,'' Rouge told them.

''I used Chaos Surge,'' Shadow stated, with Rouge's eyes widening in surprise.

''Apparently, it fried Manilla's computer,'' Touka added. ''I suppose that, unlike Sakamoto, they don't have the equipment to handle analyzing Chaos Energy, especially not after a Chaos Surge.''

''I see… Although, I suppose that at this point, you two have also improved your ability to use Chaos Energy, so it would be difficult to analyze it regardless, especially if they don't know what they're dealing with,'' Rouge responded.

Both Touka and Shadow nodded, with Touka adding, ''If anyone asks, Chaos Surge can only be used by me and Shadow. We cannot let them know that the rest of Team Neos can do that.''

''Don't worry, my lips are sealed,'' Rouge told her.

xXx

Sonic stared at the TV, his eyes narrowed and his arms folded as he scowled in a surprisingly Shadow-like manner. Lucas, who was nearby in the kitchen, took note that the azure hedgehog had been running all over and outside Neos City, trying to burn off the excess energy and figure out a plan how to save his friends, but clearly, he couldn't think of anything. He returned home, looking defeated and irritated, turning on the TV and just aimlessly switched through the programs.

''Sonic, are you okay?'' Lucas asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

''No, I'm not. Shadow and Touka are gone, and there's nothing I can do to help them. All I'm doing is just sitting around,'' Sonic told him, clearly frustrated. Lucas sat next to him.

''I know how you feel. I'm more patient than you are, but even I hate the idea of just doing nothing,'' Lucas said. ''Unfortunately, we really cannot do anything for now. We do have that deal with Dr. Eggman and we can communicate with Touka and Shadow through that private network, which is better than nothing.''

''Do you have any ideas on what to do?'' Sonic asked.

''I've been thinking all night about it, but the only thing that came up on my mind was to find a way to get Touka and Shadow get sent to Neos City. They now work as Agents for ARMS, and given how Neos City is a magnet for Irregulars, I'm certain that they would want them to fight Irregulars,'' Lucas told him.

''Shadow is an excellent fighter. I doubt that they would send him to fight Irregulars that Hunters can deal with,'' Sonic told him. ''They would need a bigger threat.''

''You're right,'' Lucas responded, suddenly getting up. ''That's why we're going outside.''

''What do you want to do?'' Sonic asked, also getting up.

''See what the Irregular Hunters are up to,'' Lucas said. ''I don't know how much they would know about ARMS, but we need to start from somewhere.''

''I think I saw ol' Commander Loki and his squad somewhere,'' Sonic said, perking up and ready to get back into action. ''We could tag along.''

xXx

''Hey, look at that!'' Tails exclaimed, pointing at the red sky. Sonic, Lucas and Warren looked up, taking note of the AR Field that displayed warning signs above, urging people to stay away from that area. They were at Kita, the northern part of the city, having gone there due to seeing a squad of Irregular Hunters heading there. Fortunately for them, it seemed that ARMS wasn't following them around, but it was possible that that was because Touka and Shadow had agreed to work for them. ARMS would lose interest in them so long as they got to keep their secret project.

''I'll go check things out!'' Sonic told them, and before his friends could reply, sped up towards the area. Lucas, Warren and Tails exchanged glances, wondering how they ended up in this situation. To start off, Lucas and Sonic did pass by the Taylor Workshop, and after telling the two what they had planned, Warren and Tails agreed to accompany them.

''We haven't gotten any message from Eggman, so there really isn't much we can do,'' Warren said. Considering how their main task of contacting Touka and Shadow had been completed, he and Tails focused on their personal projects, with Tails even working on a new device that would aid him in a battle. After they heard about Lucas and Sonic's plan, they agreed to accompany the two, also expressing desire to just do something instead of sitting around at home.

The three had soon joined Sonic, who was peeking around a building, observing Loki and his Alpha Unit fighting fox-like entities made out of blue flames. The azure hedgehog then pointed at a building further away, where a familiar figure was standing.

''That's Shiro!'' Tails said, looking stunned. He hadn't expected to see the kitsune again, even though he knew that she was still out there, free to do whatever she wanted.

''Shiro?'' Lucas rose an eyebrow.

''Right, we haven't told you, have we? Basically, Shiro was the Irregular that had been attacking people at the Kita Inari Shrine, but Tails and I had managed to force her to retreat along with Minami and Amy's help,'' Warren explained. ''Seems like she's back.''

''I see…'' Lucas muttered, taking note of Sonic's gaze. He was a bit surprised that Sonic didn't leap into action immediately, staying back instead, and quickly realized that Sonic was actually looking around for any sign of ARMS. Unfortunately for him, it was only the Hunters.

''Any plans?'' Sonic asked, understanding the look Lucas gave him. He knew that it was unusual for him not to participate in the battle, but given the current circumstances, he decided to rely on Lucas for the next move.

''I'd say that we go for Shiro. The Hunters seem to be handling those… uh, what are they?'' Lucas glanced at Tails.

''That's just foxfire – an illusion created by Shiro to keep them occupied,'' Tails said, staring at the fox-like entities.

''Got it. Do you guys think you can sneak up to Shiro?'' Lucas asked. Sonic and Tails glanced at each other, a wide smile on their expressions and nodded. Tails then reached into his backpack, taking out the devices he and Warren had been working on.

''Actually, we could use this opportunity for a field test,'' Tails said, with Sonic giving him a curious look.

''What's that?'' he asked. Tails flashed a grin.

''You'll see!'' He and Warren then stepped closer, and to Lucas and Sonic's surprise, initiated a Chaos Surge. ''Let's go!''

Lucas and Warren observed as Sonic and Tails rushed out behind the building, with Sonic finding a way around and speeding up the building Shiro was standing on. Fortunately, she didn't seem to have noticed the azure hedgehog, as she fully focused her attention on the battle below. However, sensing a rush of wind, she turned around and saw a ball landing and uncurling into a hedgehog right before her.

''So, I see that you decided to cause trouble. Let me guess, you're gonna tell me how you have some kind of excuse to attack people, and I'll tell you why that's the wrong answer,'' Sonic said, stretching his arms for the upcoming fight, before giving a confused Shiro a confident smirk. She managed to quickly collect herself, unfolding her fan.

''This is quite unexpected, but not out of place. I assume you act as back-up for the Hunters?'' Shiro said, giving Sonic a scrutinizing gaze.

''Nope, I'm just a hedgehog who likes adventure and has a tendency to save the day,'' Sonic replied.

''Dance of the Foxflame!''

Without any warning, Shiro waved her fan down, suddenly sending fiery crescents towards Sonic, who leapt upwards and homing attacked Shiro. Gracefully, she dodged his attack and entered close combat, using her fan like a tessen, a war fan, as she sliced through the air, leaving wisps of fire, meaning that Sonic was not only in danger of being hurt by the weapon, but also being at risk of being burnt. Fortunately, his training with Shadow did pay off, as he used some of the new moves he had learned to fight back. While Shiro moved with grace and precision, Sonic was way more unpredictable, rolling onto the ground and kicking Shiro from below, who blocked the kick with her closed fan, but when he got on his feet to punch her, she had placed the fan over his wrist and held it, blocking his punch, but what she didn't expect was for Sonic to suddenly drop down, his own weight pulling her down with him. She let go, attempting to hit him with the end of her fan, but was met with sharp quills that almost cut her hand. She backed away, only for Sonic to bounce at her, but she waved again, creating a wall of flames. Sonic uncurled, landing at the edge of the building and feeling his quills getting singed.

Shiro was about to go for another attack, only to suddenly see a bunch of circular devices being thrown at her, hovering in the air. She looked up, a bit stunned to see Tails hovering above, his eyes now glowing amber as he snapped his fingers. To Shiro's shock, she was suddenly enveloped in a light blue EMP field that acted more like a cage.

''Agh!'' Shiro fell on her knees, feeling like a shock pulse coursed through her body, keeping her paralyzed. She gritted her teeth, glaring at Tails. ''Y-You!''

''Woah, what did you do?'' Sonic asked.

''Warren and I had figured that we could make a conductor for my EMP power that would allow me to use it as an offensive attack from a distance… Or, in this case, several can also act like a EMP cage to keep the opponent at bay,'' Tails explained, turning back to Shiro as he carefully controlled the energy output. ''This time, you won't get away!''

''This is awesome!'' Sonic was amazed by this move.

Shiro, on the other hand, could just glare daggers at Tails.

xXx

Below them, the foxfire illusions had suddenly disappeared, with Lucas and Warren realizing that Sonic and Tails managed to take care of Shiro. Both of them looked at the Hunters, who were quite confused by the sudden disappearance of their opponents, probably not having realized what had happened.

''What was- What are you doing here?! You can't be here!'' Loki shouted at Lucas and Warren as the two approached him.

''We know, but you guys had been held back by illusions. The Irregular is up there!'' Lucas pointed at the nearby building, where Tails was keeping Shiro paralyzed. Unfortunately for them, there was a small burst from one of the devices, catching on fire and fizzling out, with Tails' eyes widening as he realized what had just happened.

''No no no!'' Tails stared in horror as the devices broke down, clearly fried due to just how much power they had to channel, despite the twin-tailed fox's attempts at keeping the stream of energy as steady as possible. Sonic, who saw Shiro getting up, went for a kick, but was blocked by the fan, with Shiro glaring at both of them.

''This is not over yet!''

A wall of flames suddenly emerged, wrapping itself around Shiro and forcing Sonic to retreat, with the flaming orb suddenly falling off the building. Sonic and Tails gasped in shock, looking over the edge of the building, but as the flames dissipated, they realized that Shiro was gone.

''I thought I had her this time,'' Tails grumbled, only to feel a hand on his shoulder.

''Don't worry, little bro. I'm sure that next time, you'll be able to defeat her for good. You have already grown really strong,'' Sonic told him, with Tails smiling back in response. Both saw the Alpha Unit and their partners gathering below the building, with Tails grabbing Sonic's arms and then lowering both of them onto the street.

''You again!'' Loki exclaimed when he saw Sonic, clearly irritated. ''Seriously, hedgehog, every time there is an Irregular attack-''

Sonic shrugged. ''What can I say? I like to be in the middle of the action.''

''In my defense, I had fought Shiro before, when she had taken over Kita Inari Shrine,'' Tails added. Loki's eyes narrowed as he looked at Tails.

''Wait, were you one of the Inari Shrine kitsune that were supposed to guard it?'' he asked.

''I had left it a while ago, so I wasn't involved with it when Shiro came along. Me and my friends were the ones who discovered what had happened… Uh, we're not in trouble for that, right?'' Tails asked nervously. Loki just rubbed his temple, sighing. He then turned back to his unit.

''Go and check the area out for any signs of the Irregular. I'll take over this one,'' he said, with the squad spreading out. He then turned to Tails. ''Do you have any information that could help us in containing the Irregular? We know that she had been lurking in Kita to drain humans of their BioEnergy, and we have a report from the blue kitsune, named Ao, about her activities.''

''If you have Ao's statement, then I don't believe I can add much more to that. She is susceptible to EMP fields, though,'' Tails replied.

''I'll keep that in mind. Now, it would be the best for you to leave, especially you two since we have an Irregular on the loose, and we already had to send another person to the hospital,'' Loki said, looking over at Lucas and Warren.

''Except, we know how to deal with Irregulars,'' Lucas told him, with Warren giving him a look of concern. He didn't remember admitting that being part of the plan. ''You don't have to worry about us.''

''Again, being a Hunter, I'd be responsible for your safety-'' Loki said, only to get annoyed when Sonic interrupted him.

''Then just tell whoever's in charge that we'll take responsibility for our own safety,'' Sonic told him. He then folded his arms across his chest. ''Speaking of Irregulars, what do you guys even do with them?''

''That is none of your concern,'' Loki told him in a stern tone, wondering what this civilian ARNav was even up to.

''Do you know anything about an organization called ARMS?'' Sonic suddenly asked. Loki's jaw dropped, while Warren and Tails turned their attention towards Lucas, since from what they knew, they were supposed to keep the whole thing with ARMS a secret. Lucas just gave them a resolute look, as this was something he and Sonic had planned.

''H-How-?'' Loki stammered, only for Sonic to respond.

''Our friends have been taken by them. We're not supposed to talk, but I had figured that, as an Irregular Hunter, it would be fine to talk to you,'' Sonic replied. Loki fell suddenly silent.

''I see… Officially, I can't tell you anything, but unofficially, the only reason I'm aware of their existence is because I have seen several of their members visiting our HQ and taking away the Irregulars we had captured. I don't know what they do with them, but I had attended a meeting where they showed off an Irregular after they had done something to him, something that made him completely lifeless. My supervisor wasn't too keen on witnessing that.'' Loki's eyes narrowed, his voice lowering into a whisper. ''It really feels like some shady business.''

''Why are you telling us all of that?'' Lucas asked.

''Look, I know I shouldn't divulge information like that, but I don't like ARMS. Not to mention, if your friends are involved with them, I can only imagine in just how much trouble they are,'' Loki answered.

''They even told us to forget that our friends exist,'' Sonic added. Loki sighed.

''Figures… We had a similar situation with one of our human co-workers, who had managed to find an Irregular who did not want to absorb BioEnergy, which came as shock to us. She wanted to help the Irregular, but then those ARMS agents came, took both of them away, and when our co-worker returned, she acted like nothing happened and never told us what happened at ARMS. She later left and moved away, and we never heard anything back from her. Like said, shady business,'' he explained. ''I hope your friends make it out alive.''

''Do you know where they are?'' Lucas asked. Loki shook his head.

''I sincerely hope you'll never have to deal with them personally,'' he told them. ''I know it's not easy, but it would be better to avoid them.''

''I doubt it. They made it personal when they took away our friends' freedom,'' Sonic said, his tone serious.

xXx

''Unfortunately, the information we have on Agent Shadow is inconclusive… As in, the energy spike he created friend our computers and the technicians will take a couple of days to fix them,'' Dr. Manilla told Commander Williams. ''However, from what I have gathered, the hedgehog is incredibly powerful, and I believe that even Sakamoto didn't manage to get any correct data on his abilities. Furthermore, simply absorbing BioEnergy results in just the usual growth we observed in other Irregulars, but it when the hedgehog did… something, his energy levels suddenly went off the charts. I've never seen anything like this before,'' Dr. Manilla said in amazement. ''I'm asking your for permission to conduct more exams on the two, since they're refusing to participate.''

''Do you think they'd be ready for a mission?'' Commander Williams suddenly asked.

''Well, they're in good condition and the hedgehog's combat skills are quite astounding-'' Dr. Manilla was interrupted by the Commander.

''Then, I don't believe further exams are necessary. We need these two for the next mission,'' Commander Williams told her. Dr. Manilla pouted, but she nodded.

''Yes, sir. I'll try to salvage whatever data I can find on the computer,'' she muttered, walking out of the room. Commander Williams then turned to the other person in the room, his assistant.

''Call Agent Sakamoto, Agent Shadow and Agent Rouge to the meeting room for a briefing. I want them to be there in ten minutes tops,'' the Commander told the man, who just nodded and left. He then turned to his monitor, frowning as the insignia of the Eggman Empire flashed across the screen.

This mission was going to take priority.

Links:

#Previous Chapter

#Current Chapter

#Next Chapter

#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

[ridiasfangirlings]

more apothecary diaries reisaru AU please, the aesthetics alone make me cry

munakata’s brain literally can’t process the huge gap between usual fushimi who’s rude and annoyed and is mostly vocal about his displeasure, as well as constantly stepping on his feet or trying to kick him in shins, with his wild hair and angry brown eyes behind thick clumsy looking, clearly hand made glasses

and then there’s calm, almost melancholic but still annoyed fushimi, well behaved and knowledgeable of proper etiquette enough to blend with nobility, having that innocent yet courtesan-ish appeal to him, pale like moon, with soft, dark as night hair, with calm but dangerous as a still sea before storm eyes accented by expensive masterfully crafted glasses to accent elegance of his features

it was probably the first time munakata was really thrown out of balance because both versions exist as fushimi’s natural traits hence why munakata never suspected him of pretending. the way he actually recognized fushimi at banquet is because of those specially ordered to be made glasses for him that he gave him as a reward for recently successfully completed investigation.

also the way it’s implied fushimi studied medicine for somewhat noble causes only to reveal it all was to develop an ultimate poison that will drag his scumbag of a father to hell (constantly visiting brothel where fushimi was abandoned, clearly aware of his existence but refusing to take in or acknowledge the child, ‘providing’ him in a way of sleeping with prostitutes here and making sure fushimi knows about it to traumatize kid further by getting violent with them, as well as generally executing psychological abuse and nothing can be done because he’s a generously paying client)

Niki also probably being one of those high ranked scumbag officials which means they eventually cross paths here and Niki mocks him for finally following steps of his good prostitute big sisters. Fushimi’s so furious they both end up in game of poison drinking (since niki does have resistance to most poisons due to how much he was attempted to be murdered like that but also being an expert himself hence why he even climbed that career staircase). Niki just treats it like a dumb child wanting to die in dumb way by trying to outplay him only to realize that he himself is poisoned really badly despite drinking less and fushimi himself isn’t feeling good thinking it’s a job done good so even if he dies he’ll at least also drag this scumbag with him in hell. Munakata arrives just in time to administer first aid to dying fushimi who unlike already dead Niki still holds on because he’s been administrating little doses to build some resistance so Niki won’t suspect a thing until the end. So anyway fushimi survives but spends some time feverish and bedridden as an aftereffect. munakata during one of his visits kinda confessed to still delusional fushimi he’s disappointed he wasn’t able to tell Niki that his son is pretty much going to become future emperor’s spouse which fushimi later thinks was a weird ass poisoning hallucination without realizing it was high key a proposal from munakata.

Following up on the previous Apothecary Diaries Reisaru ask, imagine Munakata just so awestruck after the garden party because of course he’s had his eye on Fushimi as talented person right from the beginning but he didn’t realize how striking the ‘real’ Fushimi could be. Normally Fushimi’s crabby at everyone, with messy hair and slightly dirtied skin, dull-colored eyes that he hides behind handmade glasses (which get replaced by the fancy ones Munakata gave him as a reward for a completed mission, only because Fushimi values ‘being able to see’ above ‘not taking anything from that annoying sparkly bastard’). But then at the garden party he got to see the other side of Fushimi that exists too, pale skin and the most striking blue eyes, smooth hair and an ability to pick up court mannerisms so easily that no one would believe he was actually working as a doctor in a brothel.

There is something rather familiar about Fushimi now that Munakata’s seen this side of him but even Munakata has trouble putting his finger on it entirely. In the meantime he hears that one of the kingdom’s most disliked figures, a strategist by the name of Niki, has returned to the palace for the first time in a long time. Niki was probably thrown out at one point or another for tormenting the palace women and even when he was allowed back he only shows up when he wants to. His family is very rich and powerful so even the emperor can’t entirely act against him, something Munakata finds wholly distasteful. His first glimpse of Niki gives him the impression of a man who holds no ties to anyone or anything, who merely enjoys chaos and pursues his own pleasures above all else. What’s odd to him is that Niki requests to meet for drinks, and when Munakata comes by to convey his apologies for refusing the offer Niki instead requests Munakata sell him a particular servant that Niki’s heard has been hanging around the inner palace.

Munakata doesn’t know why Niki would be interested in Fushimi and he doesn’t like it, afterward he decides to ask Fushimi about it in hopes of uncovering the mystery. What happens though is when he says Niki’s name Fushimi goes completely still, eyes burning as this look of pure hatred comes over his face. When Munakata tries to ask him if he knows Niki then Fushimi blandly says he has to get back to his duties and takes his leave. Once he’s out of Munakata’s sight though Fushimi gets this twisted smile and starts laughing, murmuring how ‘that man’ has finally returned after so long. Fushimi has preparations to make, he didn’t spend all that time learning about poison just to let this chance pass by.

Fushimi makes plans to ‘accidentally’ run into Niki one day, Niki is so pleased to see his son came following Daddy to the palace. Fushimi challenges Niki to a game, where the loser has to drink juice tainted with poison. Niki is very amused by this, he would never say no to his little monkey. As part of the game though Niki gets to poison three glasses and Fushimi poisons three, so neither one knows which poison is which and their lives are truly on the line. For once Fushimi did manage to get something over on his dad though — they both chose the same poison, a flower that only grows inside the palace. Niki never bothered building up a tolerance to it because he’s so rarely in the palace, and he assumes that Fushimi hasn’t had time to learn about the flower at all let alone build up any kind of tolerance. However Fushimi has been spending his last several months here attempting to do exactly that, and while he knows he fares better against other poisons he can’t let this chance go by. Niki loses on purpose a couple times just to toy with Fushimi, who’s getting red-faced and sweaty and obviously struggling with the poison. However in the end this is Niki’s downfall, because he can’t resist the poison and he dies just as Munakata comes running, having been informed about the game. Munakata totally ignores Niki, gathering Fushimi into his arms princess-style and carrying him off to the palace doctor.

For the next few days Fushimi is feverish as his body fights off the poison, seeing hallucinations of Niki laughing at him. He sees some other odd hallucinations too — one where Munakata reveals that he’s a crown prince and that he wishes to take Fushimi as his consort. When Fushimi wakes up Munakata is asleep by his bedside, Fushimi assumes Munakata must just be trying to avoid work by sitting with him. Poor Munakata is very unhappy though, strictly telling Fushimi to never put his life in danger that way again. His gaze and voice are so passionate that Fushimi ends up nodding and Munakata sighs, saying he supposes this won’t stop Fushimi from doing such reckless things though. Fushimi clicks his tongue and Munakata asks how he’s feeling, Fushimi says he’s a little tired but feeling better. He does mention the hallucinations he had and how ridiculous, that Munakata would be a prince who wanted to…he trails off, muttering you know what never mind, and meanwhile a single sad sparkle-tear falls from Munakata’s glasses

[reivenesque]

I just started watching Apothecary Diaries and honestly it's okay. Maomao is fun enough as a main but honestly I'm not very fond of Jinshi. The first half of the season was way better than the second half because I liked Gyokuyou and her handmaidens and the other concubines and when Jinshi was just a side character.

I was sad when Maomao was fired but happy when she got her job back but extremely disappointed that she was going to work at Jinshi's place. The second half of the season is honestly so boring. Jinshi is annoying, I don't care about Maomao's dad or the ongoing drama with the tall girl.

I finished the first 12 episodes in one day but have been dragging my feet with the second half. I think it's been a week and I'm only at episode 19.

Legitimately the most pointless scene was when Maomao was making Jinshi look like a commoner. I felt like that scene went in for fucking ever.

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: The Apothecary Diaries Light Novel, Vol. 1

Author: Natsu Hyuuga, Kevin Steinbach (trans.)

Illustrator: Touko Shino

Genre/s: historical, mystery

Content/Trigger Warnings: implied pedophilia by a character no longer present in the series, kidnapping, being sold into indentured servitude, death, suicide, physical and emotional abuse

Summary (from publisher's website): In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison! At her lady’s side, Maomao starts to learn about everything that goes on in the rear palace—not all of it seemly. Can she ever lead a quiet life, or will her powers of deduction and insatiable curiosity bring her ever more adventures, and ever more dangers?

Buy Here: https://j-novel.club/series/the-apothecary-diaries

Spoiler-Free Review: Oh but this was a delight! The way I think of this is that Maomao is kind of like Sherlock Holmes, except she’s stuck in a period intrigue drama set in the rear palace of the Chinese imperial court and has to negotiate all the etiquette and conspiracies in THAT particular setting while also solving mysteries. Which, given all the conspiring, there are actually plenty of.

While the mysteries are pretty interesting, what REALLY hooked me was reading about Maomao interacting with the consorts and their ladies-in-waiting. The way Maomao views herself (low-ranked servant/food taster/apothecary) stands in direct contrast to the way the REST of the inhabitants of the rear palace view her (poor unfortunate waif), and there’s plenty of hilarious moments where Maomao does or says something that makes the other rear palace residents react in a certain way, and she does NOT for the life of her understand WHY. It’s not that she can’t READ people, because she CAN; she just doesn’t seem the least bit interested in anything that might necessarily apply to HER. On one hand there’s a pretty good reason for that: she firmly believes no one would care about her because she’s so low in the overall hierarchy that she doesn’t think anyone would care about her welfare. On the other hand, she’s just the type of person who’s not easily impressed by anyone. She knows how to act in front of her social betters, but that’s just manners; she doesn’t go out of her way to impress anyone because, in her opinion, it’s a waste of time.

What this means is that Maomao has some entertaining, and often outright HILARIOUS, interactions with the other residents of the rear palace. There is a moment in the novel where some ladies-in-waiting concoct a tragic backstory for Maomao that Maomao finds annoying - not only because it gets the facts of her life wrong, but also because it prevents her from working as much as she used to. Despite that, though, she tends to let it slide because the privileges she gains from the misunderstanding allow her to do OTHER things that are more aligned with her preferences. There’s a lot of “It is what it is, I should just make the most of it” to Maomao’s outlook in life, which is juxtaposed against her intense curiosity and willingness to go to any lengths to find the answer to any question she might have.

And then there is Jinshi: the beautiful eunuch who is constantly giving Maomao migraines. At first he’s an almost adversarial character, but that’s only because the reader first sees him through Maomao’s THOROUGHLY unimpressed eyes. It becomes clear later on that Jinshi isn’t all that he seems to be on the surface - something that Maomao figures out herself later on, though that doesn’t lessen her annoyance at him. It’s also through Maomao’s interactions with Jinshi and his assistant Gaoshun that the reader gets a sense of something brewing in the palace - something that goes beyond the games and intrigues of the imperial consorts and their ladies. Still, it’s clear his and Maomao’s dynamic is something to keep an eye on, and it’s easy to see why they’re popular as a ship in the manga and anime fandoms.

Overall, this is a very quick and entertaining read. Maomao’s an absolutely endearing character, both because she is extraordinary and extraordinarily flawed. The way she interacts with the characters around her and navigates rear palace politics often make for hilarious moments, but they make for some pretty interesting mysteries for Maomao to solve as well. It’s interesting to see where Maomao’s curiosity will take her, and what mysteries she will unravel - not just in the rear palace, but perhaps in the Imperial court itself.

Rating: five rare herbs

[randomidiocyncrazies]

Watched the avaliable eps of the apothecary diaries so far, and I am enjoying it for the most part! I like mystery, I like historical settings, and I like political intrigue (tho there's not a huge amount of it so far). The MC is cool as hell and very endearing/easy to root for, and it's nice that a lot of the stories are about women and how they experience the world (since it takes place in the rear palace).

However.

I'm fervently praying that the MC never falls in love with the ML, bc she's always annoyed by his attentions and seems pretty aro in general... relationships where one party is resistant while the other pursues them doggedly despite discomfort/disinterest really gets my goat, so I find the ML really grating. I wish it was just Maomao and pals solving mysteries, but alas.

And I know they're most likely gonna get together, bc that's what sells, but so far the MC is actively annoyed by him and hates dealing with him, so like... idk how we're supposed to root for their romance lol

(Also. The only thing that made the potential relationship interesting to me is the fact that he's an eunuch, since that has certain institutional implications (e.g. they won't be able to be 'formally' together/get married, and navigating that in their time period and circumstances could be interesting). But there are strong hints that he's actually not a eunuch—in fact he's probably a secret prince, given how high-ranking and important he seems to be—so even that aspect isn't guaranteed.)

I also think the fake freckles thing was a bit annoying, bc 1) sexual assault is more about power than attraction/attractiveness, and 2) it's such a cop out for having a main character who isn't 'traditionally' pretty. (Esp since her freckles are drawn in a 'cute' way to modern audiences.) But it does provide worldbuilding/character detail, so at least there's that.