The Apothecary Diaries 1x24: "Jinshi and Maomao" // Reaction and Discussion

[@Le7emeChat]

That's the second "secret courtisan" this brothel sell to an extemely rich official in a single year (Maomao being the first, see the commoners comment in episode 13). Now people start to think there is even more rare, more exeptional, more secret group of coutisan than the 3 princesses, exclusively for extremly high earner. Just that rumor will bring rich people starving for reconition trying to be part of that exclusive clique.

[@Jackie_Tikki_Tavi]

It's been maybe half a year since I've first watched this episode, yet I still cry tears watching it now.

[@nonko83]

“Crying, laughing, feeling excited, and getting butterflies - what an amazing anime!”

[@HugeFrigginGuy]

Strange but true; kids really can grow back significant amounts of their finger tips . Had to look it up, but as long as the injury is after the point where the nail begins, and the wound isn't sewn up, the regeneration there is impressive if not entirely perfect. Weird.

[@SmthPositive_]

What a beautiful end to a fantastic anime. Glad to have been able to watch it together with you guys!

[@monzed.3948]

It was a pleasure to see this with you guys "big things" are waiting for us in season 2. 🤭🐸

[@Zeon081]

big frogs you mean?

[@markghailebuison2719]

OMG I'M SO EXCITED!! I have been waiting for this!!!!

[@_all_around_us]

Man this show was SO comforting while it was airing. I immediately missed it when it ended.

[@GGABueno]

Yep, I started the manga straight away! And then got depressed again when I caught up and saw how slowly it releases

[@theemperorssmile7970]

And that's a wrap!! I loved rewatching apothecary diaries with you, especially your discussions and reactions on it! PLEASE keep reacting to season 2 too when it comes out,it's too interesting to miss out.🐸🐸

[@3dtoni]

Prosopagnosia is the name of the face blindness disorder fyi if you wanna look into. Lakan can't see Loumen face, but I think in the entirety of Lakan there is probably only one or a few chariots. Loumen also taught Lakan how to recognize people by their voice, their stature, etc etc. A limping man with Chariot piece can only be his uncle.

[@IZEASGT]

I do like that Maomao doesn’t realize he can’t see Luomen’s face - she knows he can somehow recognize the two of them, but isn’t inclined to ask him for details, and makes her own assumptions.

[@AWest-en5ee]

Ah, this episode with Lakan always gets me...hope we get the next season sooner rather than later! Oh, but Jinshi not getting her the bezoar is a matter of him having trouble getting it, not that he didn't intend to give it to her. Thank you for the reaction and analysis series, it's been a blast!

[@DesertHomesteader]

This reaction had me so excited! I've seen the whole series several times, but I love sharing in the fresh feels while watching it with others. I cried several times during this reaction, even though I've watched the episode many times. It still hits hard and your reactions remind me of the emotions I felt during my first watch. I love the experience, so thank you.

[@gabimara1751]

The first season (24 EPS) are about the first 2 books of the novel. I expect that next season will be book 3 and 4.

[@IAmebAdger]

A very enjoyable journey and great to hear your thoughts every episode!

[@Bayard1503]

Familiar affection?? No, no... Meimei is completely in love with Lakan. And Maomao knows this and she probably would have preferred if it was Meimei that was actually the one that was bought.

[@IZEASGT]

There’s a few more details on that front that were retained in the manga, but left out of the anime - Maomao explicitly wishes Lakan had chosen Meimei. I especially like her thinking back to when she struggled to learn the dance, and Meimei patiently helped her the whole time.

[@たまごサンド-r6x]

I'm very happy that you guys seem to be very smart and understand the story deeply. Coupled with the complexity of Japanese, it's difficult to understand the true meaning in the sub version. but you try to understand foreign cultures and anime, and you actually understand. I'm glad to be able to sympathize with the reactions of other anime, not just this series. I'm rooting for you as a Japanese!! Sorry for my poor english. Thank you!

[@katherinebaxter6870]

Yay, it was so much fun to watch you react to this series!

[@siriusblack06]

Wow my body clock lead me to a new upload of Apothecary Diaries reaction. ❤ ..this doesn't happen often. 😅 PS, it's 4am here.

[@IZEASGT]

I’ve been watching the discussion here in bits and pieces, for reasons. I think the question of “Just how much did Lakan pay for Fengxian?” is like “Just what did Maomao teach the consorts?” That is, we’ll never know exactly, but the answer would make our eyes pop.

[@loslobo_]

Bro why am I crying so hard rn.

[@WavPlayCreativ]

It makes me laugh seeing through Lakaans eyes that line of beautiful women in Verdigris house all look like plain white stones, and he is willing to pay astronomical figures to buy one out for his promise with his lovely daughter. It’s indeed a miracle that he could tell Maomao’s face from others the first time he saw her as a toddler…

[@tulk3747]

Such a great series. I enjoyed rewatching with you guys. It, Kaguya Sama, Oshi Ko Ko, Frieren are my favs with you guys. Keep up the good work

[@KristineAvendano-td7lx]

When i first saw this scene i almost cried i am like Oh Hell 😂man i don’t cry but that scene got me it was maomao message

[@gitsnak777]

The books are great if you don't want to wait!

[@TamagoSenshi]

I just noticed after 24 episodes that that old woman has the same voice actor as the director's mom in Oshi no Ko

[@gacrux-ni7hw]

Finally, I've waited long

[@ranisa6567]

Finally, i been waiting you guys..

[@Radiokillerpollo1]

Apothecary Diaries and Monogatari episodes the same day???? C'mon it's not even my birthday or Christmas!

[@Keldarin]

I am so looking forward to the firefly and frog incidents in the next season!

[@PortD7]

They confirmed on twitter i think that it will be released 2025 so its not all that long time to wait and o my god iam soooo hyped

[@KristineAvendano-td7lx]

And a very fitting name for our main character in Chinese MaoMao means Cat and since MaoMao told Gaushun not to add MaoMao sama cause sama is a term for those of her rank she told him cause your higher ranking than me which made him give her the name XiaoMao meaning little cat

[@ImFrelled]

Mao can mean Kitten or Cat. I like to interpret Maomao as Kittycat.

[@originaldcjensen]

@@ImFrelledI like to think think XiaoMao as Kitten.

[@janewow77]

You are one of few reactors that I even want to watch if you react to this anime for the second time.

[@DXDragon38]

Looking forward to Season 2 :) What a great adaptation

[@katerinakucerova2937]

I could not wait for season 2 so I am reading the light novels now. First season of anime consists of book one and two in the book serie. So thats why the 2 season feeling, that comes with the switch from book 1 to book 2. I am currently on book 4, which should be still part of the next season of anime and boy are we going to be in for a ride. Buckle in 😉😂😂

[@Runo1923]

The creator had to nerf her physically, otherwise she'd be an all time waifu forever.

[@KristineAvendano-td7lx]

I ship those two a lot but knowing those 2 she would say something very maomao lol so much like her to say that

[@originaldcjensen]

And thus ends the second light novel. I wonder if they will keep the 1:1 ratio? I think Lakan, Fengxing and Maomao are all on the autism spectrum. I do want to know: 1. Why did the madam keep Lakan in the dark for 14 years? 2. Fengxing was born in the brothel. Is the Madam her mother, therefore Maomao's maternal grandmother?

[@gluelake]

1. Simple, she hated him. 2. Yes

[@GwyndolinSimp]

In my opinion, it's not that Lakan became dumb at all. He wasn't "tricked" per se. In an unfortunate set of events he was sent out while his family head was angry with him, leaving him powerless to refuse. Also, having s*x doesn't necessarily mean getting pregnant, as Maomao says, particularly in brothels, and Lakan knows fully well that Fengxian is smart, she wouldn't make that mistake. What he didn't expect is precisely perhaps that Fengxian was indeed fully interested in him buying her and willing to become pregnant with his child. If he hadn't been sent out, he would have seen Fengxian face to face, they could have talked. Also, Fengxian's letters didn't reach him because he was out and his family didn't care about him, and he was probably focused on gaining favor with his upset family, and in the letters she is straightforward, therefore we can assume she would have communicated her ideas to him somehow if he had been present. Ergo, Meimei's "Big sister, you should have been honest from the start.". Also, Maomao's "That woman went mad when things didn't work out.", well think of Lakan's reaction when he came back and his reaction when finding her again, and her reaction. When he didn't show up nor respond to her letters, since she probably didn't know he was out, she assumed that what she had perceived to be between her and Lakan was a lie. She had been betrayed, she trusted him and he abandoned her, after all she was only a courtesan. She broke. Maomao sadly became the scapegoat for her mother's broken heart and mind, and the illness just made eveything worse.

[@NinnaUtami]

Please watch "Kimi no Todoke", they released new season this year.

[@IZEASGT]

God, I can’t wait for season two. Hell, I can’t wait for season FIVE - volume 9 of the LN introduces a character who’s going to be so much fun to watch in animation. (Interestingly, there’s already dialogue in the anime that implies their existence, though there’s nothing else about them until LN9.)

[@Alice_Lynx]

I'm sorry, but are you talking about Chue or someone else ? If I remember right, she and members of Ma clan were introduced in volume 9

[@IZEASGT]

@@Alice_Lynx 雀さん、雀さん！

[@Alice_Lynx]

@@IZEASGT 猫猫さん ,猫猫さん！

[@gluelake]

Doubt we would get as much as 5 seasons.

[@miyukii2507]

Can't wait for season 2 and frog-kun

[@Fire-hc2bx]

I text this comment even before watch the reaction but im totally sure it will be amazing 50 minutes, next one 86 and hd

[@TrueThanny]

Loulan = low-lahn Gaoshun = gow-shun Ah-Duo = ah-dwoh No stress on any of the syllables in any of the names (i.e. it's lah-kahn, not lah-KAHN).

[@monzed.3948]

Jinshi's reaction to the dance is in the official art of the novel and in the manga but sadly they left it out of in this one.

[@anandpachpinde3125]

👍👍👍👍

[@elsamanang1153]

😊 Can you also try : Ao Haru Ride

[@xanderman55]

Watching this again I just realized that Maomao must have really seen Meimei as an older sister, they even have similar names. Does anyone know who named Maomao or did her mother name her Maomao because she thought of both Meimei and Maomao as sisters?

[@IZEASGT]

The LN material I’ve read doesn’t say who named Maomao, I believe, but it definitely follows Meimei’s pattern of a single character repeated (Plumplum and Catcat). I’d guess it was either Fengxian or Meimei, who would’ve been 12-13 at the time.

[@jebes909090]

so i think maomao has syphillis. either shes had it since birth or she infected herself to try and cure it. the mark on her arm is exactly like the marks on her mother. that might be why shes trying so hard to find that medication. and why shes so obsessed with testing things on that spot.

[@anonymousgerbil8336]

The marks on her arm are from her experiments. And they can already cure syphilis at an early stage, but Loumen didn't get to treat her mother until it was already too late.

[@jebes909090]

@@anonymousgerbil8336 the marks on her arm look EXACTLY like her moms marks. I think she was infected when her mother cut off both thier fingers. The timetable jives and at the point of it becoming visible its basically over for maomao. Which is why shes looking for the medicine ro bring someone back to life. Shes a walking corpse.

[@ilozone8327]

Lmao no maomao didn't get syphillis, her mom after get pregnant drop her value to zero so then she accepted every customer with illness or not

[@jebes909090]

@@ilozone8327 i didnt say she got syphilis i said she HAS syphilis. More than likely she gave it to herself to try to cure her mother or alternatively her mother unintentionally gave it to her when she cut off thier fingers. Blood to blood . It would actually track with the timeline.

[@gluelake]

@@jebes909090 nah, her arm is exclusively for poison and concoction testing.

[@hadihariman9704]

Have you figured out who Feng Xian's mom is?

[@melindoranightsilver9298]

Spoiler: The Madam (manager of the Verdigris House) is her mother however much like how MaoMao doesn't consider Feinxian to be her mother, Feinxian doesn't consider the Madam to be hers. Courtesans didn't get to be mother's in the red-light district. As it was, Feinxian was lucky that the Madam allowed her a room at the Verdigris House after she got sick and MaoMao was lucky that she wasn't thrown into the streets like other courtesans children might be. She acted the way she did because she just thought that was the way it was.

[@rusenakman]

[@CB_EverAfter2]

while waiting for the next season, maybe you wanna check out an old anime (if you haven't) whose main characters are often compared to jinshi and maomao: ouran host club high school. their dynamics are similar (overreacting male lead and nonchalant female main character). it's a very lighthearted anime and only has 26 episodes in total 😊

[@Jackie_Tikki_Tavi]

The Ox whatchamacallit doesn't exist. It's a mythical remedy cooked up in the imagination of the time period, haha

[@clowtears1898]

Doesn't exist yet has been used empirically in Asia for over 3000 years?

[@2006Whippet]

Ox bezoar does exist. Whether it actually does anything has never been proven.

[@calumnyslander4050]

You think oxen cannot develop gallstones? They can. Such things do exist.

[@originaldcjensen]

Did you even try Googling?

[@IZEASGT]

One of the things that really roots Maomao in her setting, and prevents her from being purely The Voice of Science, is that she gets REALLY enthusiastic about certain ingredients that are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine, even though modern science has found no evidence for their effectiveness. The ox bezoar is one of the first examples, and there’s a great scene with her geeking out over a velvet antler in a later volume.