Why It Works: The Apothecary Diaries

[@Hobikage]

Chapters: 00:00 -Opening 00:36 - 3 reasons 00:58 -Maomao is good 03:43 - is Jinshi good? 05:07 -don't call us dumb 07:31 -It's an icon 08:50 -message to viewer

[@Drad_]

1:15 Sorry but it is an important distinction PHYSIO-logical (fizz-yo-logical) not PSYCHO-logical needs. As in relating to the body not the mind. Great video overall though!

[@yujyuu]

Maomao isn't "not like other girls" she is FOR the girls. My favourite part of this show is how she supports other women and how women support each other through this show!

[@javelinmaster2]

"Not like other girls" is also pretty much a clichè at this moment. I mean just look at all the female characters who are "not like other girls" and see how much of the same they are..... Also, it's pretty misogynistic when you think about.

[@tesnacloud]

I would say she more helps those without power. Yes, that is more often women in that society, but men without power, who are poor or vulnerable, are also people she goes out of her way to help.

[@yujyuu]

@@javelinmaster2 so true. The "not like other girls" trope plays into misogynistic beliefs that conventional femininity is to be mocked and undervalued, that other women are "lesser" for being feminine.

[@yujyuu]

@@tesnacloud totally! I love how kind and good-hearted Maomao is. She's weird and off-putting to some people and obsessed with poisons but she always cares about others.

[@Alte.Kameraden]

​@@javelinmaster2 honestly you have it kind of backwards. Men want women to be women in most cases. It's normally social activist who want women not to be women as it's considered "pandering to gender norms" and those norms are considered misogynistic as they're considered pandering to Men.

[@nephtys369]

Imagine Maomao and Frieren meeting. Instant BFFs who never tell the other they’re BFFs

[@MiracleTimes07]

Intp with Intp interaction

[@davidarvingumazon5024]

@@MiracleTimes07 INTP?

[@MiracleTimes07]

@@davidarvingumazon5024 Intp is a personality type, they both share the same personality

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

Fr

[@Kaelronpa4299]

Both of them have an obsession where Frieren love to collect magic that benefit everyday live and Maomao love testing poison.

[@TheAnimeTea]

“all we’re getting is crumbs, not enough to make bread” is so on point not only for Jinshi but also for Mao Mao and the series. I appreciate the lack of hand-holding in the story. It forces the audience to be captivated by the characters beyond just the comedy and cat ears which are still a plus!

[@Rose_Bride]

I was genuinely surprised when I discovered that this anime is considered a seinen and not josei. It has a lot of elements commonly found in female centric works.

[@nangke]

The original web novels are josei, and everything adapted from them (light novels, manga, anime) are considered seinen, mostly for the sake of trying to reach a wider audience overall.

[@ExpertContrarian]

Because it’s not

[@tinyetoile5503]

Probably because the author is a woman

[@annacme-fs5gs]

In my opinion, if u see the novel and manga, it became seinen bc the story is more complex and mature than most josei so seinen is more suitable (the politic, the "mature" content, and red light district is mostly in perspective of a man)

[@kookiekommenter]

​@@annacme-fs5gshere is my take: it really is about reaching a wider audience. Jousei (which typically only women read) isn't a very popular category in comparison to seinen (marketed for men but actually read by both men and women), so many women who would otherwise write for jousei choose to market their works as seinen instead. Jousei and seinen are both adult-oriented categories that have equal theoretical potential for complexity and maturity, but jousei's lack of popularity makes it unattractive for a lot of great creators.

[@rubymoon72]

MaoMao is that quirky and girl boss that western industry is missing the point. Make her smart that the audience would understand or can learn from. Make your girl be strong in faminine ways, bring out the strength that a girl has as simple as reading, writing and caring for people.

[@sugarzblossom8168]

People keep saying that gender shouldn't be the focus of a female character.

[@bmona7550]

Western society understood when they made Legally Blonde and the girls in Avatar the Last Airbender but recent western writers seemed to misunderstand strong unique women

[@tiffanyh629]

The west tends to underestimate softer people in general. The racism against Asian men because they're not the alpha macho men of the West is one of the things that showcases this. Everything everywhere all at once Waymond is the portrayal of this. If you're looking for female characters of this equivalent: Cinderella, who people devalued because she 1) didn't actively "fight" back against her abusers [she fought back in her own way] and 2) she had a man "rescue" her [she didn't. She didn't even go to the ball for the prince, she went because she _wanted_ to. The man was a bonus]

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

That’s true

[@davidtucker9498]

@@tiffanyh629 The only racism against Asian men in the west are from African Americans. And yes, valuing strength above good, moral character is a major problem in the black community. I am not convinced that this is why there is so much violence against Asians from black men though. I think it has more to do with the fact that Asians are the most successful ethnicity in America, which is an existential threat that destroys the victim mentality of black Americans. The very existence of a successful minority tells black men that their suffering and failure is their own fault, not society. All people tend to lash out when their core identify is challenged.

[@fenix23]

Maomao is not ugly. She uglyfie her self to protect herself from harsh reality. She depends on her skills and not on her looks.

[@Hobikage]

Maomao is not ugly yes but is not not the beauty standard and even apologizes for someone having to look are her body. So even your her face card never declines she in every day life is average or even below.

[@fenix23]

@@Hobikageshe just like she said herself don't have much assests ;)

[@thiagosnet]

She's not that beautiful, even when everyone sees her with proper makeup she only gets hairpins from people that already know her and a man that pity her! She's not that ugly but she's not stunning, she's a normal girl and I don't think there's something wrong with it.

[@vnleao]

MaoMao isn’t ugly. She’s actually canonically stunning. The only difference is she paints on freckles. Which again, is a far cry from actually being ugly, it’s just an undesirable trait to the male gaze of her environment so she isn’t harassed. But that doesn’t make her ugly in the way we think of beauty in the West. She is not an “I’m a potato” girlie.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

That’s true

[@voyagerwitch]

she actually uses makeup to alter her general complexion, too, to make herself look dirtier and more gaunt.

[@rachelclark6393]

I think it's also shown but not explained that she makes sure that her dress, grooming, posture, and makeup all present the image if a girl who is poor and low class, someone beneath notice. Even her hairstyle is somehow very informal and common, despite being more distinct so we can recognize her as the Mc. She has no hair fancy ornaments, just plain cloth ties or simple dull beads. Things a poor person could afford. Contrast her with the rich, complicated, expensive hairdo we see on the concubines, and she stands out more than the other maids do, but even to modern eyes, it doesn't cone off as rich. I also think her clothes are chosen similarly. She's not wearing the basic maid outfit and usually isn't wearing an outfit that matches the other servants. That's so we can spot her, again. But her clothes are simple cuts, fabrics, and colors. No frills or decorations. Colors are unsaturated and earthy. Loose so they don't cling but cut to allow for hard work as befits a poor person or servant. And all of this visual coding is both in character and done clearly enough that a modern audience can subconsciously pick up on the cues. That's why it makes such a big impact when maomao changes into an outfit that is designed to attract attention and show off her beauty. We can understand the contrast between her normal outfit and what that implies for her characterization.

[@tylerc5021]

The scene that convinced me that I would continue watching this anime is when Maomao waves to her friend when she's leaving lunch.

[@riskycyanide3628]

For some reason, I can feel you

[@whateverQ32]

YOOO...!!! I know the exact scene you’re talking about! And yes, it was the best hand-waving-animation I ever saw! 😆

[@emilybowne6043]

What I like about Apothecary Diaries both animated and manga is that it shows the complexity of social hierarchy. Even as a Westerner, this is something that I noticed because of my experience as a poor person growing up and what it's like becoming a middle class person. I've been annoyed by countless people saying that social hierarchy doesn't effect our society, it does. Maomao covers this area beautifully and with tact

[@mickbrown7793]

the bright colors aren't necessarily unrealistic. Bright, vivid colors that we'd see as gaudy these days were more likely to be used in the past where there was poor lighting so they helped the colours stand out.

[@Ghorda9]

in some cases it was also symbolic/ritualistic

[@elkapi7764]

I didn’t realize this series was written by a woman at first but as I was reading it I just started to get that vibe cause of how Mao Mao was being written. I’m sure men can write good women too but sometimes they get a little bit one-note-ish or focus too much on what makes them endearing to a male audience (usually some form of kawaiiness)

[@itsjustvin7630]

There is a series where it isnt about kawaiiness. Unfortunately its Act-Age

[@ExpertContrarian]

Funnily enough I could tell this was written by a woman just by how the men look

[@moondaughter1004]

I also wasn't able to tell at first. I love how the series is written by a woman and the anime is directed by a man. Like the source material is incredible and the anime seriously did it justice and even added it's own little improvements because they could. This is seriously genius artistic creativity from everyone involved no matter the gender

[@kiara_kb8214]

@@itsjustvin7630 we don't talk about that here.... *sob*

[@bmona7550]

Well to be fair many great writers are women

[@amelialoyselle2123]

"The author should not be the only one who knows what's going on" EX 👏 ACT 👏 LY 👏!! This is why badly done twists and 'subverting expectations' can be such shallow narratives: as an author, screenwriter, etc, you should WANT your audience to be following along with you and understanding what you're putting down! Bringing the audience along for the ride and letting them figure it out with the characters is such an exciting moment for readers/watchers/etc. If it loses all power on a second readthrough/watch, the short-term shock is no substance, all show. TAD doesn't do that. On a second watch, you pick up on the little details they gave you BEFORE they drop the reveal, and it makes the audience that much more immersed.

[@Catgirl2021]

Maomao isn’t ugly, she’s a pretty/cute. But yes her being flat chested, short, and skinny isn’t ideal standards in her environment. We have to admit Maomao is pretty but she’s not what people would call beautiful if you compare her to her mother who’s provably the most gorgeous character on the show. But she also is still young and may look close to that as her face matures.

[@Hobikage]

Maomao is not ugly yes but is not not the beauty standard and even apologizes for someone having to look are her body. So even your her face card never declines she in every day life is average or even below.

[@kiara_kb8214]

she's average

[@bmona7550]

@@kiara_kb8214 Lakan’s genes really took over 😂. But it did saved her from being a red light district worker.

[@zerevv]

I'm actually not sure if maomao's mom is that pretty, even lakan said she's not that pretty compared to other girl so far we saw her from lakan POV and since lakan loves her she looks way prettier than she should be because lakan sees her with love instead of eyes (if not she will look like a go piece)

[@maskedfox5800]

@@zerevv she was quite a high courtezan. she wouldnt be in that position if she wasnt beautiful

[@jsc4103]

Good analysis. I've love Maomao as the main character but I loved even more how well her reality was highlighted.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I know what you mean

[@diegoxd321]

this anime give 90's anime vibes like NANA or GTO it actually isn't similar to those animes in the plot but in the portail of real people and real problems I really miss animes like those

[@runway5338]

One thing I appreciate about Apothecary Diaries is how casually sexually free it is. When Maomao gives a tip to one of the 4 main concubines on a new and appropriate technique she can try out with the Emperor. And *slight SPOILER* when Maomao conducts a class basically teaching the 4 concubines sex ed, the 2 concubines who are experienced with the Emperor are excited to try out what they learn. Maomao even tries to get erotic books for all the concubines and the Emperor lol She's very real and practical about her background living both a brothel and apothecary; she doesn't shy away from it. She doesn't make a big deal out of it. She accepts it and uses it to her advantage. It's just a normal aspect of her life. She gets along well enough with the Mistress of the brothel, and all of her sisters. They're even the ones who share and teach techniques with her, in case she ever needs to use it. And she does, just not in the way everyone immediately assumes. This is honestly refreshing to see. And Maomao is such a girls girl, as some of the other commenters have noted. I was really excited to see this animated since I found a couple years ago and lost it. It made me happy to rediscover such a gem of a MC, and I'm happy that it's gotten such a big and appreciative audience. The author really did an amazing job with this one.

[@myrtlealley]

The hints are all there. Which males are and arent allowed to be in the inner court, him being muscular for an eunuch, him having war camp experience, looking exactly like the tomboy courtesan ect. I like that the romance is subtle. i know they like each other but nothings progressed past princess carrying and hand holding. She acknolwedges that hes a good looking man and he expresses his fondness with his actions. She can be a weird obsessive smart girl and he likes her quirks.

[@daridon2483]

Basically a normal relationship growth. No love at first sight (well jinshi not so much, but he started to tone it down with time), they just started as strangers, got to know each other, and eventually opened up to each other as friends. If it gets to develop into love is up to them to decide later on. Somehow pretty rare in most media.

[@myrtlealley]

@@daridon2483 I'm 6 volumes into the light novel and barely anything happened. Good amount of sexual tension or stuff that would make you blush if your crush did it.

[@MistenMix]

"Let girls be girls" is such a powerful phrase for girls who are struggling with their femininity in the modern age, especially in the west. The western culture is more masculine compared to other cultures where masculinity is equated as strength and femininity is equated as weakness. It's a very toxic phenomenon for girls that could make them either reject femininity as a whole or lean to toxic extreme feminism. Maomao's character has received endless praises for writing women right. I agree that she is not "not like the other girls" or "one of the boys", phrases commonly used due to the phenomenon I described earlier. She is a woman who neither rejects her femininity for "strength" or go to the other extreme of toxic feminism. She is who she is regardless of her gender or her society's gender roles. A trait of hers in writing I especially love is how she acknowledges her status as a woman in her society, yet she never lets it ever restrain her character by ACCEPTING it rather than being bitter about it or actively trying to rebel against it. Acceptance is such a beautiful and powerful action that the western culture has completely rejected and chose to be delusional and detached from reality instead. Acceptance is indeed very hard to achieve, but reality is that it's the only real solution to pain whereas delusion is only a temporary relief. I also love how knowing so Maomao supports other women going through hardship, as women should help other struggling women. Maomao is such a wonderfully written female character so unique to modern (especially western) culture yet is perfectly relevant and inspiring to women. This is why Maomao is a perfect female protagonist loved and praised by many.

[@sarahlachman1349]

Asian cultures still see women as women, the US and the west it controls via Hollywood are too busy pushing Propoganda to SELL drugs & surgeries Women are not men, and this story just goes with it and accepts reality.

[@NoMustang273]

Western culture is definetely not more masculine than other cultures. Patriarchal norms are unfortunately present in almost every society including Japan. Some are better than others in this aspect but I wouldn't say Western culture is an outlier.

[@MistenMix]

@@UCpkYRJqLxnyFOA I agree with the fact that westerners don’t even know what men and women are anymore, but I’d say Japan has quite a handful of problems with their culture too. Unfortunately every modern culture has many of its problems, and some of them would’ve not been as bad if misuse of the internet didn’t amplify it. Best thing to do for now is to avoid being affected by problems we’ve already realized and be on lookout for other problems that could potentially affect us too. Hope that made sense.

[@MistenMix]

@@NoMustang273 Perhaps you misunderstood what I meant, apologies for not being clear. Using the word “masculinization” was not my best wording as I did not mean so in terms of patriarchal norms. It’s complicated to explain, but in a nutshell I’ll compare how western culture and Asian culture differentiates in this matter. Though a lot better, most Asian cultures are more like the traditional generic patriarchy. They are in touch with reality and know the difference between men and women. Most of their feminist ideologies are the same as original feminism ideologies from the west around 60s to 00s, which do not equate femininity as weakness. This allows most of their girls to embrace their femininity without constantly worrying whether that’s “pathetic” or “weak”. Contrary, the west is currently in a strange situation where feminism was corrupted and strays from the original concept of empowering women to just hating men. Sadly corrupted feminism even became sexist towards themselves by equating the traditional femininity to weakness, therefore creating a toxic environment for girls thinking that things like being a housewife or being feminine in general is “weak”. New delusional concepts during that time like the trans movement only added fuel to the fire. You can see this from how men are ignorant of femininity from how they mock women in memes, and also in western media where multiple mainstream media tried to make strong female characters but terribly failed to do so by just removing all of their femininity. A fair amount of girls are affected by this phenomenon so they reject their femininity which is extremely sad to see. It’s a very strange and complicated problem, I tried my best to explain so I simplified many things. Hope all of that made sense lol

[@sugarzblossom8168]

So people should accept any thing that a society does to hold their gender back and not rebel?

[@canyouthefandango3220]

It's not saturated but more desaturated. Colors in China and Japan even in ancient time irl have this aesthetic feel. Colors are darker shade strong colors so mostly it isn't desaturated. The colors is just not painful in the eyes.

[@cheyannahughes8767]

Those who read the manga knows the frog chapter. I won't say more

[@Hobikage]

I always call Jinshi the frog prince 😭

[@sageseeker9197]

The female characters feel like actual people, not just archetypes with slightly different personalities that revolve around a male character. Not a single one of the characters centers men in a way that they've chosen (ie men are just like, an irritating need rather than a thing to be adored), they center men because they have no choice, and when given the choice they have other things in their lives. Even for the concubines, the Emperor is a means to an end, Nobody is in love with the Emperor, it's all about status. Plus, MAO MAO IS SMART. Smart female characters, who are LEADS, are insanely rare. And I don't mean like, "smart" I mean, Smart the way only male characters have ever been allowed to be. We rarely even see this in Western media, with other things getting in the way of the allegedly smart female character's way, and even when she is, smart, she's typically hyper-feminized and her motives center around her relationships. Also, having the male character as the eye candy is surprisingly refreshing since usually it's some under aged girl squealing like a pig because sempai touched her no no square.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

That’s so true

[@Anushka_san-b7b]

Sis I totally agree with u ❤ I exactly think like u This comment is the best for sure ✨

[@rindou97]

Personally, Jinshi is a borderline incel. His obsession with Maomao is the kind of obsession and attitude one might find annoying with a less enjoyable and ungly guy. I love Jinshi as a character, but as a person he's really questionsble. Love his relationship with Maomao tho, it is really fun to watch.

[@ruby.noceda]

the colors of your hair are absolutely stunning!!

[@HexagonPankake]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we don’t want “strong” women, we want *well written* women

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

This, this right here 👏👏

[@Rosefire]

I find Jinshi and Maomao to be compelling characters who work well off each other because they're both masqueraders. Maomao is cautious to play down her intellectual and medical abilities at first, but she can't help intervening when something piques her burning curiosity or she knows someone needs medical assistance she can provide. She plays down her natural beauty just as Jinshi plays down his masculinity in his eunuch role. Despite the facades, they are gradually letting down their guard around each other.

[@addyjoy3]

I love when media (books, shows, etc) let ME figure out what's going on WITH the characters I don't read/watch a lot of mysteries mainly because they don't give me the clues, and I'm left confused while the character figures it out. I love it when I'm given all the pieces with the MC so I can come up with my own theories

[@BlackReshiram]

this show, frieren and dungeon meshi are my favorite anime shows rn!!!

[@emotionalnpc]

I absolutely love this series, there's really nothing like it

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I know what you mean

[@kris1123259]

I personally don't like mysteries, so I was not expecting to like this. Apothecary Diaries for me it's just fun and power fantasy done right, Maomao is very OP with knowledge and ways of thinking that wouldn't be discovered until centuries later but I'm willing to go along with it because (A) she does faces obstacles instead of everything being handed down to her (like in isekai). And (B) Yuki Aoi's performance pair up with the awesome character animation and you get an MC who is super engaging to watch.

[@bichiAllen]

Hobi in the background AND The Apothecary Diaries? instant subscription

[@farah-aaliaaj4645]

Great review on the Apothecary Diaries! I also very particular when it comes to female lead characters and Maomao is one of those rare gems that you don't get to see often in anime/manga. I would recommend you to watch/read Tomo-chan is a girl. It's a very light hearted shoujo genre but it's fun and refreshing even. Cliché but again, it's fun. Hope to see you do a review on it! 😁❤

[@sugarzblossom8168]

I am pretty sure it is tomo-chan is not shoujo

[@Sluyyie]

amazing vid!!!! keep the amazing work up!!!

[@Hobikage]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the support💜💜💜

[@Asa-gg2xv]

I want to point out that. Mao Mao is a very refreshing MC because despite definitely not being a conventional female character, neither trying to be the ideal woman, she *thinks* as a woman on the most essential of levels. Her reactions are potentially the rawest afab people could have that I've seen in a while. And I feel like that is something we need. Imma add another thing. She is clearly coded as autistic to md - whether voluntarily or not, but I'd tend to think it is voluntary - and at no point ever does anyone contest her womanhood on that basis, despite clearly not acting fully as it is expected of her nor having typically societally approved interests for her gender. And I love that. I also love that her relationships are primarily sisterly with other women, no matter their ranks nor their dispositions. Again, she thinks as a woman, in a male dominated society. She knows that the most important thing they can do is support each other and she actively does that. I fricking love this story. A bit of a messy word vomit but I'm hoping someone reads this and finds agreement with what I think.

[@jackt53]

the main reason that i watch the Apothecary Diaries - its a pretty good story.

[@twistedpaperclip5929]

The main reason I watch the Apothecary Diaries is that it’s a pretty good story.

[@ssjokg4952]

I know the story TRIES to present her as ugly because "OMG freckless!? you have zero worth" but I think that, just like any other show, the design isnt actually ugly as it should be. I know that it cant happen because the "transformation" to pretty is either too much or the "actually ugly" design goes over the top like Betty, la fea shows. Instead of ugly, Maomao is just cute which just happens to not be beautiful like a top courtesan or concubine. And that's about the only flaw I can find in this show.(Also the show played it VERY safe with Fengxian's state)

[@amelialoyselle2123]

To be fair, Maomao points out she's not the ideal due to her body - flat chest, very skinny, no real curves - more than her face, which leads her to paint freckles on herself. She knows she's got a pretty face, that's why she has to hide it behind freckles. And the show definitely supports those claims. But yeah, I was also kind of ehhhh with how they portrayed Fengxian, but I guess it's probably because people would be much more horrified to see her actual state.

[@elkapi7764]

I think she looks more “plain” in the novels (tho still not bad) but the manga style the anime uses is more cutsy. I forgot if they ever explicitly called her ugly

[@Catgirl2021]

Maomao is a cute pretty but her mom is a drop dead gorgeous pretty. In my opinion the prettiest female on the show. Thankfully Maomao got her looks from her mother but doesn’t look much like, she just has her hair color.

[@ssjokg4952]

The thing is that she supposedly puts make up to make herself ugly to avoid being dragged to a back alley by all sorts of people in the red light district. I am not so sure plain or just cute would have worked for so long.

[@ssjokg4952]

@@Catgirl2021 Maomao would have been a copy of her mother, with her father's eyes, if not for her growth being fucked up by her own experiments. Imagine having the right genes and sabotaging yourself.

[@RevilloPhoenix]

"Ugly" is a pretty hard overstatement. She is very pretty, she just uses makeup to pretend to be ugly cause she doesn't want to deal with...how man react to pretty girls...especially in that time period.

[@shaxmizi99]

Something that I use as benchmark for a good anime is that it has to have interesting characters. Not just the main character, but all of them. Truly, Apothecary Diaries delivered. heck, probably only the baby of Gyokuyou wasn't interesting, cuz she couldn't talk yet. other than that, from the Flower House granny to the maids of Gyokuyou and even MaoMao's friends, they all feel real, they are there and they try to live. I also agree on the fact that the animation really is one of the big factors of it's success. I already read the manga and rarely in such case, do I watch the anime, but the anime was so good that I watched all of the 20+ episodes even though I already know the story. They followed the manga style to a T and used very flowery colours. The animation team deserves to be recognised, honestly, props to Studio OLM.

[@zombiedemon1762]

0:13. Maomao ugly? No she's cute.

[@straw-b6f]

I love The Apothecary Diaries. All the women in it are all Girl Bosses. Especially everyone in the Jade Palace, including Gyokuyo & the ladies in waiting.

[@moondaughter1004]

Exactly. Like Maomao isn't the only amazing female character in the show. Also let's not forget all the women in the brothels.

[@straw-b6f]

@@moondaughter1004 Yes!!! All the women at the brothel are awesome. The Madam of Verdigris really packs a punch.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

Oh yeah definitely

[@amanosatoshitranslates]

unnamed memories this anime is not out yet and i still can feel a big ခss pain is coming

[@dubedaare]

Hey, girl! I've been watching you on tiktok, but you popped up in my recommended vids here, so ofc I gotta support you on here too ❤ Great video, always enjoy hearing what you have to say about my favorite animes!

[@dubedaare]

If you haven't started on "Delicious in Dungeon" (or "Dungeon Meshi"), I would really suggest that one! I saw a few posts about it on twitter, decided to check out the manga, finished it all in a week, started the anime, and it's SO good! Super well done :-) Probably top 3 for me this year, along with Apothecary Diaries and Frieren! Also, shoutout to "Brave Bang Bravern", the most unserious homoerotic mecha anime of all time! Had a good time with that one😂

[@twistedpaperclip5929]

Anime

[@mikakestudios5891]

It is 100% valud to like a show's aesthetic.

[@SilverFaeIllustrates]

I am so glad you brought up the pyramid! It's something I often think about when writing and not a lot of folks delve into it when analyzing characters and the such. It was an interesting touch.

[@lessxrios2956]

this is such a nice video that REALLY comprehends the character/personality of maomao and a breath of fresh air after hearing someone say "maomao is one of the boys 🤓"

[@Fluffycara]

After I saw the episode where Mao Mao paints her nails, it influenced me to start painting my nails. I'm kinda weird, kinda tomboyish, and I work a lot with my hands. I didn't see the point in me painting my nails. But when I saw that episode and seeing a girl like Mao Mao painting her nails I kind of understood. Painted nails can be a symbol of femininity. Because I don't really have a soft job, and I don't go out much I can't express much of my femininity through make up, jewelry or clothes. But I can express it through painting my nails and it's kinda fun.

[@MtnNerd]

The thing I love about Mao Mao is that she's both smart and a girls' girl which is a combination we hardly ever get.

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

That’s so true

[@tamahoshio]

absolutely love the video and yes!!! i was so glad that this anime let me sorta slowly figure stuff out?? i'm honestly reading the light novels now because i'm kinda obsessed.

[@lunarla123]

I recommend watching Bofuri if you haven't watched it yet. It basically follows a girl putting all of her stats into defense in an MMROPG game and chaos ensues along the way. It's an absolute joy to watch with lovable side characters too!

[@theinevitablemrzodo]

I've seen several analyses of Apothecaty Diaries, but i absolutely love yours solely because you explained Maomao using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

[@Hobikage]

Wow, thank you! I so Glad yall liked the use of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

[@Anushka_san-b7b]

This video is exactly what I wanted and to the point (no controversial statement). It was perfectly made for both women and men. The best part was u talked about the animation and Jinshi. You praised mao mao perfectly like a person without saying anything cringe. Overall i find this video interesting and logical.

[@godlessyuri]

Thanks for the reminder to binge this.

[@Blondielavlocks]

Loved this video! Can't wait for more, your vibes are so good 😌

[@katieford7125]

This kept getting recommended to me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit, but you convinced me!

[@moondaughter1004]

You better commit. I wasn't sure when I first saw the trailer. But now after religiously watching it every Saturday I'm on my way to buy the light novels and the mangas

[@hayleyb.3433]

Spice and Wolf (the remake - even though I love the original art, I am excited to see how the new on follows the light novel)

[@CarbonDoggie]

Maomao is just fundamentally built different

[@Hobikage]

No she not.

[@VonKrauzer]

Weird? Definitely. Poor? Eh, it's relative. She's not filthy rich, but she and her Pa have a roof above their heads and they don't go to bed hungry. That's more than you can say about the majority of people who lived in medieval China. But ugly? Girl, did we watch the same anime? She's an attractive young woman, she makes herself look less beautiful than she is specificaly to hide it. Come on.

[@faye_2]

I would rather say "Let girls be human beeings" ... instead of some idea from society what girls/ women should be, written from (mostely) men.

[@lewisdogdson416]

Just finished it last night. I think it’s a Top 5 anime of all time for me now. And Maomao is certainly a Top 5 female character of all time.

[@xhielorei]

I think the animation is "average" in the best way, like it stays the same through the whole show, there is no scene overly animated that you see it and say, well that's the money shot, they spent all the budget there like in other animes, that, might look cool, but feels out of place. Even when there are scenes that have more care put into, like the dancing scene, it comes from the angles, not the "animation", doesn't feel out of place, if that makes any sense?

[@NRRC97]

If you liked The Apothecary Diaries, I strongly recommend Ascendance of a Bookworm, there's an anime with 3 seasons and a 4th one in the making, and it's one of my favorite modern anime/light novel series of all time!

[@kiara_kb8214]

first time i see a miniature who don't scream "She isn't like other useless girl in manga" bruh she's protagonist if you miss your female character even when she's the protagonist you need writing practice ty so much

[@marschowdhury7349]

Great video ❤️❤️

[@thEonLyfiREanGeL]

I really recommend the Light Novels! I am still so surprised how they adapted it nearly beat by beat. I really hope they do that with the future Seasons, because there is a lot happening and it is sooo good.

[@ritsukil2d]

I certainly have suggestions for other thoughtful anime you could check out at your leisure and personal favorites are marked * A Sign of Affection * Sugar Apple Fairytale * Orange Honey and Clover Eden of the East * Migi&Dali Taisho Otome Fairytale * Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina * Yona of the Dawn

[@Louriii]

This is very random but omg I absolutely love your hair! 😭💕

[@Kraken_mind]

Not sure if you have heard about this one “Delicious in Dungeon”is an anime that is on Netflix! It’s a strange food anime’s that has a Dungeons and Dragons setting. So that creates quite the juxtaposition of a dark creepy dungeon with creatures and adventures with delicious food! Also the characters are very relatable each in their own way. They have released 14 episodes and releases new ones every Thursday! Highly recommend!

[@kalindhiseneviratne8247]

Please try A Condition called Love. I read the manga and became obsessed, so I'm pretty confident about the anime. I noticed that anime-only viewers were quick to judge the series, especially since it's laid back and subtle with how it presents it's story. So I would recommend watching a few episodes before making any comments about it.

[@Hobikage]

I'm working on the video for it ! Hopefully gonna post it on the 26th !

[@Ririi17]

Maomao I will always love you

[@mcbill7352]

This show is so interesting from the perspective of a guy. This show is the only one I've seen that represents women as more than just a series of attributes. The story mostly takes place in women's spaces, and it is really cool to see a sort of mini society develop amongst all of these women (and eunuchs), people who are essentially seen as lesser than men. I find the exclusion of traditional male characters very refreshing.

[@dreadllama4026]

I would recommend Jellyfish Can't Swim In the Night for this season. I believe that a lot of the themes that you talked about in this video exhibit themselves in this new show. It's pretty, but its characters are flawed, but likable and you just want to cheer for them to succeed.

[@StarlightStella613]

I don't know if you've heard about it, but No Game No Life is a really good anime and it's also heavily saturated. I think highly of it, but I think I'm biased. The characters are also very interesting, though more does get explored with them in the movie and the light novels. There was supposed to be a second season, I think, but it never happened.

[@ma3ve]

Immediately started with a mistake: Jinshi IS NOT her romantic interest. Mao Mao is his romantic interest but our apothecary couldn’t care less really

[@Hobikage]

After reading the manga twice, watching the show twice and currently reading the light novels I think it's fair to say that Jinshi's characters role is to be "her romantic interest". She may not be interested currently in the anime but his role, nonetheless in the story is still to be *a* romantic interest. Whose romantic interest? Maomao's romantic interest. Jinshi is Maomao's "romantic interest".

[@sim4296]

Also the LNs are written from Maomaos pov. Shes kidding herself on most of the time but if you read her actions and some internal dialogue you can see how much she suppresses how she likes him

[@cNatTravels]

Great video! I am watching Wind Breaker and Mission: Yozakura Family this spring. M:YF in particular is fantastic (I’m caught up on the manga) and I can’t wait to see it animated!

[@niksistalking]

hold up... did i read it right? is that MELODY at the back?

[@reducetheatoms]

Love your channel, and you look hella pretty, i just watched the fruit basket video and now im watching this one :D I really like this channel, it's deeper than most new anime channels out there, not to sound like a hate, but I AM A HATER ACTUALLY i seriously hate the new anime channels that are popular recently, they are so ass sorry to say. But i don't feel like that with yours, I think there's a lot of work in your videos and it's WELL written. The analysis if profound (in my opi-onion :3) and even though I am not a big fan of Apothecary Diaries to remember all the infos (like i'd do in fruit basket), i think it's still very nice that the work you put in is so complete and CAPTIVATING. So glad i found a good anime channel :3 I've been an anime lover since I was 12, I am 21 now, and i've browsed the internet of anime videos, and trust me I've seen the shitty and the good, and to me you belong to the good ones, probably useless to say but, mhm.. wanted to let you know :D that you do good !! hella good actually. PS : people commenting on how she said " she is ugly " yall fucking need to watch the videos till the end before commenting this kind of stuff.

[@amandabernard8179]

Mysterious disappearances and kaiju no. 8 are on my list along with demon slayer. I am keeping an eye out for dandadan

[@madame_weeb]

A Sign of Affection, next please.

[@AJtheSiren]

Hi! Love the vid, just a note, I think your audio levels for your mic could be adjusted. You sound very soft and muffled, not clear and bright like a high-end mic should make you sound. It makes it very hard to hear you compared to the rest of the video. Again, love love the vid!

[@Hobikage]

Yes I know but high end mics are expensive so that's will have to wait.

[@AJtheSiren]

@@Hobikage oh I thought you had one! Sorry for assuming, here's to hoping you get one soon!

[@Hobikage]

@@AJtheSiren I have the hyper quad cast something another microphone. It's not budget but it's definitely not a podcast type of microphone! You know what I mean?

[@MrRourk]

When is Netflix do the live-action?

[@karnikabaroniya7368]

anything similar to this out there ?anyone got any recommendation?

[@Originalguineapigmaster]

Off topic but your hair looks sooo fluffy!

[@michaellewis1545]

If you are looking for something with good fight scenes Metallic Rouge is worth a look . Just a heads of the storytelling in this one is dense.

[@Hobikage]

oh I hear that one was good! I saw some clips and they were funny!

[@ThePrincessCH]

If you like Chinese donghua, I recommend "Fairies Album."

[@loscaminantesperu]

I really like your video.

[@Dontworryabouit-24]

I wouldn't call MaoMao's romantic interest to be Jinshi, because she is not in love with him yet. she does have interest in him tho thats for sure. I mean the whole figuring out who Jinshi actually is, is a form of interest

[@matzeheim7940]

0% Woke 100% Real Personality.

[@firedem0n5]

I'm on episode 10 of 12 sooo I'll circle back to this vid

[@bobbobby475]

idk if you watch Dungeon Meshi but you should check it out

[@brymcyan8294]

"We're not that cool of a species" *subscribe*

[@kyoneko87]

Do you mean physiological or physical needs?

[@kattz9051]

I love female characters written by women 😤

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

Same

[@bolojohnson711]

Eminence in shadow and overlord anime i like analyze

[@emmittnervend2918]

Anime recommendation delicious and dungeon is on Netflix and I recommend watching it dubbed I feel as if the dubbing has a lot of personality to the characters that I really don’t get so much from the sub no disrespect

[@3yearsago_GameMaster]

Spice & Wolf. Try Spice & Wolf. EDIT: Oh, you already did 👍

[@AndrewLawton16]

You should watch Revue Starlight

[@twistedpaperclip5929]

Physiological not psychological. Fi- zi- o -logical

[@The_AntiVillain]

Watch: to your eternity

[@Hobikage]

bro I cant. I kept crying every episode!

[@The_AntiVillain]

@Hobikage same reason my wife won't watch it but the writing and cinematic is that good that it makes you feel. there is less crying at season 2

[@UltriLeginaXI]

In a world of vapid and sometimes passively misandrist girl bosses, Japanese animation once again outdoes Hollywood without even trying with a flawed, deep, but competent female protagonist

[@FrugalFrugalFrugal]

❤