It Really Was "Poison"! In the Anime "The Apothecary Diaries," Maomao's Enraptured Expression Was Due to the Sensation of Poison on Her Tongue

Just looking at this face, you might wonder, 'How delicious could that have been?' But in reality... There's a famous scene in the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" where the protagonist Maomao (voiced by Aoi Yuuki) becomes enraptured with a nearly tearful expression after taking a sip of soup. This scene generated a lot of buzz with comments like, 'It's the perfect blend of coolness and cuteness!'

"The Apothecary Diaries" is an anime based on a light novel of the same name by Hyuganatsu. It has been adapted into manga in two monthly magazines, with the series exceeding 38 million copies in circulation. The TV anime aired for two consecutive cours starting in October 2023, featuring Maomao's mystery-solving adventures as a 'poison taster' in the imperial court and her comedic interactions with the handsome eunuch Jinshi (voiced by Takeo Otsuka), which gained significant attention. The second season began airing in January 2025.

Maomao is a girl from the pleasure district who becomes a maid in the imperial court, tasked with tasting the food for the emperor's concubines for poison. She has extensive knowledge of poisons and medicines from her time as an apothecary, possesses a resistance to poison, and is inordinately obsessed with them due to her curiosity.

In episode 6, Maomao attends a garden party held in the imperial court and is tasked with tasting the dishes served to the emperor and his concubines before they are presented. While usually dressed plainly as a maid, the garden party is a different story. Maomao wears stunningly gorgeous attire and has elaborate makeup applied.

Amidst the tension, Maomao begins tasting the dishes one by one. Thinking to herself, 'If it has to be something, I hope it's fugu... skillfully concealed in the soup... that tingling sensation on the tongue is irresistible,' she proceeds with the poison tasting, grinning to herself. Upon drinking a particular soup, Maomao's eyes glaze over, and she wears an entranced expression. The military officer Rihaku (voiced by Kenji Akabane), watching from the side, was astonished, thinking, 'How delicious could it be!?' However, after savoring the moment, Maomao composed herself and firmly declared, 'This is poison.'

Maomao put herself on the line to reveal that the dish was poisoned. This scene, emblematic of her rare fascination with poison, drew praise from viewers with comments like, 'Her enraptured expression after consuming poison is thrilling,' 'She's incredibly cool and beautiful,' and 'It's the perfect blend of coolness and cuteness!' Additionally, her iconic line featured in the promotional video, 'Here comes the poison!' and 'That line gave me chills!' also garnered attention.

(C)Hyuganatsu, Imagica Infos/"The Apothecary Diaries"Project