Like a Mad Scientist: The Disturbing Laughter of Maomao upon Discovering Suirei's Faked Death in 'The Apothecary Diaries'

In the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" the protagonist Maomao (CV: Aoi Yuki) is a girl whose excitement skyrockets when it comes to medicines and poisons. Her manic laughter, which seems to have burst out from this obsession, resulted in a scene that was flooded with comments like “She sounds like a villain,” “That’s not how a heroine laughs,” and “Mad Scientist Maomao.”

Maomao, who worked as an apothecary in the red-light district, usually presents herself as unsociable and composed. However, she becomes suddenly animated when her beloved medicines or poisons are involved. In episode 20, Maomao theorizes that the lady-in-waiting Suirei (CV: Kaori Nazuka) may have been involved in several difficult cases. Maomao speculates that Suirin, who became a criminal, used a “revival potion” to feign death temporarily in order to escape her crimes, and that she had an accomplice help her escape the court.

Mamao appears to hold Suirei’s knowledge and cunning in high regard, especially her audacity to deceive many people by risking her own life. The final touch was Maomao’s suspicion that Suirei knew how to create the “revival potion,” something that had piqued Maomao’s interest for a long time. With a grin, Maomao remarked, “The absence of a corpse here means Suirei won her gamble. If she's alive, I’d love to meet her!” Her excitement peaked as she declared, “Such a person should not die so easily! I will definitely learn the secret of the revival potion!” Eventually, she broke into a laughter that echoed like that of an evil mastermind. Surrounding her were eunuchs and military officers, including Jinshi (CV: Takao Otsuka), who looked visibly taken aback.

Viewers found themselves amused by Maomao’s behavior, which seemed to border on madness, with comments such as “That’s not how a protagonist or heroine should laugh,” “She laughs like a demon,” “Everyone is clearly put off,” and “Mad Scientist Maomao.”

"The Apothecary Diaries" is an anime adaptation based on the light novel of the same name by Hyuganatsu. It has also been serialized in two monthly magazines, with the series exceeding a total of 38 million copies in circulation. The TV anime aired consecutively for two cours starting in October 2023. It gained significant attention with its mystery drama revolving around Maomao, who works as a “poison tester” in the imperial court, and her comical interactions with the handsome eunuch Jinshi. The second season began airing in January 2025.

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