An Unexpected Shocked Face! In "The Apothecary Diaries," Maomao’s Startled Expression Worthy of a Horror Manga Even Hurts Jinshi

Could the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" be turning into a famed horror manga!? There was an episode that became a hot topic thanks to Maomao (voiced by Aoi Yūki) showing Jinshi (voiced by Takeo Ōtsuka) what fans described as her "most intense expression ever." Still, did she really have to make that face just because a handsome man talked to her...?

One of the popular "running gags" in "The Apothecary Diaries" is the dynamic between the extraordinarily handsome Jinshi and Maomao, who always deals with his teasing advances in a cool and detached manner.

In episode 15, Maomao, who was lost in thought after being consulted by the military officer Gaoshun (voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi), was suddenly approached by Jinshi, who beamed at her and asked, "What were you talking about?" Being caught off guard, Maomao’s eyes grew wide in utter surprise and her mouth hung open in shock. The frightened look on her face was drawn in such a dramatic, graphic-novel style that it resembled something straight out of a horror manga.

While Jinshi usually seems to be amused by Maomao’s obviously disinterested, “salty” reactions to him, this time he couldn’t help but say, “Even I’m hurt by that expression.”