"For a second, I thought it was Jinshi-sama as a woman lol" Confusion erupts over beautiful illustration of peonies, Maomao, and Joka from the anime "The Apothecary Diaries."

On the official X (formerly Twitter) account of "The Apothecary Diaries" anime, the April illustration for the visual project "Seasons with Maomao and Jinshi" has been released, garnering significant attention.

The account's post featured a new visual for "Chapter 2," themed after seasonal plants, stating, "On the 22nd of every month, Maomao Day, we present new visuals!" The April illustration is "Peonies x Maomao and Joka." The caption reads, "Joka pays no mind to the large blooming peonies—is it Maomao, not the flowers, that moves her heart?"

The released illustration depicts Maomao (CV: Aoi Yūki) receiving a basket filled with large peonies from Joka (CV: Hiroki Nanami). Maomao has wide, surprised eyes as if it were an unexpected gift. In contrast, Joka shows a cool and ennui-filled presence, looking off into the distance without a glance at the basket she is offering or the flowers in her hand. It is a piece that highlights her characteristic aloof beauty and dry temperament.

The anime "The Apothecary Diaries" is based on the light novel series of the same name by Hyuganatsu. Set in a great empire in the center of the continent, it is a mystery-solving entertainment story about a girl named Maomao, a former pharmacist in the pleasure district, who uses her pharmaceutical knowledge to solve various incidents occurring within the rear palace. Following the successful conclusion of the second season in 2025, fans are now eagerly awaiting the third season scheduled for October 2026, as well as an all-new theatrical film in December of the same year.

In response to this post, fans have shared reactions such as "For a second, I thought it was Jinshi-sama as a woman lol," "I thought Jinshi-sama was cross-dressing lol," and "That aloof vibe even in front of peonies is so Joka." Joka’s dignified and handsome features seem to have reminded many of Jinshi’s androgynous beauty, leading to many comments about mistaking the two and creating a huge buzz.

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