Good Smile Company has announced their latest collaboration with The Apothecary Diaries, currently airing this season, and revealed the design and release date for the Nendoroid figure of Maomao.
Retailing at US$38.99 (or ¥6,200) and shipping in Q4 2024, Maomao’s Nendoroid, sculpted by Dogu, features a variety of face plates along with her signature cat ears and tail, hairpin, and a mortar with an herb. Eligible pre-orders will also ship with a bonus “Calculus Bovis”—more details regarding the pre-order campaign can be found here.
The Apothecary Diaries anime is based on a light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Toko Shino. A manga adaptation by Itsuki Nanao has been ongoing since May 2017, and is licensed in English by Square Enix. The light novel series is licensed digitally (ePUB) by J-Novel Club in English, with print editions from Square Enix to begin publishing in May 2024.
J-Novel Club describes the series plot as follows:
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.
Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison!
At her lady’s side, Maomao starts to learn about everything that goes on in the rear palace—not all of it seemly. Can she ever lead a quiet life, or will her powers of deduction and insatiable curiosity bring her ever more adventures, and ever more dangers?
Source: Good Smile Company Official X Account, Good Smile Website
©Natsu Hyuga, Shufunutomo / “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” Production Committee
©Good Smile Company, Inc.