The Apothecary Diaries episode 19 was just hands down, incredible. The entire sequence building up to the finale was perfection. All the mysterious cases have finally come together and we find ourselves diving into a brutal and emotionally packed episode highlighting Maomao’s selfless act of bravery, as well as Jinshi and Lakan’s reaction to it. Where do I even begin my review? I can’t believe how profoundly stunning an episode could be in 23 minutes, but The Apothecary Diaries, with its impressive script and direction, is turning out to be a masterpiece in its own right. We find ourselves with back-to-back episodes of turmoil, last week with its bundle of wild and dreadful reveals, and then this week with its simple yet heavy emotions. Episode 19 is probably the most impactful episode of the second cour because of the quiet intensity it leaves us with.
To start, one thing I love about this episode is that the pacing was flawless. Everything easily flowed from one scene to the next, never a dull moment. Because of that, it’s as if the scriptwriting, directing, visuals, voice acting, and music were able to flourish and be at their most powerful. From beginning to end, it was so well done that I find myself so invested in celebrating this episode, so if it sounds like I’m fangirling, it’s because I really am! I can go on and on about its artistry, Lakan’s anger, or Jinshi’s resolve, but what I want to highlight the most is how courageous Maomao was. Before things took a scary turn, the episode actually started nicely with Lihaku, the speculations, Jinshi’s jealousy, and even Maomao’s medicine excitement. All of that faded as the apothecary ran for the Temple.
In a nutshell, The Apothecary Diaries episode 19 has come to a point where we finally understand that these strange coincidences are actually small parts of a grander scheme – creating a certain “accident” for someone. Our small Maomao, ever so clever, figures out the connection between Sir Kounen’s death, the food poisoning, the warehouse fire, and the mysterious Suirei. Although she was first strongly motivated by the idea of receiving an Ox Bezoar, she later mindlessly rushes to save the noble’s life. As it turns out, this noble person is none other than her Master Jinshi.
My heart ached to see Maomao this way. To see her talked down at, ruthlessly struck, her frail body flung down the flight of stairs, and even after that, she kept her bold stance with a swollen face and a shaky voice, all while barely holding on to consciousness. And when she jumped in to push Jinshi away, getting a bloody injury on her legs – ah, this is too much all too suddenly! When Jinshi’s soft voice, filled with sorrow and worry for her, comes around to ask how this happened, it hits really hard. This isn’t the Jinshi we know, it’s as if his mask stripped away.
Jinshi’s visuals are perfect, not in his beautiful eunuch sparkle way, but one that shows he is only a young man, desperate and scared. I believe voice actor Takeo Otsuka’s incredible performance fully conveyed Jinshi’s pain to see Maomao hurt like that. It was another emotional blow when Maomao weakly asked why Jinshi was there, and just when I was an absolute ugly emotional wreck already, Maomao still had the mindset of stitching her own wound and asking for the Ox Bezoar.
Now for my favorite part of the episode: Jinshi carrying an unconscious and injured Maomao. The insert song, titled “Soukuu no Honoo” by Daichi Takenaka, added quite an emotional impact to the final scene. This, for me, was the absolute highlight of The Apothecary Diaries episode 19. All the elements here made for an absolutely, chilling scene.
There’s plenty to unpack in these two minutes, but the main takeaway is that Jinshi, a man whom everyone lowers their head in respect to, is carrying a lowly maidservant — one that he is resolved to take care of at that moment. The fact that he leaves the holy ritual for someone of low class is a big thing, but here we have Jinshi boldly defying the rules, honorably composed, and no one is even there telling him off. It also says a lot about his feelings for Maomao. Can you imagine how he felt knowing that his life was just saved but his special someone got hurt badly? The melody of the insert song really carries that bittersweet feeling. (I was curious about the lyrics, which roughly translate along the lines of a flame that burns to protect the other’s strong heart.) My heart flutters for this incredible scene, but at the same time, my heart also aches so, so much. In the end, this ending scene is a big hint to Jinshi’s true standing in court. No one dares to move rashly in the presence of royalty, after all.
Lakan’s anger and shock also add layers of emotions to this scene. To see his own daughter like that and in the arms of Jinshi – it’s basically a slap at Lakan that Jinshi is truly who he is (and on a personal level, a statement that Maomao is his.) It must have even taken alot for Lakan to not be angry or rush to tend to his daughter. That said, I want to add that Lakan’s impeccable timing, or his anticipation rather, was a major factor in this plot. The genius eccentric’s part in all of this is that he recognized some suspicious coincidences and led them to Jinshi as a means to (personally) pressure him, which his own daughter eventually solved one after another. Without his arrival at the temple, Maomao wouldn’t have entered and Jinshi would have died.
Let’s not forget that the eccentric is a renowned and powerful military strategist. Despite his personality, I take it that he genuinely cares for his daughter’s well-being. The guard knew fear when Lakan appeared, especially when he mentioned how hurt Maomao was. That said, the original author made a post back in 2021 saying that the guard who hurt Maomao was beaten up by Lakan.
It’s also interesting to note that the scenes shown in the first trailer are different from what we saw in The Apothecary Diaries episode 19. I think they’re both great (the same way manga readers are blessed with two different versions), especially since I love how this week’s episode turned out to be such a masterpiece. I can’t emphasize enough how the final scene was so incredible and emotionally heartfelt, not to mention how it’s an anime original. If you didn’t know, Jinshi carrying Maomao was only briefly mentioned in the novel and manga. The Apothecary Diaries‘ anime adaptation, however, takes it to a whole other level that fully adds more depth to the story and Jinshi’s character. Truly, hats off to episode director Wataru Nakagawa for such a splendid episode!
That said, the anime now only has five episodes left in its season. Some things have been resolved in this episode, while some others are still left in the dark. The previews for the next episode seem to follow the true mastermind, Suirei. We might find a clearer answer as to why Jinshi was targeted, but I think we all already know why. I’m just excited to see how the anime continues with its romance and mystery.
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The Apothecary Diaries is streaming on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
© Natsu Hyuga/Imagika Foss/”The Apothecary Diaries” Production Committee