The Apothecary Diaries director Norihiro Naganuma recently spoke with Crunchyroll about what fans can expect to see in the show's upcoming second season. One of Naganuma's plans for the show is for the story to continue to reveal some of the mysteries that were presented in Season 1.
Naganuma recently appeared as a special guest on Crunchyroll's weekly podcast The Anime Effect, where he joined Leah President and Kristine Don to talk about the most fan-favorite moments from the first season, which was recently ranked as one of the top five anime to air in 2024. Naganuma also teased what's coming next and how the show's smaller mysteries will tie into the larger plot. “There's going to be more going on,” Naganuma confirmed, adding, “The story is going to get even bigger. There are a lot of mysteries from Season 1 that get more complicated and then get resolved.”
Pharmacist Diary Season 2 will continue the complicated relationship between Jinshi and Maomao
Fans of Jinshi and Maomao’s relationship will also get to see the two develop in the new season. “Jinshi and Maomao will work together and grow together along the way. So that kind of growth is something you can look forward to,” Naganuma said, adding that the new season of The Apothecary Diaries will also introduce new characters for fans to enjoy. Wrapping up his time on The Anime Effect, Naganuma expressed his wishes to fans of the series, saying, “To all the fans who are watching this, thank you for being fans of The Apothecary Diaries. We will do our best to make a great Season 2. Thank you for supporting us.”
Animation Director Norihiro Naganuma Talks About the Challenges of Creating The Apothecary Diaries
Ahead of the introduction of Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries, Naganuma spoke with the hosts of The Anime Effect about the challenges of working in the anime industry. “Finally, [when] I had the opportunity to become a director, […] I don't know what to say or how to say it. […] Then came The Ancient Magus' Bride, which was a huge milestone for me as a director. After that, I took three or four years to really think about what makes a good director and how I can improve myself. Then came The Apothecary Diaries.”
Naganuma also directed the series and scripts for The Apothecary Diaries, and he discussed his approach to handling these responsibilities for the show. “We tried to maintain the best elements from the original novel and accurately adapt those elements into the animation. We also focused on portraying various colors and sound elements that weren’t in the original novel. The original author is a really great person, and she trusted me to handle everything throughout the adaptation. The original author, Natsu Hyuga, actually told me that she was the number one fan of The Apothecary Diaries anime series. It was an honor.”
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 is scheduled to premiere in 2025. A specific release date has yet to be announced. Season 1 is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Source: Crunchyroll via YouTube