Great news for fans of Maomao and Jinshi. Crunchyroll has officially locked in the release plan for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3, and it comes with a bonus movie. The popular anime will return in October 2026 as part of the streaming service’s big anime lineup.
Double the Episodes With Split Release Dates
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will arrive in two separate parts. The first half begins in October 2026, and the second half follows in April 2027. This split-cour setup gives the animation team more room to maintain quality while keeping fans busy with new episodes across several months.
Crunchyroll will stream the series across North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS region, and the Indian subcontinent. Japanese viewers will get their broadcast around the same time through local networks.
What Happens in Season 3
The story picks up after the Shi Clan rebellion. Maomao has returned to her normal work as a pharmacist in the pleasure district. But peace does not last long. She notices something odd about a breakfast served at the Verdigris House and starts looking into it.
Meanwhile, Jinshi now carries the weight of his real identity as the Imperial brother. He keeps thinking about Loulan’s final warning about a disaster that will hit the nation. On top of that, rumors spread about a mysterious shrine maiden who tricks people. These events push Maomao and Jinshi to move beyond the palace walls into the city and even across borders.
Voice Cast and Crew Return
Aoi Yuki returns as the sharp-minded Maomao, and Takeo Otsuka is back as Jinshi. Akinori Fudesaka, who directed Season 2, will take the lead director role for Season 3. The animation production stays with TOHO animation STUDIO and OLM.
At a Tokyo screening event on April 12, 2026, Yuki shared that recording for Season 3 has already started. She mentioned how the cast has grown much larger compared to earlier seasons.
“At first, it felt like we were gradually meeting new people, but by Season 3, the cast has become hugeโso big that we can’t even all fit in the recording studio,” Yuki said at the event.
Original Movie Arrives Between Seasons
Between the two parts of Season 3, fans will get an anime film in December 2026. This movie tells a completely new story written by Natsu Hyลซga, the original creator of the light novel series. It will not simply adapt existing book material.
Yuki teased the film at the same April event, saying she already knows the plot.
“Actuallyโฆ I already know what the story will be. It’s going to be something amazingโฆ It’s the kind of story that really deserves a theatrical experience. It’ll be incredibly fun to watch on a large screen, while still delivering exactly what fans want from The Apothecary Diaries,” she said.
Takeo Otsuka added that Hyลซga herself is writing the film’s story, which got an excited reaction from Yuki on stage.
New Visuals Show Key Characters
The production team has put out several new seasonal visuals. One features Lakan and Lahan with Yulan magnolia flowers, showing a calm and elegant mood. Another visual shows Jinshi and Gaoshun walking together in the rain with Japanese iris flowers nearby. These images give fans a taste of the show’s continued beautiful art style.
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The Popularity Keeps Growing
The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a girl raised by her apothecary father who gets sold into work at the royal palace. Her knowledge of medicine and poisons helps her solve strange cases alongside Jinshi, a beautiful palace official with secrets. The light novel series has sold over 45 million copies. The manga version had sold over 38 million copies as of September 2024.
Season 2 finished airing in July 2025, and the team immediately confirmed more content was coming. Now with concrete dates locked in, fans know exactly when to expect the next chapter.
Streaming options will be available globally through Crunchyroll. The movie will first open in Japanese theaters in December 2026, with international screenings expected to follow.
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