The Apothecary Diaries returns with its highly anticipated second season! In this article, we’ve gathered Japanese fans’ live reactions, memes, and X (Twitter) posts about Episode 25 (Season 2 Episode 1). Discover how Maomao’s and Jinshi’s latest adventures in the imperial court are resonating with fans in Japan as the mystery deepens!
Please Note:
- This article contains spoilers.
- The author watched the series in Japanese, so character names and terminology may differ from the official English version.
Episode 25 Summary: The Apothecary Diaries
With the spring garden party concluded peacefully, Maomao resumes her daily duties as the food taster for Lady Gyokuyō. Meanwhile, a craze for popular novels sweeps through the imperial court, leaving Maomao puzzled by the fascination with such lowbrow entertainment. However, it turns out that Jinshi, as the palace overseer, has a specific goal in mind behind this trend. On a sunny spring day, Maomao accompanies Princess Lingli, the daughter of Lady Gyokuyō, on a stroll. Unexpectedly, a small and peculiar guest makes an appearance…
*This story summary is a direct translation from the official website of The Apothecary Diaries (アニメ「薬屋のひとりごと」公式サイト).*
Key Highlights and Observations from Episode 25
Before diving into Japanese fan reactions, let’s first summarize the key highlights and observations from this episode.
Observation 1: The Influence of Popular Novels in the Imperial Court
One of the standout themes of this episode is the growing popularity of serialized novels in the imperial court. A key moment is Xiaolan’s desire to learn reading and writing, inspired by these novels. This development showcases how entertainment can spark a broader interest in literacy, even among those who previously had little access to education.
Observation 2: Insights into the World’s Knowledge and Technology
Another intriguing aspect of this episode is how it offers glimpses into the knowledge and technological advancements in the world of The Apothecary Diaries. Maomao’s awareness of alcohol as a disinfectant sparked significant reactions among Japanese fans, who noted the seeming anachronism of such knowledge in a setting inspired by ancient China. Additionally, references to printing techniques highlighted the limitations of the era and raised questions about how information was disseminated.
Observation 3: The Charm of the Characters
The undeniable charm of the characters remains a defining feature of this series. Japanese fans expressed strong admiration for Xiaolan’s cuteness, but surprisingly, the male quack doctor also stole the spotlight with his endearing behavior, even being humorously labeled as a “heroine.” Meanwhile, the introduction of the new character Shisui adds a layer of intrigue. Judging by the opening sequence, Shisui is clearly poised to play a significant role in upcoming episodes.
Japanese Fan Reactions to The Apothecary Diaries – Ep 25: Live X Posts
◆ Before the Broadcast
Most anticipated anime this season!
今期で一番楽しみ！
Brewed some herbal tea, ready for The Apothecary Diaries.
漢方薬いれて薬屋待機
Season 2 is finally here! Can’t wait!
いよいよ2期かあ。楽しみだな。
EVERYONEEEEE!!!! IT’S STARTINGGGGGGG!!!!
みんなぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁ！！！！ はっじまーるよぉぉぉぉぉぉぉぉぉぉ！！！！
The Apothecary Diaries starts right after this! A mix of Howl’s Moving Castle vibes and a high-class Chinese murder mystery. Both feature terrifying old ladies 😱
薬屋のひとりごとはこの後すぐ！ ハウルの動く城から中華風の高級毒殺ミステリー どちらもババァが怖い😱
I’m way too excited. My reason to live is back!
楽しみすぎます。私の生き甲斐が帰ってきた。
I went to the advanced screening of Season 2, and episodes 1 and 2 were insanely good. Like, ridiculously good.
薬屋第2期の先行上映に行ったんだが、第1・2話とんでもなく面白いから、ぶっちぎりで面白いから
So hyped ((o(^∇^)o))
ワクワク((o(^∇^)o))
◆ Beginning of the Broadcast: Opening Theme
It’s starting!
始まった〜
Wow, I really like this opening song!
わぁ、このOP好き
What the heck, another god-tier opening?! Let’s gooo!
なんだよ、また神オープニングかよーー
Music that gets you hyped, paired with stunning visuals!
ワクワクする楽曲に映像美！
The opening theme is by Lilas Ikuta.
opは幾田りらさん
I thought it was YOASOBI again, but it’s Lilas Ikuta under her solo name.
またYOASOBIかと思ったら幾多りら名義だったOP
Love the song, but I wish it matched the show’s vibe more. Take notes from The Story of Saiunkoku!
OP好きな感じの曲だけど相変わらず世界観に合わせた曲調じゃないのな 彩雲国を見習えと
The opening animation is so good, it’s setting my expectations sky-high.
オープニングの作画エグすぎて期待しかない
Congrats on Season 2!!! And thank you!!! The opening already has me hyped ✨
2期おめでとー！！！＆ありがとー！！！ OPから爆上がりで最高です✨️
I could eat three bowls of rice just from the opening. It’s that good.
やばいOPだけで白飯3杯いける
It’s started! Wonder how far they’ll go with 2 cours?
始まった～！2クールでどこまでやるんだろう？
Wait, a commercial break after the opening? Is this normal? I usually stream anime, and this live TV anxiety is killing me.
OPのあとにCMってそんなもん？？ サブスクでしかアニメ見んからリアルタイムのソワソワ感に心臓持たん
◆ Start of the Story: The Glittering City
A dazzling city of luxury and allure.
煌びやかなり都
They just dove straight into the bustling downtown district!
いきなり色町から入ってきた
Ah, the nostalgic, mysterious Chinese-inspired world.
懐かしの謎中華世界
Her chest is practically brushing the floor. 😂
おっぱいが床を拭いている
Wow, she’s really well-endowed!
おっぱいおっきいなあ！！
Meimei is so cute~
梅梅姐ちゃんかわいいな〜
I’m so glad Meimei seems happy.
梅梅幸せそうでよかった
Whoa, the crafty old madam appears right away!
うわっ、いきなりやり手ババァだ！
What on earth did Maomao order?
マオマオさんが注文したものとは
◆ Jinshi Visits the Four Ladies
Lady Lihua 💙
梨花妃💙
Lady Lihua looks so much healthier now.
梨花妃すっかり健康になったね
Jinshiーーーーーー!!!!!!!
壬氏ーーーーーー！！！！！
It’s Lady Lihua who’s beautiful! Look closely!!!
きれいなのはリファヒさんだろ！！！！！！！よく見ろ！！！！！
Lady Lishu is so cute.
里樹妃かわいい
It’s been a while since we’ve seen both Lady Lihua and Lady Lishu.
梨花妃も里樹妃もお久しぶり
Lady Lihua and Lady Lishu, so gorgeous and cute♪
リファ様リーシュ様キレイand可愛い♪
Jinshi is making the rounds to visit the ladies, huh?
ジンシが皇后周りしてるのね
Why does Lady Loulan have so many attendants?
楼蘭妃のとこだけ人数多いな。
What’s with that pose, Lady Loulan? LOL
楼蘭さん何故そのポーズｗｗｗｗｗ
She’s the only one who never says a word.
この方だけ全く喋らないよね
I’m 100% Team Lady Gyokuyō. The only exception I’d make is for Lady Lishu.
俺は圧倒的、玉葉妃派です。 異論は里樹妃以外は認めます！
Lady Gyokuyō’s child has grown so much… 😭
玉葉妃の子供も大きくなってぇ:;(∩´﹏`∩);:
Lingli is so cute~
鈴麗かわいい～
Is that Anya’s voice I hear?
アーニャの声が聞こえますねぇーーー・・・
It’d be hilarious if this baby was voiced by Tanezaki-san!
この赤ん坊の声優、種崎さんだったら面白いな笑
Jinshi is so obvious. He’s totally looking for Maomao.
壬氏さまばればれや、猫猫探してるの
As expected of Lady Gyokuyō, she knows everything.
さすが玉葉妃、わかってらっしゃる
Kyaaaa! He’s totally into her!!! He’s in love!!!
きゃあああああああ 気になってんじゃん‼️ 好きじゃんもう
Lady Gyokuyō: “It’s spring, isn’t it…” So cryptic!!
玉葉さま「春よねぇ…」 意味深！！
I’ve always wondered—can eunuchs feel romantic emotions toward others?
ずっと気になっているのだけど、宦官でも異性への恋愛感情は芽生えるものだろうか？
◆ Maomao Makes Perfumed Oil in the Medical Bureau
Maomao is hereeeee━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
猫猫さんｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
Gaoshun is so cool! 😍
高順さま❗️かっこいい😍
Oh, it’s the heroine’s old man!
あ！ヒロインのおっちゃん！
The quack doctor “heroine” makes their entrance!!
ヒロインヤブ医者登場！！
The quack doctor is adorable.
やぶ医者可愛い
So the quack doctor’s name is “Guen”!?
ヤブ医者、「グエン」って名前だったのか！
Is Jinshi visiting just to see Maomao? LOL
壬氏様は猫猫に会いにきたのかwww
Where did she even find a distillation apparatus?
蒸留装置なんて見つけたのか
Is Maomao already experimenting from the get-go? LOL
猫猫さん初手から実験しとるのかｗｗｗｗｗ
That looks like it smells bad.
くさそう
Just a total medicine nerd → Maomao
ただの薬オタク>猫猫
Oh, Maomao is making rose oil!
猫猫、薔薇の香油を作ってるのね
Is rose oil like perfume?
香油って香水みたいなもん？
Some oils can be used for birth control.
香油には子を流す物もある
Ooh, they’re whispering.
お、コソコソ声。
The whispering is way too quiet… I can’t hear them! 😂
小声小さすぎるぜ…聞こえん(笑)
Medical confidentiality!
医者の守秘義務ｩ
Maomao probably doesn’t mind if she can’t have children.
マオマオさんはまあ、子を成せなくても別にいいと思ってるんだろうなあ
Do they think she loves alcohol that much? LOL
どんだけ酒好きだと思われてんだw
It’s alcohol-based disinfectant.
アルコールの消毒液だね
“Alcohol” in a Chinese-inspired world? It’s an imaginary setting, after all.
アルコールというワードが出てくる中華世界。イマジナリー中華世界なんで。
As expected of Maomao, she knows the properties of alcohol too.
さすがマオマオさん、アルコールの性質もご存知で
This feels way too modern.
現代知識すぎる
How do they know about alcohol disinfection if bacteria haven’t been discovered yet?
細菌も見つかってないだろうに、アルコール消毒の概念は存在するのか？
Alcohol-based disinfectant is essential for virus prevention.
ウイルス対策に必須な消毒用アルコール
It evaporates immediately after wiping. So realistic.
ちゃんと拭いた瞬間蒸発してる。
In modern times, making alcohol at home is illegal. It’s ridiculous.
現代、個人で酒を作ってはいけなくなったのやはり甚だ意味不明よな…
By the way, this story isn’t set in “ancient China.” It’s a fictional country inspired by ancient China. That’s why terms like “alcohol” pop up.
そういや今更だけど、この作品って『昔の中国』ではなく『昔の中国っぽい、架空の国』なんだよね……だから、アルコールとかの横文字の単語が出てくる。
◆ Something is Delivered to Maomao
What is this?
なんですか、これ
A study set, maybe?
勉強セットかな
She got sent an… adult book?
エロ本が届いてしまった
Maomao hissing like a cat is TOO cute!
威嚇してる猫猫が猫すぎる
Adorable hissing!
威嚇かわいい
Hissssss!
シャーーーッ
(ฅ`Д´ฅ) HSSSS!
(ฅ`Д´ฅ)ｼｬｰ
Maomao is terrible at hiding things.
猫猫隠し事下手すぎる
There’s underwear in there! LOL
下着が入っているｗｗｗｗｗｗ
Metal underwear? 😂
金属製の下着なんだよ(笑)
Steel underwear, LOL.
鋼鉄製の下着ですwww
Heavy underwear… is it chainmail? 😂
重たい下着…鎖かたびらか何か…？(笑)
Using femininity as a weapon? Disappointing, Maomao.
女を武器に防御するなど見損なったぞマオマオさん
Maomao’s underwear!? Show it!!!
猫猫の下着！？見せろ！！！
Her blushing face is priceless~
猫猫の頬を染めた感じたまらんーーー
Blushing Maomao is so cute!
照れ猫猫かわゆ！
She’s been completely caught in her lie! LOL
完全に嘘見破られたｗｗｗｗｗ
A romance novel…?
ポルノ小説…
An adult book, right? It’s totally an adult book!
エロ本か！エロ本なんだろ！
It’s, uh… a textbook! For studying! Yeah!
きょ、教本だよ？お勉強するんだよ？
Under review.
検閲中
Sex education?
性教育？
Basically, it’s an adult book.
ようはエロ本
A box from home (full of adult books), LOL.
実家からの荷物(大量のエロ本)w
An educational book for innocent young ladies.
生娘への教育本
Well, it’s true that being completely clueless could be bad.
なるほど、たしかに性的に無知はマズいゆ
A usui hon (thin doujinshi), perhaps?
薄い本かな
So this era’s version of a usui hon, huh? LOL
この時代の薄い本ってわけかwww
Gaoshun, stop reading it so seriously! LOL
高順、真面目に読まないでwwwww
He’s literally reading a… guidebook. LOL
普通にセックス指南書読んでるwwwwww
Was she planning to sell this!?
売る気だったのか！！？
Maomao, the art book dealer!
春画本バイヤー猫
The paper quality is so good.
いい紙
He’s more interested in the paper than the content?
興味をもったのは紙質かい
What was the printing technology like back then?
当時印刷技術ってどんなもんだろう？
It’s all about the binding, not the content.
内容より装丁。
They did have woodblock printing back then.
版画がある時代
Metal engraving must’ve been heavy.
金属版画じゃ重いわ…
Jinshi is really engrossed in it. LOL
壬氏めちゃくちゃ熟読してるwwwww
Gaoshun is hilarious as always. LOL
高順がいちいち面白すぎるｗ
Turns out Jinshi is the secret perv. LOL
ムッツリは壬氏様の方だったか
The usui hon got confiscated! LOL
エロ本没収されたwww
Obscene material distribution, LOL.
わいせつ物頒布罪ｗｗｗ
Under review.
検閲w
No uncensored content allowed!
無修正はいけません
Golden shield.
金盾
“Under review” (but really just enjoying it).
検閲（じっくり閲覧）
NOT ALLOWED. (Merciless)
ダ メ で す(無慈悲)
Using “review” as an excuse to enjoy it, huh?
検閲を理由に楽しむ気だな！
This is why bureaucrats…
これだから役人は…
Thanks to Gaoshun, it ended in a draw. (；＝ω＝)
あ、ガオシュン様のお陰で痛み分けになった(；＝ω＝)
◆ Xiaolan Appears
Xiaolan is so cute!!!!!!
小蘭かわいいー！！！！
Xiaolan, everyone’s favorite idol!
みんなのアイドル小蘭
Kuno-chan~♡
久野ちゃん〜♡
The professional “little girl” voice actress, Kuno-chan! LOL
プロ幼女 久野ちゃんｗ
This anime features the two queens of “professional little girl” voices: Misaki Kuno and Hina Kino.
このアニメ、久野美咲と木野日菜という二大プロ幼女が揃ってるのよね。
Xiaolan holding a steamed bun while acting is adorable 💕
肉まん持ったまま演じる小蘭かわいい💕
Even her munching is cute 💕
もぐもぐもかわいい💕
It’s here! The gossip monster Xiaolan!
出たな！ 妖怪情報仕入れ娘！
All the gossip in the harem comes through her.
後宮の話題は全部この娘から届きます。
I wonder what influenced her?
何に影響されたんだろ
Horse dung LOL, that’s brutal! 😂
馬糞ｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗひでぇｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ
Don’t talk about poop during meals!
食事中にウ〇コの話すな！
Can Xiaolan not read?
小蘭は字読めないのか
The literacy rate is so low…!
識字率が低い…！
Pop novels.
大衆小説
Romance novels being popular in the harem is just natural.
後宮で恋愛小説が流行るのは常よな〜
The Tale of Genji probably spread like this too.
源氏物語もこうやって広まったんだろうな
Maomao: “I should’ve charged a brokerage fee…!” LOL
猫猫｢仲介料とっておけばよかった…！｣www
I want to read the next part already! ← Same here.
早く続きが読みたい←俺等のセリフ
It’s like me reading the latest manga chapter!
マンガの最新話読んでる私みたいだァ
Hey, stop badmouthing the Hunter × Hunter author!
ハンターハンターの作者の悪口はそこまでや！
In The Apothecary Diaries, novels spark interest in literacy, while in Ascendance of a Bookworm, it’s karuta and playing cards. Truly, necessity is the mother of invention!
薬屋の世界では小説を広めることで識字に関心を持たせ、本好きの下剋上ではカルタとトランプで関心を持たせる。 どちらも好きこそものの〜だね
Should the booklets open from the right?
冊子って右開きでいいんだろうか？
◆ Literacy Begins to Spread
Ah, so it’s all handwritten copies.
なるほど、写本か
The beginning of handwritten manuscripts.
写本の始まりである
Copying novels by hand must be exhausting…
小説を書き写すの大変そう…
Heh heh… people spreading their “faith” will go to any lengths.
ふふふ……布教したがる人間はどんな労力も厭わないものなんですよ
It’s to raise the literacy rate, huh?
識字率を上げるためか
So they’re betting on more people learning to read. Smart.
文字を読もうと勉強する者が増えるって算段か さすがだな
The birth of pirated editions. LOL
海賊版の誕生であるｗ
If only they had movable-type printing…
活版印刷があれば…
The same method was used for The Tale of Genji—handwritten copies, or “shahon,” of the original were distributed.
源氏物語でも行われてたやり方 ＝原本を書き写した「写本」が流通
Japan’s literacy rate is an astounding 98%.
日本の識字率は驚異の98%
Editor’s note: In fact, it is said to be 99%.
Xiaolan is so cute “(∩>ω<∩)"
小蘭可愛い”(∩>ω<∩)"
“Teach me how to read!”
字を教えてほしいのーー！！
The pose she struck while saying “Teach me how to read!” LOL
「字を教えてほしいの」 のポーズwww
She looked like Ultraman! LOL
ウルトラマンみたいwww
I totally understand wanting to learn how to read so you can enjoy novels…
小説読みたくて文字を勉強する気持ち分かるよ…
She read aloud until she lost her voice? LOL
声が枯れるほど読んだのかwww
Reading an entire novel aloud is torture. You’ll wreck your throat!
読み聞かせ小説1冊分は拷問です。喉壊れる
Making reading a part of everyday life is a good thing.
文字を読むことが日常的になるのは良いことだよね
Xiaolan asking to be taught how to read is too cute ( * ֦ơωơ֦)
字を教えて欲しいシャオラン可愛い( * ֦ơωơ֦)
Xiaolan is such a good girl~!!!
小蘭いい子〜！！！
Jinshi is promoting novels in the palace to raise literacy among the court ladies.
壬氏は女官の識字率を上げるために小説を流行らせてると。
Patting Xiaolan 😊
小蘭なでなで😊
Patting Xiaolan~~~ These two are so adorable!
小蘭なでなで~~~この2人可愛い！
Maomao’s Kanji lessons.
猫猫さんの文字講座
Raising literacy in a Kanji-based culture is tough.
漢字文化の識字率向上きびしすぎる
Lan (蘭) is such a difficult Kanji. LOL
蘭って難しいよねｗ
Lan (蘭) has so many strokes! LOL
蘭は画数多いよね
Classical Chinese seems easier than Japanese.
漢文は日本語より難易度低そう
Maomao’s handwriting is so pretty♪
猫猫、字が綺麗♪
How about a Xiaolan spin-off as the main heroine, huh, bigwigs?
小蘭メインヒロインでスピンオフはいかがでしょう？偉い人
Hieroglyphs!
象形文字
It’s like when I tried learning another country’s script…
まるで他国の文字を学んでる私の文字みたいだァ
Ahh, Kanji… literacy… This must be so hard…
ああー漢字かー識字率……これはたいへんだ……
Xiaolan is more reliable than I thought.
小蘭思ったよりしっかり者だった
She’s thinking about her future.
将来のことを考えてる
Maybe Xiaolan got more screen time because she was so popular in Season 1?
小蘭パート多めなのは1期で好評だったからか
What is she even teaching? LOL
何を教えとるんだｗｗｗ
Maomao’s just teaching Xiaolan Kanji for medicinal ingredients. LOL
小蘭に薬の材料の漢字ばかり教えなるなw
They’re all medicinal names! LOL
全部薬の名前やないかwww
This is way too advanced for her.
上級者向けすぎる
Those are some seriously complex Kanji.
結構な難読漢字
It’s all your hobby, isn’t it?
全部お前の趣味だろ…
Don’t teach her words she’ll never use! LOL
使わない言葉ばっか教えんなw
Her knowledge is getting so skewed.
知識が偏っていく
First, start with greetings.
まずは挨拶からね。
After teaching her how to write her name in Kanji, instead of greetings, the teacher teaches her:
Winter Worm, Summer Grass (冬虫夏草; Tōchūkasō)
Mandrake (曼陀羅華; Mandarake)
Kudzu Root (葛根; Kakkon)
What kind of teacher does that? LOL
名前を教えたあと挨拶より先に
冬虫夏草
曼陀羅華
葛根
を教える先生イヤだwww
Xiaolan is so cute, I just want to take her home!
もうほんと小蘭かわいすぎて私のおうちに迎え入れたい…
At first, her writing looked like worm trails, but by the end of the opening song, she’s writing so beautifully it made me cry.
最初ミミズが這ったような字なのにオープニングソングの最後のところでめっちゃ上手く書けてて泣ける
◆ The Encounter with the Kitten
What just happened!?
何が起きた！？
Oh? Is there an incident happening? (´・ω・｀)
おやっ？ 事件発生か？(´・ω・｀)
Lingli is adorable 🥹💕
鈴麗可愛い🥹💕
The princess is so lively ☺️☺️
姫様元気いっぱい☺️☺️
Oh, how cute. At this point, Lady Gyokuyō might just be the biggest winner here.
あらかわいい。今のところ玉葉妃が一番の勝ち組かもしれませんね
The princess’s voice is Tanezaki-san’s, right!? That’s totally Anya!
姫の声も種崎さんだろ！？ 完全にアーニャやん！！
Lady Gyokuyō and the princess are both voiced by Tanezaki-san!
玉葉様と公主様、種﨑さん兼役だね！
Tanezaki-san is doing two roles here. Impressive!
種崎さん1人2役ですごい
Lady Gyokuyō, Frieren, and Anya are all played by the same Atsumi Tanezaki.
玉葉妃、フリーレン、アーニャ、同じ種崎敦美さんが演じてるね。
Tanezaki-san’s range is amazing 😳
種崎さんの演技の幅広さ😳
She only teaches the most ridiculous things. LOL
ロクでもないモノばかり教えますｗ
Maomao is trusted by no one. Not even a little bit.
微塵も信頼されていない猫猫
For royalty, poisonings are probably just an everyday occurrence.
王族となれば毒殺も日常茶飯事だろうしな
She was personally chosen as a food taster, so she’s basically a bodyguard. That kind of trust is unshakable.
そもそも直々に抜擢された毒味役というボディーガードなわけで、そこの信頼感は半端ない
She’s the emperor’s only child. No wonder they’re so careful.
たった１人しかいない帝の子だもんなあ
Aww, what a cute walk. A new encounter is coming~ 🐱
お散歩かわいいねぇ 新たな出会い〜〜🐱
Meow~
にゃーん
Guess who’s voicing the kitty.
にゃんこの声は誰か当ててみよう。
If you guessed right on your first try… wouldn’t that be scary?
それ初見で当たったら、、、怖くない？
…Tanezaki-san, maybe?
…種崎さんかな
Kitty 😸
ねこ😸
The little kitten makes its debut!
子ニャンコ登場
Maomao fighting a cat. LOL
猫と戦う猫猫
Cat vs. Maomao.
猫 vs 猫猫
Editor’s Note: Maomao（猫猫）’s name is written with two characters meaning “cat (猫)” in Kanji.
Cat VS Maomao!
猫VS猫
Maomao chasing a cat.
猫猫が猫を追いかける
Shisui has arrived!!!!!!
子翠きたあああああ！！！
Shisui-chan!!! Love her!!!!!!!
子翠ちゃん！！！好き！！！！！
Oh, Lady Shisui. Her voice is more mischievous than I imagined while reading the novel.
おう、子翠様。原作読んでた時のイメージよりわんぱくな声だな。
Who is this…?
誰ぇ…
A new character!
新キャラだ
Who is this mobile and agile new character?
機動力抜群の新キャラの正体とは
She started crying… The princess is quick to understand.
泣いちゃった…理解が早いな姫
Diseases from stray cats can be scary… When I was a kid, a stray cat kissed me, and I nearly died.
野良猫からもらう感染症は怖いからね… 私も幼少の頃、野良猫に接吻されて死にかけた
She’s bawling. Stray cats can carry things like ringworm, so they should be healthy before you interact with them…
ギャン泣きである。猫カビとかいろいろありますから野良猫はまず健康になってからね…
The protagonist is Maomao, but for some reason, the cat never appeared—until now.
主人公が猫猫さんなのになぜか登場しなかった猫さん。ついに登場である
◆ Rescuing the Cat
Does the quack doctor like cats?
やぶ医者は猫好きなのか
The quack doctor… His skills are terrible, and he’s a blabbermouth, but as a person, he’s genuinely kind.
ヤブ医者さん……腕は悪いし口も軽いけど、人間的には非常に善良な人物なんだよなぁ……。
His family did run a ranch, after all.
実家は牧場もやってたもんなぁ
Oh, I see. Turning it into milk sausage makes it easier to drink.
なるほど、腸詰めミルクにしたら飲みやすいか。
The quack doctor’s little gestures are as cute as ever. LOL
相変わらず、ヤブの仕草は可愛いなｗ
The quack doctor doting on a kitty is adorable.
猫ちゃんにデレてるやぶ医者がかわいい
This anime has a problem—the quack doctor and Jinshi are cuter than the protagonist! LOL
このアニメ、困ったことに主人公より壬氏とやぶ医者がかわいい…！w
They decided to keep the kitten.
子猫を飼うことにした
Meow~!
みゃ～う！
The emperor is a total cat parent. LOL
親ばか帝ｗ
So, the emperor is a cat person?
帝は猫派か
Maomao raising a kitten. LOL
猫猫の子育てw
A kitten that doesn’t struggle during nail clipping—what a good kitty!
爪切りで暴れない、なんていい猫（こ）なんだ！
Not struggling during nail clipping is so impressive.
爪切りで暴れないのえらすぎる
They used oil to remove the fleas and cleaned the kitten up.
子猫のノミを油でとって綺麗にする
Who would’ve thought this anime would start looking like a cat care show?
猫の飼育番組で始まるとは思わなかった
Adorable Gaoshun 🐱
かわいい高順🐱
Who knew Gaoshun loved cats this much?
ガオシュンそんなに猫好きだったのか
Today’s episode is all about caring for rescue cats. LOL
今日は保護猫の取り扱いについての回かwww
Talking about neutering in front of someone who’s been neutered… seriously?
去勢された方の前で去勢の話はねぇ…
Discussing the need for neutering in front of a eunuch? LOL
宦官に去勢する必要の話wする？w
The sausage comment is so suggestive. LOL
ソーセージは意味深w
The cat care is so realistic and trustworthy! Soooo cute 🤤🤤🤤
猫のお世話がリアルで信頼できる！ か〜〜〜〜わいい🤤🤤🤤
Using oil to kill the fleas, milk to restore energy, then bathing, and once healthy, giving solid food and litter training—excellent!
油でノミを殺して乳で体力をつけさせてから洗って元気になったら固形物も与えてトイレも訓練。すばらしい
For someone named Maomao (“cat-cat”), she doesn’t seem to like cats much.
猫猫という名前なのにあまり猫ちゃん好きじゃないんだ
A recap of Season 1 in flashbacks.
回想で一期振り返り
Why the sudden self-introduction?
突然の自己紹介どうした？
Maomao explaining herself made me laugh. LOL
猫猫が自分のこと解説してて笑うわ(笑)
Ah, she’s just like you.
あぁ、お前そっくりだね
Jinshi seems to have a lot of moments he can relate to.
思い当たる節があリすぎる壬氏様
Maomao keeps coming to mind one after another.
次々に浮かんでくる猫猫
She’s just like Maomao.
まるで猫猫だな
Maomao really has cat-like qualities.
猫猫は猫属性
They’re sniffing the cat. LOL
ネコ吸ってるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ
Cat-sniffing is an advanced skill, you know.
猫吸いは上級者だぞ
◆ Naming the Cat
When naming “Maomao” (毛毛), everyone’s focusing on the intonation. Will it be different from Maomao (猫猫), or will they keep it the same? 🐈️
毛毛と名付ける時のイントネーションに注目している🐈️どう猫猫と変えてくるのか、はたまた変えないのか。
Good kitty for catching a mouse!
ねずみ取ってきてえらい！
Cats really do catch mice and then look so smug about it. LOL
猫って🐀捕まえてきてドヤ顔するんだよなww
Named: “Maomao” (毛毛)
命名「毛毛」
Maomao (毛毛)
毛毛(まおまお)
It’s written 毛毛 but pronounced Maomao. LOL
毛毛と書いてまおまおw
Maomao (猫猫) and Maomao (毛毛).
猫猫と毛毛
So they’re pronounced the same. LOL
読み方が一緒かw
The cat has the same name as the protagonist. LOL
ネコと同姓同名ｗ
Maomao (毛毛) has a slightly different intonation.
毛毛、発音は違う。
The intonation is a bit different.
イントネーションが少し違うのね
It’s pronounced Māo↑ Māo↑ 🥹✨️
まお↑まお↑になってた～🥹✨️
Named: Maomao (マ↓オ↑マ↓オ↑)
命名: 毛毛(マ↓オ↑マ↓オ↑)
Since “猫” (māo) and “毛” (máo) are pronounced differently, the intonation for Maomao (猫猫) and Maomao (毛毛) isn’t the same.
猫 (māo)、毛(máo)なので、発音は違う猫猫と毛毛。
Maomao and Maomao—it’s all about the intonation.
まおまおとまおまおね
Maomao (毛毛) is the mouse hunter, I guess.
毛毛はネズミ退治役か
If it turns out Maomao (毛毛) is also voiced by Aoi Yūki, I’ll lose it. LOL
これで毛毛も悠木碧さんの二役だったりしたら笑う
◆ The Ending Theme
Wait, it ended so quickly!
いやあの、終わるの早い
What? It’s over already?
えーーーもうおわり？
That went by way too fast…
あっという間すぎるんだから……
＼(^o^)／ It’s over. Felt like 5 minutes.
＼(^o^)／ｵﾜﾀ 体感５分
Extra time! Let’s have overtime! Extra time!!! (There isn’t any.)
延長！！延長入ろ！！延長！！！（無い）
The opening of the ending sequence where Jinshi looks a bit childlike is great.
ED最初の、壬氏様のどこか子供っぽい顔いいよな。
The ending animation focuses a lot on Jinshi’s perspective.
EDは壬氏視点が多いね
The ending theme by Dai Hirai is pure genius.
エンディング平井大さんは天才すぎる
Dai Hirai composed such a beautiful song 🥺
平井大さんええ曲作られはる🥺
The ending song is absolutely wonderful 😊
エンディングもめっちゃいい😊
The visuals in the ending animation are amazing.
ed映像いいなあ
The ending feels like Jinshi’s song.
EDは壬氏さまソング
Wait, what? The ending song is so emotional it made me cry. 😭 So the opening is from Maomao’s perspective, and the ending is from Jinshi’s? The lyrics are perfect. 😭💚💜
Knowing what happens next makes the ending theme even more moving. 😭✨ I love both the opening and ending themes! 😂‼️
えっ！待って？ED切なすぎて涙出てきた😭OPは猫猫、EDは壬氏さまなのか…歌詞最高😭💚💜 この後の展開知って聴くとまたグッとくるものがあるね😭✨主題歌どっちも好きだわ〜😂‼️
That was so much fun!
面白かったー！
Hehe, now I’m looking forward to Friday nights again. When will the girl who caught the cat make her next appearance? (・・?
むふふふ、これでまた金曜日の夜が楽しみに・・。猫を捕まえたお嬢さん次回はいつ登場するのかな？ (・・?
That was great! Can’t wait for next week!
良かった〜！来週も楽しみ！
Final Thoughts
Although no major incidents have occurred yet, the subtle hints and developments in this episode suggest that something big is just around the corner. With the return of this beloved series in Season 2, fans have plenty to look forward to as Maomao and Jinshi embark on new adventures. Stay tuned for more intrigue, drama, and mysteries unraveling in the imperial court!
That said, when did the quack doctor become the heroine of the story?