"The Apothecary Diaries" will begin airing on the Nippon Television network on October 21st. Set in the harem, the show's mystery-solving entertainment follows the protagonist, Nekoneko, a "poison taster," as she uses her knowledge as a pharmacist to solve problems and incidents that arise there. As the story takes place in the harem, it's filled with a cast of quirky characters. Given the popularity of the original work, we thought we'd create our own ranking of the most popular characters before the show airs. We hope this ranking will be useful for those unfamiliar with the series.
5th Place: Rikahime
Ranked fifth on the popular character ranking is "Rikahime." Princess Rika's first appearance scene shows her blaming Princess Tamaba for the fact that she and her child have been infected with an unknown illness, so those who have read the original novel may have had a bad impression. It seems that Nekoneko also did not make a good first impression. At the same time, Princess Tamaba's child was also infected with the illness, and Nekoneko anonymously told Princess Rika and Princess Tamaba the cause and how to deal with it. Princess Tamaba did as Nekoneko instructed and her child was saved, but Princess Rika's child (the Crown Prince) died when a maid crushed him.
Neko Neko Saves Princess Rika's Health and Spirit
Princess Rika herself was in danger of death due to illness, but the emperor himself asked Neko Neko to treat her. For the emperor, treating means healing, so Neko Neko spent two months healing Princess Rika's health and spirit. At that moment, Neko Neko explodes with anger at the cause of her illness and the handmaidens' lack of sincerity in caring for her. It's a refreshing scene, so be sure to watch it in the anime. After this incident, Princess Rika's trust in Neko Neko naturally increased.
What is the real Princess Rika like?
Princess Rika is a cool beauty with black hair and narrow eyes, and embodies the "Blue" (wood virtue) element of the five elements. In addition to her refined and intelligent personality, she has a strong love for the Emperor, is self-respecting but not arrogant, and Nekoneko views her as a generous princess. Outside of the opening scene, she is truly a beautiful princess, different from Princess Tamaha, and is on Nekoneko's side.
4th Place: Gaoshun
Reaching fourth on the popular character ranking is "Gaoshun." He is a military officer who assists Jinji and also acts as his watchdog. Born into the horse clan, which has protected the royal family for generations, he is a truly important man, but his kind-hearted nature makes him seem anything but. However, due to his considerate and thoughtful work, he is highly trusted by Jinji and is an extremely capable aide.
Actually a soothing character!?
When he first worked with Maomao, he called her "Maomao-sama," and Maomao responded, "Maomao-sama is higher in rank, so there's no need for "-sama." Maomao then called him "Koneko," to which Maomao thought, "You're suddenly calling me 'K-chan.' This old guy is so playful..." Since then, Maomao has continued to show Gaoshun's charming side, and Maomao has come to call him "a soothing character."
3rd Place: Princess Tamaba
Ranking third on the popular character ranking is Princess Tamaba. In "The Apothecary's Notes," Nekoneko first becomes involved in an incident, saving the life of Princess Tamaba's child, Suzurei. This incident led to Nekoneko becoming Princess Tamaba's maid. She gained Princess Tamaba's trust as "a benefactor to me and the princess," and she continues to care for Nekoneko.
What kind of person is Princess Tamaba, who trusts Nekoneko?
Consort Gyokuyo is the emperor's most favored consort at the beginning of the story, but she is not arrogant and is a wise and thoughtful consort. A beautiful woman with red hair and jade eyes, she represents the "red" (fire) element of the five elements, and is said to suit the color red best in the Land of Li. She is usually smiling and calm, rarely showing signs of being shaken by things. At the same time, she also has a cautious and careful side. Perhaps due to her position in the harem, this has allowed her to safely avoid being poisoned twice in the past.
An important friend to Nekoneko
Even when something happens, she never wavers and appears to be gentle and calm, but in reality she has a suspicious side and is always on Nekoneko's side. She is always on Nekoneko's side and cares for her. She has noticed the changes in Mitsuuji's feelings toward Nekoneko, and enjoys sneaking peeks at her and teasing her. She is an important friend to Nekoneko.
2nd Place: Jinshi
Ranked second on the popularity character ranking is Jinshi. He's such an important character that you could call him the other main character of the series. While Nekoneko has a well-defined character, Jinshi's mystery is a crucial element in the story of "The Apothecary Diaries," and the mystery he hides has a major impact on the story.
If he were a woman, he'd be a "beautiful woman who could topple a nation!"
Jinshi is a eunuch in charge of the harem. His beautiful features are so striking that he has been compared to a peerless beauty, described as having a "celestial maiden's smile" and a "flower face." Lower-ranking concubines and young eunuchs often invite him out for the night, and some maids even faint when approached. However, Nekoneko completely ignores him, even treating him coldly.
He's more than just a eunuch!
On the other hand, he wields immense power in the harem and has deep ties to important figures in the country, making him a mysterious eunuch. Contrary to his appearance, he has a clingy personality and will use anything he can to achieve his goals. He initially selected Nekoneko as Princess Gyokuba's maid in order to increase the number of people he could use for his own purposes. This was to ensure stability in the harem and also fulfill another mission. Watch the anime to find out.
What is his relationship with Nekoneko?
At first, Jinshi appreciated Nekoneko's abilities and thought she was useful, but after she performed better than he expected and because she was the first person to treat him so badly, he began to feel attached to her. This gradually turned into affection, and he became upset with Nekoneko for not relying on him. Initially, he was someone he used, but he gradually grew to rely on her, and his attitude towards her gradually changed.
An Exceptionally Skilled Guardian of the Harem
Because he's so talented, he's often tasked with taking on troublesome tasks, and when unmanageable incidents arise, he turns to Nekoneko. A powerful and mysterious man, Jinshi's life is often under attack, and you can watch the anime to find out how Nekoneko gets involved in these cases.
1st Place: Maomao
Topping the list of popular characters is Maomao. I'm sure everyone agrees. Without Maomao, this series wouldn't exist. It's like "Detective Conan" without Edogawa Conan. I used Detective Conan because the official website calls it "Mystery-Solving Harem Entertainment," but I think she's just as powerful a character as Conan. And while not directly related to this series, Maomao is featured in the 99th volume of the "Detective Conan" comics, "Gosho Aoyama's Detective Encyclopedia."
Why did Nekoneko come to the harem?
One of the charms of Nekoneko is her excellent character development. The story begins when she is kidnapped and sold to the harem after working as a pharmacist in the red-light district. Growing up in the red-light district, she has a foul mouth, and due to her upbringing, she knows the ins and outs of relationships between men and women, and has no romantic fantasies about men. She only thinks of Mitsuuji as "unnecessarily beautiful," and she dislikes his personality, often looking at him like a slug.
He seems cool at first glance, but is he really?!
Although NekoNeko usually shows a cool, dry side, she has a strong sense of justice and cannot tolerate the injustice that befalls those around her. She becomes enraged without hesitation when a maid spites the queen she serves for self-righteous reasons, and she cannot tolerate anyone being hurt by unreasonable circumstances, leading her to take action. She considers herself a "cool and dry person," but ultimately, she may be closer to a tsundere.
A wealth of knowledge as a pharmacist
And as a former pharmacist, NekoNeko has extensive knowledge of medicines, poisons, diseases, and more, and is also quick-witted. Her obsession with poison in particular is extraordinary, and her curiosity and desire to research it are so intense that she even experiments on her own body. She has no interest in anything else, and had intended to stay low-key until her term of service was over, but she couldn't stand the rumors that the emperor's children were dying from a curse, so she decided to solve it. She anonymously confessed the cause, but Jinshi discovered her and selected her as Princess Tamaha's maid, using her as a pawn.
Although she herself has a low opinion of her appearance...
And let's not forget NekoNeko's powers of observation and insight. These powers are reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, and NekoNeko's experience and knowledge are what make the most of them. Using these abilities, NekoNeko solves the incidents and problems that occur in the harem. She has a low opinion of herself, describing herself as skinny and slender, far from being "voluptuous" or "a peerless beauty." However, once she removes the freckles she intentionally creates, applies proper makeup, and dresses well, she's so beautiful that even Mitsuuji doesn't recognize her at first.
Character Popularity Ranking Summary
This is a unique ranking of popular characters. What did you think? Since the series hasn't aired yet, I chose characters that appear early on. I think the first and second places are as you'd expect. I hope you'll use this as a reference before watching the anime. Thank you for reading to the end.
