Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday GX magazine confirmed this week that Kurata Minoji’s Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Koukyuu Nazotoki Techou manga will resume serialization in the magazine’s August 2024 issue, which will be available for sale on July 19th, 2024. The manga went on hiatus in May 2024 when Kurata took childcare leave after the birth of her child in January 2024.
The manga is an adaptation of Hyuuga Natsu’s Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) light novel series. Kurata started the manga adaptation in August 2017 in Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday GX magazine, and Shogakukan published the manga’s first tankoubon volume in February 2018. The latest volume, number 18, was released on March 19th, 2024.
Hyuuga started the original story in October 2011 on the Shousetsuka ni Narou website, and Shufunotomo began publishing the novel series with illustrations by Shino Touko in August 2014. The 15th novel in the series was released on March 29th, 2024.
The light novels have also inspired another manga adaptation and a TV anime. Nanao Itsuki and Nekokurage started the second manga adaptation in May 2017 in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan magazine, and Square Enix published its 13th volume on March 25th, 2024. The TV anime adaptation premiered in October 2023, and all 24 episodes can be streamed on Crunchyroll. The anime’s second season will be released in 2025.
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison!
