When it comes to well-done shojo anime, The Apothecary Diaries takes the cake. Mystery, romance, drama, you name it and it has got it. It is anything but a cliché series, especially with its well-crafted plot and themes. TOHO Animation did a great job with the series, but it may have been overlooked for the most part.
This is true for the series winning the best character design award, which had most fans divided. While some praised it, there was a consensus that the series deserved better and rightly so, it does. It all boils down to the series’ brilliance which must not be overlooked at all costs.
Best character design or an unsatisfactory win?
There’s mystery, suspense and drama blended perfectly in Natsu Hyuga’s series. What adds more pizzazz to it are the visuals that are done brilliantly by TOHO Animation. The colors, costumes, and frames are so meticulous that it is nothing short of an art, but the characters crank it up.
Yes, the story focuses on Maomao’s life as an Apothecary, yet it somehow is nonlinear in the way it progresses. A constant switch between the past and present makes it rather riveting. The metaphors come alive through symbols and images, which make it breathtaking in every aspect.
Take Lakan, for instance, where his character has prosopagnosia and perceives people as Go pieces. It is only Fengxian who stands as an exception to that. The episode is titled “Balsam and Wood Sorrel”, which also ties in well with the language of flowers used in the series.
With Ah Duo, her character is represented by Cattleya Orchids that symbolize her beauty, strength and resilience. The animators bring out these details brilliantly through resplendent colors and visuals. However, the series’ recent win might have been a bit unsatisfactory as fans suggest.
On r/anime Redditors responded to the anime receiving the Best Character Design award and they weren’t too happy about it at all. Some were of the opinion that the designs were rather too bland or unoriginal. To some extent, this is true, however, the series is more than that.
Readers know the significance of Hyuga’s manga and the chokehold it has on the audience. From romance, relationships and history to suspense, it outdid itself as a trailblazing shojo anime. Although the award seems unsatisfactory, it shouldn’t distract us from the series’ true brilliance in any way.
The Apothecary Diaries and its brilliance shouldn’t be overlooked
The Apothecary Diaries anime has previously won two awards. These include the Japan Expo Award for Best Suspense Anime as well as the AnimaniA Awards’ Best Series Online. These were well-deserved considering how the anime lives up to the hype and breaks away from ironclad tropes.
To have a well-written suspense, history, and romance shojo anime win a single award for character design is strange. In this case, it is particularly considered how it goes beyond the frontiers of traditional storytelling. Some might call it historically accurate, but fans aren’t complaining now, are they?
The flower symbolism is a fraction of the writer’s genius considering how well-placed other elements are. Each detail is carefully crafted and expanded upon within the folds of mystery. The herbs, flowers, and spices aren’t mere words but are more visually stimulating.
With every episode, we witness Maomao’s genius along with the dynamics in the Imperial Palace. It is also important to commend both writers and the animators for dealing with sensitive issues including assault and disabilities. It is carefully yet sensibly portrayed, which makes the series remarkable.
On the whole, Natsu Hyuga crafted a true masterpiece through her story, be it female friendships, family, and complex emotions. The series is more than its character designs and truly deserved more accolades.
The Apothecary Diaries is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Square Enix’s Manga Up! app.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
