The Apothecary Diaries: which manga is which, how many volumes, and where to start
The Apothecary Diaries is Hyūganatsu's story of Maomao, a girl trained in medicine by her apothecary father in the red-light district, who is kidnapped and sold to the imperial palace as a servant. There she quietly uses what she knows about medicine and poisons to solve the palace's mysteries. In English it comes as light novels, two different manga adaptations, a spin-off and an art book, each numbered separately, which is where the confusion starts. Here's which is which, how many volumes each has, and where to start.
The short answer
The story began as light novels, and there are two manga versions of it. The one most people mean is Square Enix's manga, drawn by Nekokurage: it has 17 volumes in Japan (as of July 2026) and 15 in English. Vol. 16 is due on 3 November 2026. Start with Vol. 1 of the manga, or Vol. 1 of the light novels for the original.
Which is which?
- The light novels are the original story, written by Hyūganatsu and illustrated by Touko Shino. There are 16 volumes in Japan so far, and the series is still going. Square Enix publishes them in English in paperback, and J-Novel Club as ebooks. Vol. 11 is due in paperback on 3 November 2026.
- The Apothecary Diaries manga (Square Enix) is drawn by Nekokurage, with the story adapted by Itsuki Nanao. It has run in Monthly Big Gangan since 2017. In English, Vols. 1–15 are out. Vol. 16 is due on 3 November 2026, and you can pre-order it now. These books are titled plain "The Apothecary Diaries" with a volume number.
- Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace (Shogakukan, published in English by VIZ Media) is a second, separate manga adaptation, drawn by Minoji Kurata for Monthly Sunday Gene-X. It has more volumes in Japan than the Square Enix manga, 22 so far, and VIZ's English edition begins in November 2026. Vol. 1 is due on 19 November 2026. Vol. 2 is due on 14 January 2027. Vol. 3 is due on 25 March 2027.
- Xiaolan's Story is a spin-off about Xiaolan, Maomao's friend among the palace maids, drawn by Itsuki Nanao. Vol. 1 came out in English in October 2026.
- The Apothecary Diaries Art Book collects the illustrations.
Dates here are UK release dates, which are often a few weeks after the US ones.
Which manga should I read?
Both manga adapt the same light novels from the beginning, so they tell the same story with different art. You don't need both. The Square Enix manga is the one to start with if you want to keep reading without waiting, because it's much further along in English. Maomao's Notes is the one to try if you prefer Kurata's art and don't mind waiting for new volumes. If you want the story as it was written, read the light novels: they're the original, and they're what the anime adapts.
When you buy the next book, check the title. Square Enix publishes the manga and the light novels under the same name, so our light novel listings say "(Light Novel)" in the title.
The anime
The anime by Toho Animation Studio and OLM adapts the light novels. Season 1 aired from October 2023 to March 2024 and season 2 from January to July 2025. Season 3 began in October 2026 and continues in April 2027. A film, The Late Lady's Treasure, opens in Japan on 11 December 2026, and a live-action series for Amazon Prime Video is planned for 2028. If you're coming from the anime, either manga starts at the very beginning, and the light novels are the full story.
If you like it
For another story of medicine and royal intrigue in a setting inspired by historical China, try The Eccentric Doctor of the Moon Flower Kingdom. For a quieter historical romance in prose, try the My Happy Marriage light novels. There's more on our light novels shelf.
Browse the series
Every volume of the Square Enix manga we stock is on The Apothecary Diaries series page, in order. The light novels and Maomao's Notes on the Inner Palace each have their own page.