JAPANESE EDITION / VOLUME 01

The Apothecary Diaries (Shogakukan)

薬屋のひとりごと～猫猫の後宮謎解き手帳～

Natsu Hyuga Original work Minoji Kurata Art Touko Shino Original character design · Edition 2018

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BEFORE THE COLLECTION, THE STORY

What’s the story?

Kidnapped and sold into service at the imperial palace, Maomao hopes to keep her head down until she can leave. When mysterious illnesses strike the emperor’s children, her knowledge of medicines and poisons draws her into an investigation. Jinshi notices her talent and brings her into the court’s tangled mysteries.

GENRES / CURATORIAL TAGSMystery · Historical

The creators

Natsu HyugaOriginal workNatsu Hyuga, whose pen name is also rendered as Hyūganatsu, writes the novels behind The Apothecary Diaries. The story began on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website in 2011, before book publication and manga adaptations. Other novels by the author include King of Tonelico.More works and sourcesClose details

Other works in the archive

The Apothecary Diaries (Square Enix)Volume 1 · 2017View dossier

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King of Tonelico Novel

Biography and bibliographyWikipedia — Natsu Hyuga

Minoji KurataArtMinoji Kurata draws the Sunday GX manga adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries. Earlier works include Shosei Kuzuki Shinjiro no Nichijo and Tenkyu wa Haruka. Kurata also created Assassin’s Creed: Blade of Shao Jun, a manga set in the world of Ubisoft’s games.More works and sourcesClose details

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Shosei Kuzuki Shinjiro no Nichijo
Tenkyu wa Haruka
Assassin’s Creed: Blade of Shao Jun

Biography and bibliographyShogakukan — Minoji Kurata · JA VIZ / Simon & Schuster — Blade of Shao Jun

Touko ShinoOriginal character designTouko Shino illustrates The Apothecary Diaries novels and created the original character designs used by the manga adaptations. Shino also produces covers and illustrations for novels and tabletop role-playing games, including Double Cross. A collection of Shino’s Apothecary Diaries artwork was published in 2024.More works and sourcesClose details

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The Apothecary Diaries Artbook Artbook
Double Cross The 3rd Edition Tabletop RPG illustrations

Biography and bibliographyImagica Infos — Touko Shino · JA

KNOW THE WORK

The work at a glance.

Volumes in Japan22As of 17 Oct 2026Volume announced: 23

Work’s debut2017First publication

Work statusOngoingLast confirmed: 17 Oct 2026

Minoji Kurata’s manga; novels and the Square Enix adaptation are excluded.

CatalogueShogakukan

The work’s circulation

Whole franchiseOver57,000,000copies in circulationAnnouncement dated 15 Aug 2026

Whole franchise: original novels and both manga adaptations, including translations into 16 languages.

Worldwide
Print and digital

This figure is shared by both manga: it does not give the circulation of this adaptation alone.

SourceImagica Infos

How to read this number

Copies in circulation are a cumulative publishing total; they may include distributed copies not yet sold. Digital editions are included only when stated.

The date identifies the cited figure or announcement: this is not a live total. The stated scope explains which works or volumes are included. It does not measure unique readers or first-print rarity.

Original publication

Monthly Sunday GXMagazine · 2017

In Italy

J-POPEdition announced · Il monologo della speziale

Italian publisherJ-POP

Awards and recognition

Documented recognition of the work.

2024
Shogakukan Manga Award · 70Nomination

Awards · official sourcesShogakukan

Anime and other adaptations

Selected productions and related works.

The Apothecary DiariesTV anime · Released · Oct 2023Related work, not a direct adaptation of this manga
The Apothecary Diaries: Bōhi no HihōAnime film · Announced · Expected: 11 Dec 2026Related work, not a direct adaptation of this manga

Anime and adaptations · official sitesImagica Infos via PR TIMES

THE BOOK AT A GLANCE