Maomao Was Supposed To Be Mom Of Three And Jinshi Was Meant To Die, Apothecary Diaries Creator Reveals Original Concept For The Series

The Apothecary Diaries author Hyuuga Natsu recently revealed that the original concept for the hit series was drastically different from the version fans know today.

Speaking during a recent episode on NHK World-Japan, Hyuuga shared that Maomao was initially written as a mother of three living in a mining town, while Jinshi was originally meant to die early in the story.

The story was initially a hobby project from Hyuuga’s amateur writing days and focused on a housewife solving poisoning cases in a rural mining community.

“At first, the main character was a mom with three kids. She worked for a wealthy family whose children were dying from mining toxins. That’s where it started,” Hyuuga explained.

However, the author soon shifted direction after realizing that online readers favored fantasy. This prompted a complete change of the setting.

“I set it in the city to make it flashier. A city full of poison is scary. But where there’s power, there’s poison,” she said.

Ultimately, the story was reimagined and set in the rear palace of a fictional empire, a place teeming with political drama and danger, where poison-related conspiracies unfold among the elite.

“The rear palace is full of human drama. Readers already understand that. So, I started with elegance and found a setting that felt right.“

Maomao was recast as a curious and skilled apothecary serving as a poison tester for a high-ranking concubine.

Another major change came with Jinshi. According to Hyuuga, he was originally slated to be killed off by his own aide, Gaoshun.

“Jinshi didn’t have much standing, and Gaoshun was there to watch him,” she said. “I thought of a plot where Gaoshun receives orders to kill Jinshi.”

However, readers became attached to the chemistry between Maomao and Jinshi. In response to this feedback, Hyuuga abandoned the original plot and allowed Jinshi’s character to grow into a central figure in the story.

“I usually don’t change the main plot. I only make minor changes as needed. There’s no need to write stuff readers won’t enjoy,” she affirmed, emphasizing her commitment to delivering a story that resonates with her audience.

The Apothecary Diaries is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. Since 2011, it has been serialized online on the user-generated novel publishing website Shosetsuka ni Naro.

In the following year, it was acquired by Shufunotomo, who initially published the series as a novel with a single volume in 2012 and then as a light novel series in 2014.

The light novel is licensed digitally in North America by J-Novel Club and in print by Square Enix.

It has been adapted into two manga series in 2017, with one published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan, and another one published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X.

An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM aired from October 2023 to March 2024, while a second season premiered in January 2025.

Source: NHK World Japan