Fall 2026 couldn’t come soon enough, as The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is scheduled for release this October, which means we’ve got only a few months left before we see Maomao back in action again. Now, amid anticipation for the third season, the franchise has even announced an anime-original movie that will be released later this year.
So, there’s a lot to look forward to if you are a fan of the series. In fact, there are more important release date and streaming-related updates regarding the upcoming The Apothecary Diaries season and the movie. So, let’s check them out.
| TITLE | The Apothecary Diaries |
| SEASON 3 RELEASE DATE | Part 1: October 2026 Part 2: April 2027 |
| MOVIE RELEASE DATE | December 2026 |
| ANIMATION STUDIO | TOHO Animation X OLM Studio |
| WHERE TO WATCH | Crunchyroll |
When Is The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Releasing?
As revealed in the official announcement trailer, The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will be split into two cours, with the first cour releasing in October 2026. However, as of this article’s writing, an exact release date has not been announced yet. Still, we can estimate when it will likely premiere. Following the release pattern of most seasonal anime, first episodes usually debut in the first or second week of the month.
Thus, you can expect The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 to follow a similar trend, with Cour 1 likely premiering sometime between October 1 and October 14, 2026. Meanwhile, Cour 2 has also been officially announced for release next year, in April 2027. Again, since it will be part of the Spring 2027 anime season, its first episode is also expected to premiere during the first or second week of the month.
How Many Episodes Will The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Have?
Since the upcoming The Apothecary Diaries movie has been announced for a December 2026 release, the first cour of Season 3 will likely have to wrap up before then. That gives Cour 1 a runtime of roughly three months. So, what does that translate to?
With only a three-month broadcast window, Cour 1 is expected to consist of 12 episodes, or at most 13 episodes. That’s the standard episode count for most single-cour anime with a weekly release schedule spanning three months.
Hence, if Cour 1 is expected to have 12 to 13 episodes, we can assume Cour 2 will have a similar episode count. Adding them together, The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is expected to total around 24 to 26 episodes. That said, this is still speculative, and deviations from the usual trend are well within expectations.
Where to Watch The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Online?
Similar to the previous The Apothecary Diaries seasons, Season 3 will also be available to watch on Crunchyroll. In fact, the episodes are expected to be simulcast on the platform as well. Crunchyroll has also listed the following territories where Season 3 will be released: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and the Indian Subcontinent. (via Crunchyroll)
Apart from Crunchyroll, Seasons 1 and 2 of the series are also available to stream online on Netflix and Hulu. So, you might want to check them out as well when Season 3 releases.
When Is The Apothecary Diaries Movie Releasing?
Right near the end of The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Cour 1, a brand-new anime-original movie will be released. The movie is scheduled for a December 2026 release, although an exact release date has not been revealed yet. Still, we can reasonably expect it to premiere in late December, as Cour 1 of Season 3 will likely run through most, if not all, of the month before wrapping up.
Where Will The Apothecary Diaries Movie Be Released?
Since The Apothecary Diaries movie will be a theatrical film, you can expect to watch it in your nearest cinema first. However, the December 2026 release window will most likely apply only to Japan. In other countries, the movie could be delayed by a few weeks or even months. Even so, it will hopefully receive a global release before Cour 2 of Season 3 premieres in April 2027.
Furthermore, it’s almost certain that the movie will arrive on Crunchyroll after its theatrical run. However, how long that takes will likely depend on its box office performance. That said, it wouldn’t make much sense to delay its streaming release beyond the premiere of Season 3 Cour 2.
What to Expect From Season 3 and the Movie?
Season 3 is guaranteed to make the narrative even more interesting, especially after where Season 2 left things off. Maomao and Jinshi’s chemistry, following Jinshi’s reveal as the Crown Prince, will surely make things even spicier. There’s also the mystery behind Shisui’s reappearance, which will likely be explored further.
And of course, palace mysteries and court politics will remain the series’ biggest standout. However, the focus may shift from the Imperial Palace to the Western Capital, meaning the stakes are also expected to rise.
As for the movie, we still don’t have enough information. The series creator, Natsu Hyūga, has confirmed that it will be an anime-original film. That means there’s no source material to predict its story progression, but it’s reasonable to expect Maomao, Jinshi, and the other core characters to return.
Are There Separate Trailers for Season 3 and the Movie?
As of now, TOHO Animation Studio has only released the above-linked announcement trailer for both Season 3 and the movie. Along with some of the most memorable scenes from the previous seasons, the trailer confirms that the story will take place in a new land. But not much is shown for what to expect next. There will surely be more trailers released down the line, but for now, this is all we’ve got.
Will the Movie Be Connected to the Main Storyline?
Since The Apothecary Diaries movie is coming out right in the middle of the two cours of Season 3, it is expected to bridge the events between them. Although the movie will feature an original storyline, it shouldn’t disrupt the flow for viewers who have just finished watching Part 1 and will be waiting for Part 2. Because of its release timing, pulling that off could be a bit challenging.
However, it could also be completely intentional. The author may have planned the movie to tell a story that fits naturally into the gap between the two cours, perhaps exploring something they had wanted to include in the manga but couldn’t. With the stakes rising in the main story, the upcoming movie is also likely to be quite intriguing. What are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comments!
The first two seasons of The Apothecary Diaries are currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
