‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Accuracy in Adapting the Anime Is the Real Reason behind Why It Can Never Be a Perfect Show

The Apothecary Diaries proves a strong female character does not always have to be physically tough. Maomao is a prime example who, with the help of her intelligence and wit, navigates through the intrigues of palace life.

The anime also does an excellent job of portraying Maomao as her authentic self. Not once does it feel like her character is getting compromised or butchered for the sake of anime completion.

However, this claim only fits the narrative if we consider the manga as the primary source. When it comes to the light novel, things might not be as immaculate as they seem. The fact that the anime tries to be as accurate as possible to its sources can be the reason why we will never get an adaptation that is perfect in its truest sense.

Light Novels Are Not Easy To Adapt

Light novels are essentially books that give their characters ample room to grow. One of the most important aspects is the application of inner monologues, which are a window to their deepest and darkest secrets.

Sadly, anime tends to omit, outright drop, or even underutilize many of these monologues. To some extent, it is understandable, as the anime only has a limited number of episodes, they must use its time effectively to keep the audience engaged. In such a scenario, they cannot indulge in showcasing long monologues as that can be boring.

Comment
byu/Madaniel_FL from discussion
inanime

There is also the need to fill in timeslots and other challenges, as observed by many fans who would love to see their favorite light novels get adapted.

Maomao Is A Confusing Character To Portray

Maomao has a brilliant mind that works wonders. Due to her exceptional deduction skills and an innate ability to stay in her lane, she comes off as a reliable protagonist.

However, one of her quirks is her frequent mumbling to herself. There have even been times when she would outright say whatever she was thinking without realizing other people were listening to her.

We get frequent examples of this in the light novel, where her thoughts are usually conveyed in italics. But when we compare that to anime, we can see that the creators made Maomao verbalize those thoughts out loud so that the viewers don’t get confused.

Creatively, this is a great decision as Maomao is becoming easier to understand. But this also simplifies her character and dumbs down much of her complex thought process.

‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Is A Flawed Adaptation

The Apothecary Diaries is not necessarily a flawless adaptation, but it is the closest thing to perfection. The obscurity in the light novel and Maomao’s character for the matter contribute heavily to this. We face other issues, like the ambiguity behind Jinshi’s heritage or the complexity surrounding the workings of the inner court and the pleasure district.

The most blatant discrepancy comes to light if we consider Maomao’s feelings for Jinshi. In anime, it feels like she is not interested in him and feels overwhelmed by his constant attention on her. But perhaps her lack of response to Jinshi is a result of us being lost in adaptation choices and poor translations.

The information we receive is so cryptic that readers seek out help from other sources. They do this not because of curiosity but because they are confused and do not have other options.

Ultimately, it is undeniable how good the anime is, and hardly anything can top this version. But this also means we will have to accept the creative liberties the anime takes.

You can watch all the latest episodes of The Apothecary Diaries on Crunchyroll.