“There was nothing more to write”: Natsu Hyuuga Went From Making The Apothecary Diaries a One-Shot to the Most Excruciating Slow-burn Manga
- Natsu Hyuuga recently commented she completed her novel without thinking she would expand it.
- The Apothecary Diaries' success stems from its intricate world-building and complex characters.
- The author remains deeply grateful to the loyal fanbase for supporting her work.
The Apothecary Diaries is famous for its intricate storyline and steady pace. Natsu Hyuuga, the author, gives ample time and space for the characters to grow, automatically making it impossible for the novel to have a short runtime.
The novel also does not revolve around one single character, Maomao, and follows her escapades inside the inner court. Apart from what happens surrounding her, we also get a taste of palace intrigues and brothel secrets and dive deep into political scenarios.
However, recently, Natsu Hyuuga came forward with a surprising comment explaining how her plans for this masterpiece were quite different. She did not think that the story would turn out like this, and things spiraled out of her hands when people started to notice her work.
The Apothecary Diaries could have ended sooner
Natsu Hyuuga introduced her work first in October 2011 on the user-generated web novel site, Shōsetsuka ni Narō. Here, she posted almost regularly and in only about a month and a half, completed what we now know as the first completed version of The Apothecary Diaries.
What is shocking is that the author was absolutely sure that there was nothing more she could write or add to the already completed structure. Apparently, she was surprised when she received an e-mail asking her if she would be interested in turning her series into a book.
There was nothing more to write
According to her, she was convinced that she had conveyed everything she wanted to and did not even have any plans of creating a sequel. Thankfully, she now realizes what a big blunder that would have been, when she witnessed her craft still going strong.
One of the main factors that make The Apothecary Diaries so good is how the story gradually unfolds and transports its readers to its mesmerizing world. It is also known for its complex world-building, along with an array of very interesting multi-dimensional characters.
Even the romance that unfolds here is never assertive, always beneath the surface, and is subtle. This very factor has been both gratifying and agonizing for fans of Maomao and Jinshi, as their interaction can become painfully slow.
Slowest of love stories
byu/Mahituto inKusuriyaNoHitorigoto
But it is also true that this uniqueness helped The Apothecary Diaries gain such a tremendous and loyal fanbase in the first place. On top of that, the anime adaptation is only helping that influence spread.
Natsu Hyuuga’s reflection on her incredible journey
From Natsu Hyuuga’s statements, it is clear that she herself did not expect to gain such widespread acclaim when she started her journey. After having two manga adaptations and two anime seasons under her belt, it is natural that she feels like it is all a dream.
She still feels like she would wake up to a different job, and all her hard work would turn into just a figment of her imagination. However, this uncertainty comes from her deep astonishment at her success and great appreciation to the fans who loyally supported her all these years.
Natsu Hyuuga (author of The Apothecary Diaries) comment ahead of Season 2 🫶
— tamina 🦋 (@keiuzuki) January 9, 2025
(This was Jinshi & Maomao in the first book of The Apothecary Diaries before it got republished!) pic.twitter.com/ox2Q4oPZSF
Now that The Apothecary Diaries has turned into such a successful franchise, this journey will not end anytime soon, and it is a win for the fans. Yes, we might not see Jinshi ending up with Maomao anytime soon, but at least we can savor their organic romance for a long time.
You watch all the latest episodes of The Apothecary Diaries on Crunchyroll.
