The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace Gets English Release

The Apothecary Diaries is expanding its English-language library this fall, though it’s worth clearing up exactly what’s arriving. Viz Media confirmed that The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace, an alternate manga adaptation illustrated by Minoji Kurata, will finally reach English readers starting October 20, 2026, with Volume 2 following on December 15, 2026.

Despite some recent coverage calling it a new spinoff, this manga isn’t new content or a side story. It retells the same core narrative as the more widely known Nekokurage manga adaptation, just illustrated by a different artist and told with its own visual style. The real narrative spinoff in this franchise, a side story called The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Story, already released in English earlier.

The Kurata Manga – What We Know

Minoji Kurata’s version of The Apothecary Diaries has actually been running in Japan since August 2017, published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X, and has reached 22 collected volumes as of mid-2026. It briefly went on hiatus in 2024 when Kurata took childcare leave, returning to the magazine later that same year. A Southeast Asian English release through Shogakukan Asia has existed since 2024, but this Viz Media license marks the manga’s first official release in North America and other English-language markets. By comparison, the Nekokurage adaptation that most English readers already know has been available domestically since Square Enix began releasing it in North America back in December 2020, giving that version a multi-year head start with Western audiences.

Viz Media is publishing the series under its Viz Signature label, with Volume 1 including a bonus story and color art alongside the main narrative. The story itself follows the same setup as the original light novel: Maomao, an apothecary from her nation’s red-light district, is abducted and sold into service at the Inner Palace, where her knowledge of herbs, medicine, and poison draws unwanted attention after she quietly intervenes in the mysterious deaths of the emperor’s children. That leads the eunuch Jinshi to make her an official poison taster for Consort Gyokuyo, setting up the mystery-driven plot the franchise is known for.

This release lands alongside a genuinely active stretch for the franchise more broadly. A Season 3 anime sequel was confirmed back in July 2025 immediately after Season 2’s finale, continuing the story past the fall of the Shi Clan as Maomao returns to the Verdigris House and Jinshi steps into his real royal duties. Beyond the anime, Prime Video also announced a live-action adaptation titled Intelligence Declassified, set for a 2028 premiere with Mana Ashida cast as Maomao, a project original creator Natsu Hyuga has publicly praised for its casting and writing.

What This Means for Fans

For longtime readers, having two different manga adaptations of the same core story available in English isn’t unheard of, but it does mean new or curious readers need to know what they’re actually picking up. Kurata’s version isn’t a continuation or an expansion of the story Nekokurage’s manga already told in English; it’s a separate artistic take on the same early chapters, so newcomers hoping to jump straight into new, previously untranslated material should look toward Xiaolan’s Story instead, since that’s the release built specifically around new content from a supporting character’s perspective. Manga fans who enjoy comparing different artists’ interpretations of the same source material may find real value in reading both versions side by side, since small differences in pacing, panel composition, and character expression can meaningfully change how familiar scenes land.

That said, having a second art style available gives fans an alternate way to experience Maomao and Jinshi’s early story, and the timing alongside a confirmed anime sequel and a live-action series suggests Viz Media and Square Enix are both betting on continued franchise momentum rather than treating this as a one-off release.

What’s Next for The Apothecary Diaries

Volume 1 arrives October 20, with Volume 2 following December 15, and additional volumes expected to continue releasing into next year in both physical and digital formats. Beyond the manga, fans should watch for further Season 3 anime details as production continues, along with additional casting news for the 2028 live-action series as Prime Video moves that project forward.

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