In the first half of 2026, we've already been treated to many incredible anime series, some of which include Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run.
The second half of 2026, however, also has many interesting hits on the way, one of which is the best seinen anime of the year: The Apothecary Diaries. The Apothecary Diaries is officially returning on October 2 with a brand-new anime season, specifically the first cour of Season 3. Fans all around the world can't wait for the official return of Maomao as her captivating mystery-solving journey in the Imperial Palace continues. Maomao’s story is about to take the world by storm once more, not only with the new anime season but also with the brand-new movie. Both the new anime season and the movie just released new trailers, confirming new information and showcasing some future challenges for Maomao to overcome.
Over the last few years, The Apothecary Diaries has become one of the most popular new series, and that is all down to its anime adaptation by TOHO Animation Studio and OLM. Its incredible plot, filled with mysteries, also made the series what it is today, and it was all concocted by one person, Hyuga Natsu. The Apothecary Diaries aired its second season from January 10, 2025, to July 4, 2025. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for more content featuring Maomao. Luckily for us all, The Apothecary Diaries is getting a brand-new movie and TV anime. It was announced in October 2025 that The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 adaptation and a new movie release were greenlit and in the works. More recently, on August 14, 2026, we have more information concerning this upcoming new anime season.
While it was already revealed that The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 was going to be released in October this year, we did not know when exactly it would come out. However, following the release of the new trailer and Key Visual, we now know that The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is going to officially air in Japan starting October 2, 2026. Being a Seinen with more mature content, the series will likely air late on Japanese TV channels, but either way, the episodes will be sync-released globally on online platforms an hour after Japan. Crunchyroll has already confirmed that it will air this new season of The Apothecary Diaries, so fans will be able to find the series there.
The new trailer release for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 has given us an exciting glimpse into what this new season will cover and the mysteries that Maomao will have to solve and overcome. Just based on the trailer, we know that Maomao will have to solve an insect migration that has wrecked fields of crops across the country, and one that could eventually lead to massive famines. We will also see brand-new characters, including a mysterious white-haired woman whose name and role are yet to be revealed.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the second half of 2026. However, it must be mentioned that this time around, the entirety of the upcoming The Apothecary Diaries season will not be aired at once. It was previously confirmed that The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will be split into two cours. The first cour will begin airing on October 2, 2026. Since we know that this upcoming season of The Apothecary Diaries is scheduled to be broadcast with 24 episodes in total, we can assume the first cour will get 12 episodes in total.
Based on a consistent weekly airing schedule, the Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Part 1 should reach its end on December 18, 2026. For its second cour, we don't know the exact return date yet, as it's still far too early for that, but we do know that it's planned for April 2026, which is about four months after the end of the first cour. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Part 2 should also be made up of 12 episodes in total. With 24 episodes overall, The Apothecary Diaries continues with its usual long seasonal length, giving the story ample time to explore the characters and the new mystery set ahead.
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سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/2026-anime-year-october-release-the-apothecary-diaries/
