After a jam-packed summer season, it is finally time to start preparing for the fall season. The new season will bring many new faces, along with many older ones. The level of hype and excitement among viewers is rather high as the new season approaches.
The lineup is already extremely impressive, which makes it even harder to stand out. However, one title is certain to steal the spotlight and become what could be the best anime of 2026. That anime is none other than The Apothecary Diaries.
Since debuting in 2023, The Apothecary Diaries has built a massive fan following in a very short period of time, which is not an easy task by any means, especially in this day and age where new anime are released every month. It was able to succeed because it had all the necessary qualities. Otherwise, it would have joined the growing list of titles that are forgotten immediately after they finish airing. Now, after two successful seasons, the anime is back with the third season.
Fans can expect the new season to continue Maomao's story in the Imperial Palace. The new season released on October 2, 2026, and it will run for a total of 12 episodes. Since the season is divided into two cours, the first one will conclude just before the movie, which is supposed to release on December 11, 2026.
The movie will take place between the events of season 2, and it is confirmed to be canon, as it's written by Hyūga Natsu. It will be a standalone story, so it won't mess with the overall story of the regular anime season. In the movie, Maomao and Jinshi will head outside the palace to investigate a concubine who died 5 years ago. Like any mystery in The Apothecary Diaries, this one is much more complex than it seems. By now, fans know that whenever Maomao and Jinshi join hands, the result is always an exciting and intriguing adventure.
The news of a movie has led to some skepticism among fans. They want to know if the studio's decision to release the movie so close to the season will have adverse effects. However, it's highly unlikely to happen. The studio knows the importance of the regular anime season, so it won't do anything to jeopardize it. Even after the movie is released, The Apothecary Diaries fans will have more to look forward to. After all, it has been confirmed that the second cour of the third season will be released in April 2027. So, it won't be long before fans get to enjoy Maomao's adventures. The second cour will also have 12 episodes, so that should be enough to keep fans busy for a few weeks.
It's only natural that Apothecary Diaries viewers adore Maomao so much. She is fearless and clever, yet humorous at the same time. Maomao's persona is extremely appealing, and it's safe to say that whenever she takes the stage, everyone else just fades into the background. Another trait that should be associated with Maomao is the way she subverts the usual expectations of a female lead. In many cases, authors try to create a strong and dangerous female lead to attract mainstream anime fans. But Hyūganatsu did no such thing, and it's due to their hard work that Maomao is so distinct.
While there is no denying that The Apothecary Diaries is among the standout anime of the Fall 2026 season, it has to compete with other big names, including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, which made its return on September 25, 2026. It is the latest installment in the JoJo anime series, and it has already secured extremely high scores on aggregate websites. So far, Steel Ball Run has only released two episodes, but both of them have received such an overwhelmingly positive reception from the audience that it seems unlikely for any other 2026 anime to usurp it, at least in terms of popularity.
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