Apothecary Diaries Friday
Jan. 10th, 2025 06:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silverseaHappy Apothecary Diaries Friday! The anime's season 2 started airing today, and it's good to have it back.
Gorgeous opening! I was a bit worried about how the new opening and ending would hold up because the first season was SO good. Looks like I don't need to worry about it anymore.
Maomao's SO beautiful. I love how they always go all out with her, because yes, she's that woman!
Little Jinshi! How adorable!
And the FROG! I know other people have already commented on Maomao and Jinshi clearly from the frog scene, but I also spotted the cave opening.
Other than that, I really like how the opening's leaning more into the mystery aspect of the drama. Great subtle previews of the upcoming mystery cases.
There's a lot of flower imagery in the opening, but I don't know any flower language or recognize most of these flowers, so I can't say much.
Okay, onward to the episode!
Ahahaha, not even three minutes in and Jinshi's already craving to see Maomao again.
I love it every time the manga or anime makes a point of cat-ifying Maomao. Look at her hiss!
I laughed hard at Gaoshun telling Jinshi to practice for Maomao. Poor Jinshi, he's so mortified.
I'm a little.... surprised with the cat/Maomao comparison scene. I found it really funny in the light novel and manga, but it didn't have the same impact in the anime. I did like Maomao's expression, she's SO tired of Jinshi's antics.
All in all, there isn't much to say about this episode, it's a pretty light one. They're reintroducing everyone for the anime onlys, setting up various things for the future with the special envoy, and highlighting Shisui. We'll get on to the mysteries next episode.
Aww, the ending is super cute. The visuals aren't as gorgeous as the opening, but it's really sweet to see how important Maomao is to Jinshi now.
The light novel's volume 13 was also released today, so it's a double Apothecary Diaries day for me. Unfortunately, I can't read it right away because I currently have 4 library loans I need to return soon. Argh.
Funny thing, when I got the notification my preorder was now available, I also got a library notification saying a hold was ready to borrow now. Amazing inconvenient timing.
Gorgeous opening! I was a bit worried about how the new opening and ending would hold up because the first season was SO good. Looks like I don't need to worry about it anymore.
Maomao's SO beautiful. I love how they always go all out with her, because yes, she's that woman!
Little Jinshi! How adorable!
And the FROG! I know other people have already commented on Maomao and Jinshi clearly from the frog scene, but I also spotted the cave opening.
Other than that, I really like how the opening's leaning more into the mystery aspect of the drama. Great subtle previews of the upcoming mystery cases.
There's a lot of flower imagery in the opening, but I don't know any flower language or recognize most of these flowers, so I can't say much.
Okay, onward to the episode!
Ahahaha, not even three minutes in and Jinshi's already craving to see Maomao again.
I love it every time the manga or anime makes a point of cat-ifying Maomao. Look at her hiss!
I laughed hard at Gaoshun telling Jinshi to practice for Maomao. Poor Jinshi, he's so mortified.
I'm a little.... surprised with the cat/Maomao comparison scene. I found it really funny in the light novel and manga, but it didn't have the same impact in the anime. I did like Maomao's expression, she's SO tired of Jinshi's antics.
All in all, there isn't much to say about this episode, it's a pretty light one. They're reintroducing everyone for the anime onlys, setting up various things for the future with the special envoy, and highlighting Shisui. We'll get on to the mysteries next episode.
Aww, the ending is super cute. The visuals aren't as gorgeous as the opening, but it's really sweet to see how important Maomao is to Jinshi now.
The light novel's volume 13 was also released today, so it's a double Apothecary Diaries day for me. Unfortunately, I can't read it right away because I currently have 4 library loans I need to return soon. Argh.
Funny thing, when I got the notification my preorder was now available, I also got a library notification saying a hold was ready to borrow now. Amazing inconvenient timing.
(no subject)
Date: January 12th, 2025 07:40 pm (UTC)Hello! I hope you will have time to read Vol 13 soon, although mind, it's a shorter, kind of transitional volume - vol 12 and the entirety of the second western capital arc having been so full with events and overarching plots.
Regarding the Jinshi comparing cats to Maomao scene: I think one of the reasons it doesn't work as well here is that 1. This takes around 2-3 pages in the manga, and the division in panels is effective because it highlights the realization gradually; this is one of the things animation is too fluid for; 2. Personally I dislike the direct flashbacks in the background: we get it, and I think anyone, anime-onlies too, would get it, without such a direct link (or with maomao redrawn as a cat, all in chibi form, as in the manga). One of the things the anime doesn't render well imho is the passage of time. Seasons - ok, but the whole book dissemination thing clearly needs a lot of time passing (at least a couple of weeks) and the anime goes through with it too quickly... which is different when you have to turn the page, I think. (Having said this, I love the anime - just pointing out what works better in other places)
(This part has no direct spoilers but gently suggests things happening in the season so please, if you're reading this journal and are anime-only, skip or tread carefully.)
The opening really has stunning visuals and it's great that it presents the mysteries of the cour -- both through the hands holding the mysteries (and well, the frog), and through some parts -- I especially liked the old madam and the painting and I'm trying to understand how the hands holding the shameful old emperor mean (I may have forgotten something). And the doors and the temple of selection! They really worked hard on this and it shows.
The frog scene cannot be here soon enough... I can't wait.
Ending has the thing that I dislike - the flashbacks seen as a movie. But I like the part where he contrasts the joy and relief experienced when he disguised himself as "Jinka" and had a fun day with Maomao and the reality of the situation-his real identity and her current status; it's, it prepares brilliantly for the cour that will follow. (Also: Suiren was behind the "date", wasn't she?)
(no subject)
Date: January 12th, 2025 10:40 pm (UTC)I usually don't enjoy watching anime adaptations of things I've already read, because I tend to get bored quickly if I know what will happen, but this anime's doing such a wonderful job of adapting the story. The art is stellar, the music is lovely, they're doing a good job with the emotional beats of the story. I'd say my only major issue with the anime is a lot of stuff that are more subtle in the LN or manga are really obvious in the anime.
Yeah, I think the cat/Maomao comparison scene might have worked better if they didn't reuse the animations from the past. Maybe Jinshi reimagining Maomao as a cat like in the manga or just omitting the flashbacks and keep Jinshi focused on Maomao would work better for the comedy.
I agree with you, the anime doesn't quite convey the passage of time as well. The LN is pretty clear about years passing by, the manga slightly less so, and the anime is the worst at showing the passage of time. (I just realized but I haven't read the GX manga, so I'm not sure if it shows the time better.)
Having dwell on the opening's visuals longer, I just love it so much. The reflections/multiple selves highlight the public image everyone put on in this series, Maomao and Jinshi, the consorts, the culprits, etc. I am so looking forward to watching the cases.
I'm not sure who it is, but I'm pretty sure the hands holding the previous emperor is either his mother or wife. Both options fit the scene, the mother overprotectively holding him or the wife assaulting him as revenge.