Story by Koji Uchida
The official report has arrived from "The Apothecary Diaries" special stage event held at Anime Expo 2025 in Los Angeles on Friday, July 4, 2025!
Aoi Yuki and Asami Seto thrilled the audience with a live voice acting performance of scenes featuring Maomao and Shisui, causing a huge reaction.
Official Report: "Anime Expo 2025 The Apothecary Diaries S2 Guest Panel"
From July 3rd to 6th, Los Angeles, USA, hosted "Anime Expo 2025," North America's largest anime convention. A special "The Apothecary Diaries S2 Guest Panel" featured Aoi Yuki, the voice of Maomao, and Asami Seto, who plays Shisui/Luolan.
The event attracted 2,000 local fans of "The Apothecary Diaries," creating an electric atmosphere even before it started. Many attendees dressed up as Maomao, Jinshi, and Shisui. The excitement increased with the screening of the promotional video, causing widespread cheers. The audience's enthusiasm reached its peak when Yuki and Seto appeared.
Despite being overwhelmed by the fans' passion, Yuki greeted the crowd in English: "Hello AX! Are you enjoying The Apothecary Diaries? I'm very happy to be here with you just after the Season 2 finale. Please have fun today!" The audience responded with shouts of "Ao-chan kawaii!" mixing English and Japanese. Seto then read from her notes: "Hello everyone! I'm so happy to join the Anime Expo stage with Aoi-san this year! Please enjoy the show!" Yuki playfully pointed out Seto's use of notes, which filled the venue with laughter as the event commenced.
When asked about her first Anime Expo experience and the Los Angeles atmosphere, Yuki enthusiastically shared, "I've always wanted to come to LA, so I'm thrilled to finally be here! It's amazing to see so many fans supporting 'The Apothecary Diaries' in North America. I'm overwhelmed by everyone's enthusiasm!"
The event took place on Friday, July 4th local time, which was Saturday morning, July 5th in Japan - right after the final episode aired.
Yuki expressed her confidence in the second season, saying, "Season 2 is full of episodes with so much to talk about. Have you all seen the final episode yet? Some of you who came to the event early this morning might not have had the chance to watch it. Please make sure to watch it when you get home. It's truly an amazing finale." Seto shared her joy, adding, "It's wonderful and I feel so happy to be here with all of you who have been watching 'The Apothecary Diaries' every week and have been moved by it. It's great to share this moment together."
To the delight of the audience, a live voice acting performance of scenes featuring Maomao and Shisui was announced. The crowd's enthusiasm intensified further, erupting in cheers during the first scene performed—from Episode 25, "Maomao and Mao Mao," depicting their initial encounter.
Yuki admitted to feeling nervous performing live. Seto, however, found reassurance in Yuki's presence, remarking, "I feel reassured having Aoi-san (Yuki) with me, and it's a fresh experience to get immediate reactions from everyone after each line we deliver."
Regarding the character development of Shisui, who made her debut in the second season, Seto revealed that the main direction received was "Raise the energy level!" The intention, as viewers may have noticed, was to create a sharp contrast between Luolan and Shisui. When portraying Luolan, she focused on conveying a strong sense of "determination" to achieve her goals. In contrast, for Shisui, while purposeful in her actions, the emphasis was on expressing her genuine emotions when interacting with Maomao and Xiaolan, ensuring her smiles and relationships felt authentic. This explanation earned appreciative sighs from the audience.
When asked about the evolution of the characters' relationship, Yuki explained that the dynamic between Maomao and Shisui naturally emerged during interactions with Seto. Rather than a conscious effort, they effortlessly settled into this atmosphere, aiming to establish a comfortable distance between the two characters.
Next, the audience was captivated by the live voice acting performance of a pivotal scene from Episode 45, "Taibon," where Maomao hesitated between calling her "Shisui" or "Luolan." The tense atmosphere culminated in a thunderous standing ovation, moving both the host and fans to tears.
Discussing the creation of the scene, Seto recalled, "I clearly remember being extremely focused in front of the microphone during that day's recording session." Yuki added that their connection felt natural, driven by deep emotional investment in their characters. Seto further said, "For crucial scenes like this, an actor's concentration is essential, and we were fortunate to have an excellent recording environment. After the session, Aoi-san took the lead in creating a relaxed atmosphere for everyone."
Regarding her portrayal of Shisui's final scene, Seto revealed, "I knew the ending from the beginning and performed with that in mind. I referred to the manga while preparing for the voice recording, and Luolan's final monologue was particularly lengthy. Given the scene's importance, I started preparing well in advance of the recording session."
Yuki shared a surprising anecdote from Episode 41, "The Fox Village," where she said to Seto, "Today's a date episode, right?" and Seto replied, "Our last date." This shocking revelation caused a stir among the audience. Seto explained, "As Shisui, I was already aware of and prepared for the approaching end, so I was a bit on edge... (laughs)"
Yuki passionately added, "Maomao was fascinated by the new village and its culture. However, Shisui sees things very differently. There are many scenes that hint at this contrast, so I really hope viewers will rewatch the series to catch these nuances."
Story by Koji Uchida
The final live voice acting featured the scene from "The Apothecary Diaries" Episode 6, "The Garden Party," highlighting the famous poison-tasting moment. A collective silence fell upon the audience as the scene unfolded, culminating in the loudest cheer of the day when Maomao declared, "This is poison."
Amidst the roaring applause, Yuki, when asked about the voice recording for this scene, humorously suggested comparing the project PV and the actual series due to significant differences in direction and performance. She added, "Now that I've really settled into Maomao's character, when I watch this scene, I can't help but wonder if that poisoned soup might actually taste good!" This quip brought the house down.
As the live voice acting segment concluded and the event came to a close, a delightful surprise awaited the attendees: an exclusive visual of Maomao and Shisui, created specifically for the occasion. The illustration, depicting Shisui attempting to embrace Maomao, caused a frenzy among the audience. This emotionally resonant artwork, revealed right after the broadcast of the final episode, deeply touched the crowd. Seto remarked, "While Shisui is initiating the hug, you can tell Maomao isn't exactly opposed to it. It's cute, isn't it?" Yuki playfully added, "In Japanese, we'd describe Maomao's expression as ' landscape of the moonlight - meaning she's not entirely displeased!
In their closing remark, Seto said, "Thank you all for coming today. I truly felt your passion. Your reactions when we discussed 'The Apothecary Diaries' were incredibly heartwarming. With a sequel confirmed, I hope you'll continue to love and support the series."
Yuki followed up, "I'm so happy to have met all of you in Los Angeles alongside Seto-chan today. Your enthusiasm was palpable and deeply moving. Jinshi, who was really disappointed he couldn't join us, would be thrilled by your reactions too! With the sequel announcement, I hope we can discuss 'The Apothecary Diaries' with you all again someday. We'd be delighted if you'd welcome us back warmly when that time comes!"
Event Overview
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025, 5:45 PM (Local time)
Venue: Diamond Ballroom, Los Angeles Convention Center
Event Title: Anime Expo 2025 - The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Guest Panel
Featured Guests: Aoi Yuki (voice of Maomao), Asami Seto (voice of Shisui/Luolan)
About "The Apothecary Diaries" Season 2
Synopsis
When the emperor's high-ranking consort, Gyokuyō, discovered she was pregnant, Maomao returned to her role as the poison-tester of the Jade Pavilion. She remained vigilant to ensure no further incidents would target the consort and the emperor's son.
A new consort, Loulan, whose father was an influential minister from the previous emperor's reign, entered the palace. An unprecedented unsolved case emerged, where the emperor's life was threatened, and the suspect, Suirei, disappeared.
As the unsettling atmosphere persisted, foreign traders and ambassadors with unreasonable demands also arrived. More dark clouds were beginning to gather over the court.
The new challenges facing Maomao and Jinshi will eventually escalate into a major incident involving the entire country----
Cast
Maomao: Aoi Yuki
Jinshi: Takeo Otsuka
Gaoshun: Katsuyuki Konishi
Consort Gyokuyō: Atsumi Tanezaki
Consort Lihua: Yui Ishikawa
Consort Lishu: Hina Kino
Xiaolan: Misaki Kuno
Shisui: Asami Seto
Ayla: Lynn
Aylin: Yumi Hara
Field: Toshiyuki Toyonaga
Shenmei: Rika Fukami
Narrator: Sumi Shimamoto
©Hyuganatsu, Imagica Infos/"The Apothecary Diaries" Project
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