TV anime Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) Season 3, Episode 52 — titled “The Last Volume” — aired on Friday, October 23, 2026, on Nippon TV as part of the FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT block. The episode drew waves of laughter and excitement online, thanks to a hilariously intimate feeding scene between Maomao and Jinshi, as well as the welcome return of fan-favourite characters including Ata, Suirei, Niuhua, Luohan, and the Quack Doctor.

About the Series

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is based on the light novel by Hinata Natsu and follows Maomao, a sharp-witted young apothecary serving as a poison taster in the imperial court, as she unravels one mystery after another. Season 3, which began airing in October 2026, shifts the story from the inner palace to the city streets, presenting Maomao and Jinshi with fresh challenges: ominous signs of a coming disaster, a mysterious shrine maiden, and Jinshi’s weighty duties as the Emperor’s younger brother.

Episode 52 Highlights

Ata Steals the Scene

Maomao visits Suirei seeking clues about a missing illustrated insect reference book. The appearance of Suirei’s mistress, Ata, sent social media into a frenzy of admiration — “She’s so beautiful,” “More dashing than any of the men” — and for good reason. When the conversation stalls, Ata quietly cuts through the confusion with a single remark: “A child as clever as that one (Zisuei) — you’re saying she left nothing behind?” The observation, which neither Maomao nor Suirei had considered, earned Ata another round of praise: “Sharp as ever, absolutely cool.”

Maomao’s Rare Smile

The clue leads Maomao to remember seeing the insect book at a clinic. She breaks into a wide, delighted grin and slaps the table — a reaction that surprised viewers who noted, “That smile is so rare!” and “That’s a smile she’d never show Jinshi!!”

The Locust-Eating Scene That Broke the Internet

The recovered volume contains detailed illustrations of locust species. The realistic depictions prompted many insect-averse viewers to comment that they could barely look at the screen. As the group discusses solutions to a potential locust plague, Maomao suggests serving locust dishes as imperial cuisine. Jinshi’s visible disgust gives her an idea.

A bowl of simmered locusts is placed before Jinshi. Maomao playfully does an “ahhn” — holding a locust up to his lips as if to feed him, then pulling it back — only for Jinshi to snap it up immediately. Viewers erupted: “He actually ate it!!” “Why though!?” “Maomao’s ahhn wins every time lol.” The revelation that Jinshi will eat anything — rice porridge or locusts alike — as long as Maomao feeds him left his attendant Gaoshun speechless, Zilin in tears, and Zhaoyu delivering a blunt reality check. Fans flooded social media: “He just wants to be fed, that’s literally it lol,” “Baby Jinshi wants Mama Maomao to feed him,” and “What are we even watching lol.”

The Accidental Portrait

Zhaoyu asks Maomao what type of man she likes. Maomao answers that she prefers a soft face over sharp features — while internally thinking of Luohan and muttering, “Fox eyes are the worst, they should go extinct!” Fans laughed: “She’s literally describing her own dad.” The portrait that results ends up looking exactly like the Quack Doctor, prompting another round of hysterics online.

Niuhua’s Cryptic Words and the Mysterious Immortal Woman

After everyone disperses in frustration, Niuhua — one of the Three Beauties — lights her pipe and muses enigmatically: “There is no man whose heart does not change.” Fans praised her allure, and manga readers voiced strong hopes that her storyline will be fully animated.

Meimei mentions a rumour about an albino woman — white hair, red eyes — performing at a city theatre. When the concept of alchemy (錬丹術) for creating an immortality elixir is introduced, social media briefly derailed into comparisons with Fullmetal Alchemist and Naruto.

The episode closes on a shadowy gathering where men drink an unknown liquid in large gulps, and the rumoured immortal woman slowly brings a mysterious fluid to her lips. Viewers were left unsettled — “Is that mercury…?” — as the next episode preview showed Maomao alongside the mysterious woman. Episode 53, “The White Serpent Immortal,” is scheduled to air on Friday, October 30, 2026, at 23:40 JST — 40 minutes later than the usual slot.

Broadcast Information — Season 3

• Premiere: October 2, 2026
• Timeslot: Every Friday at 23:00 JST, Nippon TV network (30 stations), FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT
• Cour 1: October 2026 / Cour 2: April 2027
• Streaming on various platforms after broadcast

Staff

• Original Work: Hinata Natsu (Hero Bunko / Imagica Infos)
• Original Character Design: Shino Touko
• Director: Fudesaka Akinori
• Sub-Director: Nakagawa Wataru
• Series Composition: Naganuma Norihiro
• Script: Kakihara Yuko, Chiba Misuzu, Ogawa Hitomi
• Character Design: Nakatani Yukiko
• Music: Kamisama Satoru, Kevin Penkin, Okehazama Arisa
• Opening Theme: “雲を抜け風下へ私だけ” by Yorushika
• Ending Theme: “AIYOU” by Eve
• Animation Production: OLM

Cast

• Maomao: Yuki Aoi
• Jinshi: Otsuka Takeo
• Gaoshun: Konishi Katsuyuki
• Masan: Tachibana Ryumaru
• Luoban: Toyonaga Toshiyuki
• Lusun: Uchiyama Koki
• Zhaoyu: Fujiwara Natsumi
• Bai Niangniang: Ueda Reina
• Narrator: Shimamoto Sumi