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Season 2 ofThe Apothecary Diariesis here and fans are pretty satisfied by the events so far. Even if it’s only been two episodes, there’s a brand new mystery bubbling and viewers couldn’t be more intrigued by what’s happening.The Apothecary Diariesnever disappoints when it comes to a good whodunnit.
Some fans, however, have noticed a significant change in the animation style for this season. Since the series was originally a light novel by Natsu Hyuuga, Toho Animation Studio, and OLM have made a conscious effort to match its aesthetic.
This change hasn’t just appeared in the actual episodes; some fans noted that it was present in the trailer for Season 2 as well. The majority aren’t complaining and still praiseThe Apothecary Diariesfor its continued gorgeous visuals.
However, a handful of fans have paid attention and seen some inconsistencies with the animation from Season 1. Whether it’s the color palettes or the dulling down of character designs, Season 2 uses a very different style as opposed to the vibrant and details animation we’re used to.
In only two episodes,The Apothecary Diaries’animation is noticeably different
The series’ anime adaptation is known for its vibrant and gorgeous style. Set in Imperial China during the Tang Dynasty, the rich and vivid color palette drew in a considerable audience. Even the character designs are unique, not sticking with just plain and simple palettes for every person.
Moreover, the environment ofThe Apothecary Diariesinvokes a sense of romance and appeal. The flowers and plants need to be vibrant to stand out as they are so common in the medical side of the series. Suffice it to say, fans were coming back to get a visual treat each time.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Opening Hides a Big Secret About Maomao’s Feelings for Jinshi
This, however, has changed with Season 2, which just began airing on 10th January 2025. While it hasn’t lost any of its thematic and narrative charm, it seems Toho Animation Studio and OLM have taken a different direction for the animation style.It’s doing what MAPPA did toAttack on Titan.
While there’s nothing wrong with trying to match the light novel’s aesthetic, it doesn’t exactly fit the way an anime adaptation should be executed. A Reddit user brings this up and questions why it happened.
We are possibly left with more questions than answers, especially when it seems not every fan is noticing this change. The shift might be imperceivable to some but it certainly does exist. However, there is one possible explanation.
The new season ofThe Apothecary Diariesmeant a new director was in charge
In Season 1, Norihiro Naganuma was the director ofThe Apothecary Diaries.He seemed to have done his homework and actually knew the ins and outs of the series,adding his touch to it. This is why the adaptation was so successful.
Akinori Fudesaka is the new director for the second season. While he was the assistant director for the first season, it seems he has a completely different vision for the new one.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Silently Confirms a Dark Plotline Already Teased in Season 1
Fudesaka seems to be sticking to the traditional light novel’s aesthetic which then dulls now the beauty of certain characters, namely Jinshi and Gyokuyou. Since it’s just been two episodes, we’ll have towait and see how he executes important momentslikethe infamous cave scene.
The Apothecary Diariesis available on Crunchyroll.
Bidisha Mitra
Articles Published :802
Bidisha is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with over 700 published articles. With over 7 years of writing experience, she’s versatile and adept. When she’s not writing, she’s also a voice actor on the side.Bidisha is currently continuing to learn Japanese and gets more fluent everyday. Her expertise is One Piece, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Haikyuu, but has been watching anime for over a decade. She was previously a Content Writer reviewing the latest Kpop music.
