10 Anime Like The Apothecary Diaries Worth Binge-Watching

‘The Apothecary Diaries’ follows Maomao, who is forced to work as a low-level servant at the emperor’s place after getting abducted at the young age of seventeen. Despite the cruel misfortune, she manages to keep a positive outlook on life and plans to work until her days of servitude are over so that she can be free. Interestingly, when she learns that the emperor’s two infants are really sick and need urgent medical attention, she uses her experience as a pharmacist and saves their lives. Although Maomao intends to remain anonymous, her efforts are soon rewarded as she is enlisted in the emperor’s inner court. It marks a dramatic turn in her life as Mamao soon finds herself actively engaged in solving medical mysteries. The engaging series has been well-received by viewers and critics alike, and for the people who are looking for something similar we have compiled a list of 10 anime similar to ‘The Apothecary Diaries.’

10. Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019 -)

Urano Motosu has only one passion in life, literature. Nothing could quench her thirst for reading books and she hopes to someday become a librarian so that she can be as close to her passion as possible. But before she can fulfill her dreams, Urano dies tragically in an accident. In a strange turn of events, she is reincarnated as a five-year-old girl named Myne in the medieval era. Since printing has not been invented yet, books are scarce. But instead of forgetting about her passion for literature, Myne decides to use her modern world wisdom to make books herself. Just like Maomao, Myne also navigates a society with a hierarchical structure and uses her specialized knowledge to achieve her goals. The anime is accessible for streaming here.

9. Dr. Stone (2019 -)

Taiju Ooki is an ordinary high schooler who is about to confess his love to his crush when a blinding green light strikes the Earth following which every human on the planet is turned into a stone. When Ooki reawakens several millennia later, he finds his science-loving friend Senkuu. It turns out that he has been active for a while but most of the people are still lost in their deep slumber while nature has taken over. While the situation may seem hopeless, Senkuu has decided to revive civilization with science, regardless of the challenges in his path. While the historical context in ‘Dr. Stone’ is nothing like ‘The Apothecary Diaries,’ both shows revolve around characters using scientific wisdom for problem-solving. You can watch the show here.

8. Snow White with the Red Hair (2015 – 2016)

Shirayuki is a diligent and cheerful red-haired girl who works hard as an apothecary at her herbal shop. Her life is quite calm and unproblematic until she is noticed by Prince Raji who desires to make her a concubine. Naturally opposed to his idea, Shirayuki tries to escape but gets into trouble. Luckily, she is rescued by the second prince of the neighboring country following which she vows to repay her debt by contributing as a herbalist in the court of Clarines. You can watch the anime here.

7. Parallel World Pharmacy (2022)

Kanji Yakutani is a world-class medical practitioner who lost his life at the young age of 31 by overworking himself. Interestingly, he is reborn in an alternate world as a 10-year-old boy named Falma de Médicis who belongs to a well-known family of medical practitioners. Falma is gifted with the ability to use a special divine art that allows him to utilize the knowledge of a substance’s chemical properties to radically alter its nature. After he learns that proper medical care is still a privilege of the nobility, while commoners can only dream of getting any medical help, Falma decides to use his special power and the knowledge of his previous life to make medicine available to everyone. Kanji desperately uses his experience and expertise for the greater good just like who utilizes her pharmacist knowledge to solve medical mysteries. Both shows revolve around characters devoted to selfless causes who use their curious nature to their advantage. You can watch the anime here.

6. Drug Store in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist (2021)

Reiji Kirio is just another ordinary salaryman who is living an uninspiring life barely able to make ends meet by working hard every day. But one day, he suddenly wakes up in another world and realizes that he has magically gained superhuman pharmaceutical knowledge, which he can use to his advantage. Reiji wastes no time in opening a drugstore and starts actively serving his customers with potions and the like. ‘Drug Store in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist’ revolves around a character using pharmaceutical knowledge to help others exactly like the protagonist of ‘The Apothecary Diaries.’ The anime is accessible for streaming here.

5. A Certain Scientific Railgun (2009 – 2010)

‘A Certain Scientific Railgun’ follows Mikoto Misaka, a middle-schooler and an electricity manipulator known as The Railgun who lives in the popular Academy City. The town is well-known for its esper development program, so when strange incidents shock its residents, investigations are launched which reveal that the city is not the glamorous utopia it is advertised to be. Soon Mikoto finds herself at the epicenter of all the drama and realizes that she must take matters into her own hands with the help of her friends before it’s too late. Fans of ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ who are looking for another anime with a strong female protagonist who puts her special knowledge and powers to good use, should definitely give ‘A Certain Scientific Railgun’ a shot. You can watch all the episodes here.

4. Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit (2007)

‘Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit’ or ‘Seirei no Moribito’ follows Balsa a dangerous spear-wielding mercenary, who is hired to protect Prince Chagum of the Star Readers of the Shin Yogo Empire after he is ordered to be sacrificed by his father to save the empire from a cruel fate. The duo travel together across a war-torn land while fighting against dangerous enemies on the path and learning some uncomfortable truths about the world they inhabit. Like ‘The Apothecary Diaries,’ ‘Moribito – Guardian of the Spirit’ revolves around a strong female main character who is not only a skilled fighter but has extensive knowledge of medicine. You can watch the anime here.

3. Gosick (2011)

‘Gosick’ is a historical romance anime that follows Victorique de Blois, a beautiful doll-like girl who is gifted with intricate and visionary foresight. After she meets the foreign student named Kazuya at Saint Marguerite Academy and realizes that their fates are intertwined, the duo decides to put their unique skills to good use and rely on each other through thick and thin. ‘Gosick’ is a great watch for fans of ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ as it revolves around solving mysteries and features a strong female character who uses her powers for good. You can watch the anime here.

2. The Case Files of Jeweler Richard (2020)

‘The Case Files of Jeweler Richard’ follows Richard Ranashinha de Vulpian, a British jewelry appraiser with a deep knowledge of mineralogy who teams up with college student Seigi Nakata to help their clients with jewel-related requests. The anime centers on the resolution of mysteries with the help of specialized knowledge of gemstones that often also reveal hidden motives lying within each gem. You can watch the anime here.

1. Undead Murder Farce (2023)

When Jean Duchet Godard’s wife is murdered in mysterious circumstances, he cannot convince local authorities to investigate the case properly. Left with no other option, he turns to private detectives Tsugaru Shinuchi and Aya Rindou, who specialize in the supernatural. But little does Godard know that the duo has some personal reasons to come to a far-off land by leaving Japan behind. Although ‘Undead Murder Farce’ has few similarities with ‘The Apothecary Diaries,’ fans who are eager to watch more detective drama revolving around inexplicable mysteries would certainly enjoy the former as well. The anime is accessible for streaming here.