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The Apothecary Diaries’ Most Underrated Character Gets New Look Ahead of Anime’s Return
As fans await the third season and the original feature film, The Apothecary Diaries continues one of its most beloved projects. The monthly project titled The Four Seasons With Maomao and Jinshi began in July 2024 and shared several gorgeous visuals of our beloved characters, depicting plants of all four seasons on the 22nd of each month. The visuals usually focused on the daily lives of the characters within the palace, including Jinshi, Xiaolan, Shisui (Loulan), Lihua, Gyokoyou, and her daughter Lingli. The first part of the project ended in June 2025, shortly before the Season 2 finale. Luckily, the anime didn’t make fans wait for long before beginning a second part of the project in July 2025.
The second part aims to appreciate some of the most underrated characters in the series, including the Three Princesses of the Verdigris House, Lakan, and Lahan. The visuals are always shared on the official website of the anime on the 22nd of each month. This time, each visual focuses on flowers that bloom in the respective month, and the symbolism behind them resonates with the characters. For the April visual, the series spotlights Maomao and Joka, one of the Three Princesses and someone who helped raise Maomao in the Verdigris House. Joka is handing out a basket of pink peonies to Maomao, which symbolizes feminine beauty, compassion, and gentleness, which depict her character perfectly.
Who Is Joka in The Apothecary Diaries?
Joka is the youngest of the Three Princesses of the Verdigris House, a title given to the most popular courtesan. She’s just as beautiful as Pairin and Meimei, who share the same title as her. While Joka isn’t a major character in the series, she captured the viewers’ attention thanks to her beauty and the role she played in Maomao’s life.
Before Luomen took Maomao in, the girl was raised in the Verdigris House, and the Three Princesses took care of her in every way. Although Maomao calls them sisters, they’re more like her mother figures. Even after getting adopted by Loumen, Maomao continued to mingle with those in the Verdigris House and grew up surrounded by Joka and the others.
What to Expect From The Apothecary Diaries Season 3?
While the anime has yet to reveal an official trailer of Season 3, the announcement teaser confirms the story will take place in the Northern farming villages, where major trouble is brewing. Ever since the rebellion of the Shi Clan failed, Jinshi has abandoned his fake identity as an eunuch.
He has accepted his duties as a member of the royal family and continues to actively fulfill his role as the Moon Prince and handle the aftermath of the Shi Clan’s ruin. When he learns about the problems in the farming villages, he seeks Maomao’s help to discover the reason behind the mysterious events.
The third season will premiere its first cour in October as part of the Fall 2026 lineup. Additionally, the feature film is set to hit the Japanese theaters in December 2026, and it’s going to be a completely original story. The film also awaits a global release date, which might be announced next year after its Japanese premiere.
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