The wildly fashionable anime The Apothecary Diaries has captivated viewers with its intricate courtroom intrigue, sharp-witted protagonist Maomao, and the mysterious noble Jinshi. Whereas followers are enthralled by the thriller and drama, many are equally invested within the slow-burning romance between Maomao and Jinshi. Nevertheless, it appears that evidently the collection’ writer, Natsu Hyuuga, has a extra grounded view of romance within the setting she created, and he or she is feeling the strain from followers and family members alike.
Based on @keiuzuki on X, in a latest interview, Hyuuga shared candid ideas on the romance subplot. She humorously admitted that in a high-stakes palace setting just like the one in The Apothecary Diaries, romance seems like a distant concern. With conspiracies, courtroom politics, and survival on the forefront, love doesn’t naturally take middle stage. But, even with this sensible perspective, the rising demand for romantic improvement within the story is simple, and it’s coming from all sides, together with her circle of relatives.
“My trustworthy opinion on that’s that in a state of affairs like this, there is no such thing as a time for love (laughs). But when there aren’t many romantic scenes, folks round me inform me so as to add extra of it. Not solely the readers, but in addition my aunt says [Won’t they get together soon?], so I’m pondering [I’ll just add one more romantic scene]. It is nearly like I am being threatened whereas writing (laughs).”
– Natsu Hyuuga
Caught Between Realism and Reader Expectations
The Apothecary Diaries Creator Has a Lot of Fan Expectations Concerning Maomao and Jinshi
For Hyuuga, writing romance in The Apothecary Diaries isn’t just about story selection, it’s about staying true to the world she’s constructed. The imperial courtroom will not be a spot for informal affection, and Maomao, specifically, will not be your typical swooning heroine. Her pragmatic and scientific thoughts doesn’t lend itself simply to the dreamy nature of romance. This makes the event between her and Jinshi intentionally gradual, which some followers interpret as frustratingly delicate or missing.

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Regardless of this, the writer faces persistent encouragement to push the romance additional. Hyuuga laughingly recounted how even her aunt asks when the 2 leads will lastly turn into a pair. It’s clear that whereas she respects the pacing and realism of her story, Hyuuga can also be very conscious of the will for extra romantic pressure. This strain provides a humorous but relatable layer to her writing course of, balancing her inventive imaginative and prescient with viewers satisfaction.
Romance as a Aspect Dish, Not the Predominant Course
The Apothecary Diaries Was By no means Meant to be a Full Romance
Hyuuga treats the romantic components in her story much like non-obligatory seasoning, one thing added for taste moderately than sustenance. It’s an strategy that resonates with followers who respect the collection for its mysteries and grounded storytelling. Nonetheless, she acknowledges that utterly ignoring the romance will not be an possibility anymore. Whether or not by means of a delicate look or a cleverly positioned scene, she has discovered to sprinkle in simply sufficient affection between Maomao and Jinshi to maintain readers hooked.
This cautious compromise exhibits her respect for the followers with out eliminating her core storytelling intentions. Hyuuga’s strategy to the Maomao and Jinshi dynamic stays rooted in character authenticity moderately than compelled intimacy. Romance, in her view, ought to evolve naturally and never just because readers demand it. That stated, the occasional “risk”, or actually request, from keen suporters might proceed to nudge her into together with a number of extra heart-fluttering moments in The Apothecary Diaries.
Supply: @keiuzuki/X

- Launch Date
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October 22, 2023
- Administrators
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Norihiro Naganuma, Akinori Fudesaka
- Writers
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Norihiro Naganuma