The Apothecary Diaries season 3 set for October 2026 release

The third season of the anime series ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ is confirmed to premiere in October 2026. In Japan, the series will air on Nippon TV’s ‘Friday Anime Night’ block every Friday at 23:00, starting October 2, 2026. An early screening of the first two episodes is scheduled for September 27, 2026, at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi.

The new season will expand the story beyond the imperial palace to include streets and neighboring countries. The plot follows Maomao as she investigates new mysteries, while Jinshi faces increasing responsibilities as the emperor’s brother amidst potential threats to the kingdom. The new opening theme, ‘Kumo wo Nuke Kazashimo e Watashi dake’, will be performed by Yorushika.

The series, based on light novels by Natsu Hyugae, recently received multiple honors at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Best Director, Best Drama Anime, Best Main Character (Maomao), and Best Japanese Voice Performance (Aoi Yuki). Additionally, an original film titled ‘The Apothecary Diaries: The Secret of the Deceased Empress’ is set to release in Japan on December 11, 2026.