‘I Think About an International Audience’: Apothecary Diaries Director Opens Up About Anime’s Global Appeal

Norihiro Naganuma reveals the secrets behind the success of The Apothecary Diaries at Anime Expo 2024.

By Levin Plassery

Published on Aug 07, 2024 | 04:21 PM IST | 71K

The Apothecary Diaries [PC - Toho Animation - OLM]

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Apothecary Diaries.

At Anime Expo 2024, Director Norihiro Naganuma revealed that the visual element of the animation played an important role in the series’ popularity. Ever since its premiere in 2023, the series has become a global phenomenon. The Apothecary Diaries is based on the Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga and illustrated by Touko Shino, which began serialization back in 2011. A second season of the anime adaptation is set to premiere in 2025.

In an interview with ComicBook, Director Norihiro Naganuma explains why the anime resonates so well with the global audience. He believes the visual elements, thanks to studios Toho Animation and OLM, helped bring the series to life. “It's not just about the movement of characters, of course, or even our use of color. There are many different ways you express and enhance emotions for the audience."

Norihiro Naganuma states that he specifically catered the content for an international audience. "I think it's clear there's a lot of international interest in The Apothecary Diaries. I think vibrance is one of the keywords that comes to mind when I think about an international audience. I really tried to think about how we could make a drama between characters in such a short amount of time,” said the director.

The Apothecary Diaries [PC - Toho Animation - OLM]

Naganuma also mentions that he wanted to use as many colors as possible so that he could portray the nuances of the light novel as accurately as possible. Be it Maomao’s change in expressions or a different scenery, the director wanted to make the series vibrant. The manga adaptations have sold over 31 million copies.

The Apothecary Diaries follow the story of Maomao, a young woman who is kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. There, she secretly makes use of her medical skills to help others. Though she tries to remain anonymous, her antics are spotted by the court eunuch, who raises her to a more influential position.

Along with directing Season 1 of The Apothecary Diaries, Norihiro Naganuma was also supervising the scripts, with Akinori Fudeskaka serving as assistant director. Season 1 of the anime ran for two consecutive cours, with Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries being announced in the Season 1 finale. Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming sequel.

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