Rating: A I was going to skip reviewing this one separately and just combine it with episode 19, rather than post a review this late. However, episode 18 turned out to be loaded, the culmination of many hints and mysteries presented to date, and the previews suggest that next episode will be even more loaded.Continue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 18”
Category Archives: Episode Reviews
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 17
Rating: A There have been other strong episodes in this series, but this one is a microcosm of what makes this series stand apart from most other series out there. Its brilliance is in the balance it achieves in its execution; while mostly a fun, light-hearted episode about Maomao helping Jinshi to pass as aContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 17”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 15
Rating: A- If you’re an anime-only viewer, this episode is one you might want to bookmark to come back and watch again later on, as it drops a mountain of hints about certain bigger pictures in the series. And those hints are coming on two different fronts that may or may not be related. InContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 15”
The Apothecary Diaries episode 12
Rating: B+ The situation at the heart of this episode is one quite familiar to any fan of romances with class-based complications. The higher-ranked man wants to be respectful of the lower-ranked woman’s wishes by not forcing her into a situation she may not want (and which he has reasonable evidence to that end, basedContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries episode 12”
The Apothecary Diaries episode 11
Rating: A+ Barring a stunning collapse in the next couple of weeks, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is not going to be beat for best series of the season (and maybe the year), but with this episode The Apothecary Diaries makes its strongest bid for the #2 spot. In culminating multiple recent plot threads, it deliversContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries episode 11”
The Eminence in Shadow episode 31
Rating: B+ During the last couple of reviews, I wondered why the succession of the Oriana Kingdom bypassed the former queen and went straight to Rose. This episode gives us the answer: the former king, in one of his few moments of lucidity towards the end of his life, forced the succession onto Rose byContinue reading “The Eminence in Shadow episode 31”
The Apothecary Diaries episode 10
Rating: B+ Last episode began a narrative shift away from individual mysteries and more towards how certain mysteries may be connected into a bigger picture. This episode continues down that path as Maomao interacts with two of the other four high-ranking concubines: Lishu and Ah-Duo. In the process, we learn a bit more about eachContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries episode 10”
The Eminence in Shadow, episode 30
Rating: B+ As I watched this week’s episode, I was struck by the thought that I have been overlooking one big inherent irony: Shadow Garden’s behavior is itself very cult-like, especially in the way it idolizes and even (in some cases) outright worships Shadow. That comes through clearly in the different reactions of 559 andContinue reading “The Eminence in Shadow, episode 30”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 9
Rating: A- One of the major factors which makes this series a top-tier title for both the season and year is its effortless ability to mix its comedic and serious components and still excel at both. Episode 9 is a great example of that. Many other series could stand to use it as a model.Continue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 9”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 8
Rating: A- Maomao’s back home, so naturally she’s going to get involved in a brothel-related mystery while there. Actually, two arise, and both are left open-ended, though in dramatically different ways. The first is what initially appears to be an attempted double-suicide involving a courtesan and a customer. However, a few things don’t add up,Continue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 8”
USA Anime 