Anime

Nice ending to the season. I figured the kids were coming back to life. I don't know if that was meant to be a twist with just how telegraphed it was over the last 2 episodes. I was both surprised and not surprised by Shi Sui being alive. I thought she didn't seem like she was planning to die and had some kind of plan, but then she got shot... a lot. I don't know how she survived that. Did she have ye olde bullet proof vest and blood squibs?

Jinshi still can't take a hint. That whole relationship feels like one of those things that would be creepy if they weren't playing it off as cutesy/comedic.

I'm looking forward to S3. From the teaser trailer I'm hopeful that we're going to get some kind of status quo shift/reset so we can get back to the more Mao Mao focused stories. But we'll see.

Sad to say, the first thing that popped into my head when Maomao said, "It was a woman," was, "For someone who grew up in the pleasure district, you sure lack imagination." I guess I'm incorrigible.

Great final episode. A very good end of this arc, all things considered. The resurrection medicine was expected, but loved it nonetheless.

This season was great, but hard to follow sometimes due to how much there was to keep up with. It's been building since season 1 episode 1 after all. Loved it though. Would probably be great on a binge rewatch.

I'm very curious how this continues. The status quo is very different now. Both Xiaolan (poor girl, she deserved to see them off properly!) and Shisui (or Tamamo I suppose) are out of sight, Jinshi is no longer just a pretty eunuch, Gyokuyou is empress (deserved!) and Maomao is back in the pleasure district. I'm sure Jinshi gets her back in the royal affairs somehow, but we'll see. At the very least, he'll get cockblocked again next season and I'm all for it.

The resurrection potion worked! Loulan survived! Jinshi... still can't kiss Maomao, but he has the lap pillow that only he can lay on.

@rikka@ani.social

I'm glad Kyou-u survived, someone needs to continue interrupting Jinshi when he's imposing romance on Maomao.

What the hell did Maomao want to do with her finger and that knife?! Good thing Jinshi had good timing.
I'm glad the kids survived but since all the talk about resurrection potion I kinda expected that's going to be the case. Even Shisui survival wasn't all that surprising but I really didn't think she was going to sell the hairpin.
Also Jinshi was so close to the kiss but fate just doesn't let it yet! Well let's keep fingers crossed for him in the 3rd season!

YES! They had me worried they were gonna leave it up in the air, but Loulan survived!

Great episode as usual - so glad season 3 has been greenlit.

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For anyone looking for something similar I recommend "Yatagarasu".

Not quite on the level of "Apothecary Diaries" it's a good show with a similar style and a fairly unique story.

Yay they lived! That was a nice wrap up to the season, this is definitely one of my favourite shows currently. It'd be nice if Jinshi could just be forthcoming about his feelings, I'm still not even sure if Maomao feels the same though I guess she's not the most in-touch with her emotions. Maybe next season they'll stop tiptoeing around it. I'm happy to see Lady Gyokuyou become the empress too.