To defend Lihau, it was one of her ladies in waiting that tossed the flower from the window sill, so she never saw the message. When Gyoukou told her about the powder, due to the rivalry among the top consorts, she had no reason to believe it. Some old cosmetics used white lead in it. So they were suffering lead poisoning.
In addition, one potential side effect of lead poisoning is paranoia. So, it wasn't just the rivalry working against Gyokuyou here, but the lead poisoning itself making Lihua behave less rationally.
Mao Mao is such a dork I love her. I also love that she doesn't fall for Jinshi's pretty boy act and just wants to do her thing. Some really accurate pharmacy/apothecary information is in this show so keep your eyes peeled, it's very informative.
Notes on this animation 1) Understand the strict class society of this period. 2) Understand the imperial court system. (Male prohibition, the institution of marriage in the royal family, succession, etc.). 3) Understand eunuchs (officials who had their male genitalia removed). The above is easy to understand this story.
Chinese harem is actually a genre that Japanese manga artists work on as well..... Besides, there are plenty of good Chinese shows, watching one or two will instantly fill in the blank. Shameless self-advertising on my part also, I made videos mansplaining cultural background and references for every episode.......
11:04 yep, that’s a real thing. Hell, there was a time where Radium, which a highly radioactive element, was used as cosmetics back when radioactivity was not understood. And that had DISASTROUS results (lookup the “Radium Girls”)
Yeah the fact so many people used heavy metals in whitening substances, hell even bloodletting to look more pale, pretty crazy to think of the lengths people went to for "beauty".
God the intro😂😂 But also it was not the other concubine aka Lady Lihua who threw the letter, it was her lady-in-waiting. Unfortunately, lady Lihua didnt get the letter😢😢
Yeah lady lihua's lady-in-waiting are terrible, also one note: they are not queens, they are concubine of the emperror, as Maomao said, the emperror doesnt have a empress yet so his concubines are fighting for that spot by giving birth to a male prince (since xiaoling is a girl, even thought she survived, lady Gyokyou doesnt get any points since she cant become heir)
Jami omg! I didn't expect to see this from you, but I am so pleasantly surprised, because Apothecary Diaries is genuinely one of my favourite animes ever. You are going to LOVE Maomao, Jinshi, and the entire cast of characters. They are so fun and interact with each other naturally.
One thing you will ser a lot in this anime, is historical accurated things, like this powder and other things like traditions, how the bordels and the palace worked in that era, Its like the most fantasy thing of this anime is the hair collor
I got obssessed with this anime that i ended up reading the manga & then the light novels after 😂 The world building, mystery, & chemistry (scientific & romantic) is just so good
Historically people have used lead in makeup and paint until it was made illegal in the 1900's. it produces a very vibrant white color, was cheap to buy, and people didnt generally know it was poisonous. much like mercury.
Great video! Here's a fun fact: The Japanese VA for Maomao, Aoi Yuuki, is also the Va for Madoka Kaname from Madoka Magica, Tsuyu Asui from MHA, Futaba Sakura from Persona 5, and Clementine from Overlord. Goes to show just how much range she has!
This is very realistic and captivating. It's a time without Google to search for symptoms and the traps are subtle. A mine in every word and gesture. But our Maomao shows who is the best for these people!
11:08 Yes it was very common with early make-up powders that actually would lead to medical issues due to either lead or phosphorus being used in order to obtain the pale look that was so popular, there were many questionable practices done in history that caused more harm than good, the original coke soda is a good example that is well known, the drink using the plant cocaine is processed from in its formula.
MaoMao was kidnapped and sold into indentured servitude for a period of 2 years. the kidnappers claimed that they were her family because it was common for poor parents to sell there children like this so they could learn a trade and earn money for the family. likely most of these girls were sold like this , not necessarily unwillingly like it was with maomao.
You are correct, many forms of makeup in the past were full of poisons. Most of the whitest face powders were made with oxides of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic, which would build up in the body and cause what was depicted here. Congratulations on choosing this series to watch. I hope you find it as much of an amazing ride as I have. Maomao is one of the all time best female characters, and Jinshi is... Jinshi. (づ￣ ³￣)づ
Yes! Discovered this anime after it aired and binged it in 2 days. Whitening powder (lighter skin in Chinese culture is thought of as better tho its less racist and more classist as darker skin meant more manual labor) could contain substances like mercury, heavy metals, etc. Also def watch the intro at some point. One of the most beautifully animated intro I've ever seen.
The light novel of this is currently the number two best selling light novel in Japanese history, second to Reincarnated as a Slime. I fully expect them to continue making more seasons. Season one only covered volume 1 and 2 of the light novel, and thee are 15 volumes released at this point, so there's at least enough content for 5-6 seasons.
Maomao is also listed as "one of the great fictional detectives" by pretty much the godfather of detective mangas, the creator of Detective Conan, Aoyama Gosho.
4:24 Maomao is 17 now There's a important detail: the character's names, like Maomao貓貓, Jinshi壬氏 are Chinese. Some foreshadowing you can only understand by this detail.
Correct. They used to use lead in the face powder because it had a good whitening effect. We all know how toxic that is now. Interestingly, Lady Gyokuyou didn't ever use it but her wet nurse did, so that's how her baby got sick. As she is one of the emperor's favorite concubines, you can assume that the emperor didn't really care about face whitening.
The manga adaptation of this series is very good and would recommend reading it to get some more in depth info from the translators. The chibi comedy was very well adapted and love Maomao especially getting her cat ears up and going on those moments. Incidentally, MaoMao is the Chinese form of saying “Cat” so in Japanese she would be known as Nyanko or something similar. Cathy would be a possible English interpretation
The face powder was made with white lead; inhaling or ingesting lead will give you lead poisoning, which isn't good for anyone but is especially harmful to young children. And yeah, makeup made from white lead is definitely a real thing.
The Apothecary Diaries is really well written and I love Maomao as a cool, capable, and funny protagonist. Although my favorite character is probably Xiaolan (gossip girl/Maomao's laundry friend), she is too precious and I feel the urge to protect her and her smile.
So some things while watching: Maomao is like 16/17 at this point in the story. (It goes by) The lady who tossed the warning message flower to Lihua wasn't Lihua herself, it was one of her staff. Yes they look similar and it throw me off too.
13:25 interestingly, lead has been known to be poisonius for thousands of years. The Romans knew when they made their pipes out of lead, and as you can see here, it was known in China even as it was used as a cosmetic. The various benefits, real or perceived, of lead to ancient peoples outweighed the risks for all but the most learned individuals
It'd be cool if we'd get the last couple episode for Konosuba and Komi. I don't understand how series just randomly stop without so much as a peep as to why, especially considering it's not like she wasn't liking them.
❤😊 Congrats on watching this series. One thing I hate about Jinshi is his personality persistent towards Maomao..I meant he get touchy and clingy on Maomao without her consent....and yet I still like him for helping her 😊
No all of them are kidnapped. Families may sell their children to be servants for a few years for money. In that time, you belong to your parents, so they don't know if you were kidnapped or not since you may not want work, but your parent still throw you there. They'll believe what the adult said and not the child.
Moin Jami :) When I saw this episode the first time I had a question in my mind: Is Maomao an ancestor of Senkuu ( Dr.Stone ) ? She is the apothecary so she is a scientist kinda. :) CYA ;)
2:23 If only you knew what obstacles that she had to go through. This series almost has a Dr. Stone & Vinland Saga feel except it’s historically inaccurate. 4:46 Seriously when did you actually start this anime? Maomao & Jinshi are truly one of a kind. 9:59 Can you guess which female was voiced by Anya’s va?
Jinshi is such a cutie AH
Better Subscribe you are getting APOTHECARY DIARIES REACTIONS EVERYDAY UNTIL S2 (patreon is currently on ep 16)
Season 2 2025
What killed the child was
Lead in the makeup
Welcome to Anime Version of Soap Opera's
She's beautiful
fun facts..Gyokuyou VA is Atsumi Tanezaki....The same person voicing Frieren
Not Jami instantly swooning over Jinshi just as much as the women in universe do, lol.
it was inevitable lol
He’s so cute tho 😂
Don't blame her Jinshi is adorkable
To defend Lihau, it was one of her ladies in waiting that tossed the flower from the window sill, so she never saw the message. When Gyoukou told her about the powder, due to the rivalry among the top consorts, she had no reason to believe it.
Some old cosmetics used white lead in it. So they were suffering lead poisoning.
In addition, one potential side effect of lead poisoning is paranoia. So, it wasn't just the rivalry working against Gyokuyou here, but the lead poisoning itself making Lihua behave less rationally.
I wish the hair colour of the lady-in-waiting was not so similar to Lihua’s. It is understandable that many people think it is her.
She's Lihua's cousin, that's why they're the same color.
Mao Mao is such a dork I love her. I also love that she doesn't fall for Jinshi's pretty boy act and just wants to do her thing. Some really accurate pharmacy/apothecary information is in this show so keep your eyes peeled, it's very informative.
Yo Zach nice to see a professional in the field weighing in on these anime.
Notes on this animation
1) Understand the strict class society of this period.
2) Understand the imperial court system. (Male prohibition, the institution of marriage in the royal family, succession, etc.).
3) Understand eunuchs (officials who had their male genitalia removed).
The above is easy to understand this story.
Chinese harem is actually a genre that Japanese manga artists work on as well.....
Besides, there are plenty of good Chinese shows, watching one or two will instantly fill in the blank.
Shameless self-advertising on my part also, I made videos mansplaining cultural background and references for every episode.......
11:04 yep, that’s a real thing. Hell, there was a time where Radium, which a highly radioactive element, was used as cosmetics back when radioactivity was not understood. And that had DISASTROUS results (lookup the “Radium Girls”)
Yeah the fact so many people used heavy metals in whitening substances, hell even bloodletting to look more pale, pretty crazy to think of the lengths people went to for "beauty".
@@Timmycoo It's true.
God the intro😂😂
But also it was not the other concubine aka Lady Lihua who threw the letter, it was her lady-in-waiting. Unfortunately, lady Lihua didnt get the letter😢😢
Yeah lady lihua's lady-in-waiting are terrible, also one note: they are not queens, they are concubine of the emperror, as Maomao said, the emperror doesnt have a empress yet so his concubines are fighting for that spot by giving birth to a male prince (since xiaoling is a girl, even thought she survived, lady Gyokyou doesnt get any points since she cant become heir)
@karonji_mitsuri04 yeah that, I was forgotting the word so I said queen cause you know they are wives of the emperor😅
@@ritvikdesu2102 yeah and to be fair, they are queens, I love them
I never noticed that
Wild
OMG. What an amazing holiday present! Thank you for starting this great series!
Maomao is such a delightful gremlin.
Finally! She reacted to this series at last....! T~T
Enjoy the ride, dear! This is gonna be so much fun....! :)
Jami omg! I didn't expect to see this from you, but I am so pleasantly surprised, because Apothecary Diaries is genuinely one of my favourite animes ever. You are going to LOVE Maomao, Jinshi, and the entire cast of characters. They are so fun and interact with each other naturally.
One thing you will ser a lot in this anime, is historical accurated things, like this powder and other things like traditions, how the bordels and the palace worked in that era, Its like the most fantasy thing of this anime is the hair collor
Lihua wasnt the one who threw away the flower with the warning, it was one of the girls who worked for her
A lot of people misunderstand that scene
I got obssessed with this anime that i ended up reading the manga & then the light novels after 😂
The world building, mystery, & chemistry (scientific & romantic) is just so good
Happy Holidays Jamii! Thank you for giving us this beautiful video. ❤
AHH YOU'RE FINALLY STARTING THIS OUT!! IM SO EXCITEDDD
8:00 the other lady didn’t read it cuz she was never given the letter to read. One of her lady’s in waiting tossed it.
Exactly. It's one of her Servants Fault. Not the Lady herself..
YOOOO!!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO WATCH THIS! It's such a great series and Maomao is such a great MC lol
Historically people have used lead in makeup and paint until it was made illegal in the 1900's. it produces a very vibrant white color, was cheap to buy, and people didnt generally know it was poisonous. much like mercury.
Great video! Here's a fun fact: The Japanese VA for Maomao, Aoi Yuuki, is also the Va for Madoka Kaname from Madoka Magica, Tsuyu Asui from MHA, Futaba Sakura from Persona 5, and Clementine from Overlord. Goes to show just how much range she has!
She's basically using her Kino/Tanya voice for this.
That's our veep!
I THINK all the members of the "thunb up" fraction are "ultimate supporters".
"oh, the good looking eunuch has a child." No words.
This is a great anime. It hits a bunch of different emotions throughout the story. Glad you picked it up. You won't be disappointed.
I really enjoy this series, glad you got into it too!
People with medical knowledge have said that this show is very accurate about different poisons and their medical effects.
This is very realistic and captivating.
It's a time without Google to search for symptoms and the traps are subtle. A mine in every word and gesture.
But our Maomao shows who is the best for these people!
Maomao is one of the best-written female characters in anime. You will not be disappointed watching this show.
I agree, but I wish the writing for the male characters was more than being obsessed with women.
11:08
Yes it was very common with early make-up powders that actually would lead to medical issues due to either lead or phosphorus being used in order to obtain the pale look that was so popular, there were many questionable practices done in history that caused more harm than good, the original coke soda is a good example that is well known, the drink using the plant cocaine is processed from in its formula.
Been waiting for this
the textbook definition of "curiosity killed the cat" 🤣🤣
I'm glad more people are watching this. It's such a great anime, you will love it!
MaoMao was kidnapped and sold into indentured servitude for a period of 2 years. the kidnappers claimed that they were her family because it was common for poor parents to sell there children like this so they could learn a trade and earn money for the family. likely most of these girls were sold like this , not necessarily unwillingly like it was with maomao.
I'm so excited for the apothecary diaries reactions. I love apothecary diaries so much 😆
I didn't know I didn't watch this, glad that you started it!
Ive been waiting for this!!!
You are correct, many forms of makeup in the past were full of poisons. Most of the whitest face powders were made with oxides of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic, which would build up in the body and cause what was depicted here.
Congratulations on choosing this series to watch. I hope you find it as much of an amazing ride as I have. Maomao is one of the all time best female characters, and Jinshi is... Jinshi. (づ￣ ³￣)づ
I love films with two opposing queens, voiced by Frieren vs. Mikasa Ackerman, and with gorgeous supporting characters.
Yes! Discovered this anime after it aired and binged it in 2 days. Whitening powder (lighter skin in Chinese culture is thought of as better tho its less racist and more classist as darker skin meant more manual labor) could contain substances like mercury, heavy metals, etc. Also def watch the intro at some point. One of the most beautifully animated intro I've ever seen.
The light novel of this is currently the number two best selling light novel in Japanese history, second to Reincarnated as a Slime. I fully expect them to continue making more seasons.
Season one only covered volume 1 and 2 of the light novel, and thee are 15 volumes released at this point, so there's at least enough content for 5-6 seasons.
Maomao is also listed as "one of the great fictional detectives" by pretty much the godfather of detective mangas, the creator of Detective Conan, Aoyama Gosho.
4:24 Maomao is 17 now
There's a important detail: the character's names, like Maomao貓貓, Jinshi壬氏 are Chinese. Some foreshadowing you can only understand by this detail.
17 by the end of episode 1, 18 by the end of the season I think, a year has passed.
Finally!!! you Watching MAOMAO Greatness 😄
I knew she'd instantly fold with Jinshi
Correct. They used to use lead in the face powder because it had a good whitening effect. We all know how toxic that is now. Interestingly, Lady Gyokuyou didn't ever use it but her wet nurse did, so that's how her baby got sick. As she is one of the emperor's favorite concubines, you can assume that the emperor didn't really care about face whitening.
Jami reacting to the absolute masterpiece that is The Apothecary Diaries??? It must be Christmas!!!
AH YES FINALLY I WAS WAITING MONTHS for this
I literally just started this series yesterday on Mother's Basement's recommendation, what a crazy coincidence lol
HOLYSHIT. Goated show, goated main. You're in for a good one!
The manga adaptation of this series is very good and would recommend reading it to get some more in depth info from the translators. The chibi comedy was very well adapted and love Maomao especially getting her cat ears up and going on those moments. Incidentally, MaoMao is the Chinese form of saying “Cat” so in Japanese she would be known as Nyanko or something similar. Cathy would be a possible English interpretation
The face powder was made with white lead; inhaling or ingesting lead will give you lead poisoning, which isn't good for anyone but is especially harmful to young children. And yeah, makeup made from white lead is definitely a real thing.
Estaba esperando tu reaccion a este anime, estare pendiente a las demas reacciones 😊
you’re going to love this one
Regarding the white powder stuff, the women used it in London during Victorian times. They also found it was dangerous and later stopped using it.
The Apothecary Diaries is really well written and I love Maomao as a cool, capable, and funny protagonist. Although my favorite character is probably Xiaolan (gossip girl/Maomao's laundry friend), she is too precious and I feel the urge to protect her and her smile.
Great choice. This would've been anime of the year if Frieren didn't exist.
Mao Mao is 猫猫 （cat）
From what I searched, in the ancient China, women wore face powder that contained lead. So, yes. It's like lead poisoning.
Good news! You should be just in time for season 2 coming on January 10!
3:28 holy ****, you’re right! This is a defacto isekai setup!
So some things while watching:
Maomao is like 16/17 at this point in the story. (It goes by)
The lady who tossed the warning message flower to Lihua wasn't Lihua herself, it was one of her staff. Yes they look similar and it throw me off too.
Great journey has begun!
Yes Apothecary Diaries: also known as Mayuri Kurotsuchi Origins
This show was an enjoyment for me and my wife! You'll have a lot of fun!
This show is crazy well done I can’t lie
Oh my god YES I get to watch someone experience peak again
Maomao is like tied with Frieren for my favourite female main character in anime.
13:25 interestingly, lead has been known to be poisonius for thousands of years. The Romans knew when they made their pipes out of lead, and as you can see here, it was known in China even as it was used as a cosmetic. The various benefits, real or perceived, of lead to ancient peoples outweighed the risks for all but the most learned individuals
Yeeeesss i was hoping you would react to this series
In the Rear Palace beauty is paramount, medicine and Doctors are suspect, and any advice offered from outside trusted people is treated as suspicious.
It'd be cool if we'd get the last couple episode for Konosuba and Komi.
I don't understand how series just randomly stop without so much as a peep as to why, especially considering it's not like she wasn't liking them.
I can't wait for you to get to the MaoMao Teaching Arc
You are gonna love this, I am telling you!!!
❤😊 Congrats on watching this series.
One thing I hate about Jinshi is his personality persistent towards Maomao..I meant he get touchy and clingy on Maomao without her consent....and yet I still like him for helping her 😊
To be fair, he has gotten what he wants up until he meets Maomao with exactly that touchy without consent with any other ladies.
No all of them are kidnapped. Families may sell their children to be servants for a few years for money. In that time, you belong to your parents, so they don't know if you were kidnapped or not since you may not want work, but your parent still throw you there. They'll believe what the adult said and not the child.
maomao the best female mc in anime
Btw, season 2 of this show starts Jan 10.
OOOOMG FINALLYYYY
You are not ready for this series and you never will be.
Buckle up.
@JamiUwU glade to see you finially reacting to this it was AliciaXLife's favorite and would love to see the both of you react together on season 2
Happy Christmas 🎄
I'm sure you'd know by now , but the one who knocked down the flower was a servant and not the main lady
YESSSS JAMIIII !!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I see a MaoMao or Jinshi, I click.
Great choice. I need one episode per day. Hope u enjoined this journey
Jamiiiiiiiiii, you-did-not!!! YOU'RE AWSOMEEE
Yes! Finally time for the adventures of CatCat
Moin Jami :)
When I saw this episode the first time I had a question in my mind: Is Maomao an ancestor of Senkuu ( Dr.Stone ) ? She is the apothecary so she is a scientist kinda. :)
CYA ;)
There are many facets to this show. Maomao is 17, Btw. It's House MD (Ming Dynasty) in some ways.
More like Detective Maomao
Great recommendation, hope you enjoy!
Absolutely goated show
They are like Takumi and Misaki from maid sama❤
yesss you're watching catcat
Welcome to the (other) best anime of the year. Or was it last year? I don't even remember now. But it's damn good.
❤
Maomao the best!
The face powder back then had lead in it
2:23 If only you knew what obstacles that she had to go through. This series almost has a Dr. Stone & Vinland Saga feel except it’s historically inaccurate.
4:46 Seriously when did you actually start this anime? Maomao & Jinshi are truly one of a kind.
9:59 Can you guess which female was voiced by Anya’s va?
Also Frieren I think
Finally!
where rezero reaction
Did you watch Solo Leveling season 2 trailer ?
And Dr.Stone?
Will you not upload the new episodes of yakuza fiance have you dropped it?
Maomao is literally her but I thought you already watched 'the apothecary diaries' but I guess I'm wrong
YESSS
just in case maomao have 17 YO Gyokuyo has 18YO