Over the last few years, anime has become more mainstream than ever before, and that also means that there is a stark rise in more compelling stories with more unique characters. In this flux of anime, fans are also seeing more female MCs than ever before, which adds a new dimension to these stories. Dandadan has Momo as one of its protagonists, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has Frieren, an elf girl who has only been gaining in popularity. Among all of these new series, however, The Apothecary Diaries stands out with the best new female MC of all.
Maomao is the protagonist of The Apothecary Diaries, and she has become not just one of the most popular female MCs ever, but also the face of modern anime in general, especially as her series keeps dominating in Japan and gaining popularity overseas. The Apothecary Diaries has become ridiculously popular, and now, it's making a comeback in 2026 with its third season.
The Apothecary Diaries Is Making A Huge Comeback in 2026
- Maomao Has Become one of the most iconic new female MCs
- Frieren is Also Coming Back in 2026
Fans already knew The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 was coming, as the announcement for a continuation was made immediately after the conclusion of the second season. But, earlier this week, the release date window was finally revealed after a few months of waiting. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will be released in October 2026, as far as its first cour is concerned, and fans are definitely hyped to see the return of Maomao, who many consider the best female MC of the last two years.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 And Movie Release Date Officially Confirmed
The Apothecary Diaries has huge projects ahead, including a third season and a movie.
Maomao is making a comeback with another popular female MC of recent years, and fans know her to be Frieren. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is returning a lot earlier with its second season, in January 2026. Fans are definitely excited for Frieren, but it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Maomao has really stolen the spotlight.
The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren are Both Huge
- Maomao’s Story is Bigger At The Moment
- Maomao’s Popularity Has Beaten All Expectations in Japan
The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End have certainly been two of the biggest hits of the last few years. Frieren became the highest-rated anime of all time on MAL, but The Apothecary Diaries’ popularity is on a far greater scale in Japan, despite not being as highly rated on that platform.
The Apothecary Diaries has become so popular in Japan that it's the highest-streamed series ever, surpassing even the likes of One Piece. Not only that, but The Apothecary Diaries’ main character, Maomao, was crowned at the Grand Prix Awards in Japan as the best character of the year overall. The awards Maomao won don’t end here either. She also won the Readers' Choice Awards from the website Anime News Network in 2024, the title of leading woman of the year, among others.
It really seems like The Apothecary Diaries has taken over Japan, as it keeps pumping out new seasons, and now, it even has a movie announced for December 2026. Meanwhile, Frieren has been moving slowly, and will only get its second season in January 2026. But, at the end of the day, both of these series should be celebrated and the concept of having more exciting female leads in anime should be embraced.
The Apothecary Diaries is a must-watch anime right now. The series’s second season just finished earlier in 2025, and a third season is now set to be released in October 2026. Fans who are yet to catch up have the opportunity to watch the first two seasons, with a total of 48 episodes. All these episodes can be accessed and streamed on Crunchyroll, the biggest anime platform.
- Release Date
- 2023 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Nippon TV, RAB, TVI, YBC, JRT
- Directors
- Jun Owada, Akira Koremoto, Kentaro Fujita, Yukihiko Asaki, Erkin Kawabata, Shintaro Itoga, Tsuyoshi Nakano, Akira Shimizu, Yuushi Ibe, Kyohei Yamamoto, Masahiro Matsunaga, Tadao Okubo, Misu Yamaneko
Cast
-
Aoi YukiMaomao (voice) -
Takeo OtsukaJinshi (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- OLM, TOHO animation STUDIO
- Creator
- Natsu Hyūga
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.77 (Season 1)
