The Apothecary Diaries season 3: release date, story and movie details
The Apothecary Diaries season 3 is expected to arrive in October 2026 and will be split into two cours, with the second cour set for April 2027. A movie is scheduled for December 2026. The first teaser, released last October, mostly recaps the palace events from earlier seasons before offering a new piece of key art and a voiceover for Maomao that speaks of a "sense of unease" as "the story enters a new frontier." Season 3 is anticipated to adapt volumes five and six of Natsu Hyūga’s light novels, following the pattern of previous seasons adapting two volumes each.
Much of the new season should follow Maomao’s journey toward the Western Capital, her medical work among the court, and the ongoing political tensions and romance with Jinshi. The first cour will likely end with her reaching the west, while the second cour could centre on a dramatic incident involving Lishu.