The Apothecary Diaries Hits Staggering 45 Million Copies Milestone Following Anime's Explosive Global Impact

The The Apothecary Diaries franchise has officially cemented its status as a global phenomenon, achieving a monumental sales milestone by surpassing an astonishing 45 million copies in cumulative circulation across all print and digital formats. This achievement underscores a period of unprecedented expansion, driven significantly by the critical and commercial success of its recent anime adaptations.

Since its inception with the light novel serialization in August 2014, penned by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Shino Touko, the series has steadily cultivated a loyal international following. The current circulation figure encompasses sales from the 16 volumes of the original light novels, published under Hero Bunko, alongside the two highly popular manga adaptations released by Square Enix and Shogakukan.

The Anime's Transformative Impact on Sales

The turning point for the franchise occurred with the debut of the first anime season in late 2023. Prior to the broadcast, the series had already achieved a respectable 24 million copies in circulation. However, the adaptation acted as a massive accelerant: by the time Season 1 concluded, circulation figures had soared to over 33 million.

The momentum proved unstoppable throughout 2024 and 2025, pushing the series past the 40 million mark in February 2025. This growth culminated in the current 45 million milestone in November 2025, shortly after the highly anticipated Season 2 wrapped up in July. This explosive growth represents an addition of 21 million copies since the anime first hit screens, unequivocally demonstrating the transformative power of animation on source material sales.

The narrative that captivated millions centers on Maomao, a sharp-witted former apothecary. She leverages her deep knowledge of poisons and medicine to navigate and solve intricate, often dangerous, mysteries lurking within the labyrinthine halls of the imperial palace. The series is widely credited with spearheading the current boom in the court-palace genre within Japanese media.

Anticipated Future Content

Looking ahead, the future of The Apothecary Diaries remains exceptionally bright. Fans can eagerly anticipate a third season, which has been confirmed to be split across two cours, premiering in Fall 2026 and concluding in Spring 2027. Furthermore, an original animated feature film, personally scripted by creator Natsu Hyuga, is slated for a theatrical release in Japan in December 2026.

Coupled with ongoing special events, such as the recent exhibition at Tokyo Solamachi, and the release of new content like the side story Xiaolan's Memoirs accompanying Volume 16, the franchise continues its dominance as one of the most successful contemporary entertainment properties emerging from Japan.