I Can’t Stop Rewatching The New Apothecary Diaries character trailer – The Bi Clan Looks Awesome
I’ve been counting down the days until full-length anime film The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure hits theaters since the moment it was announced, and this week’s flood of new character trailers has me completely losing my mind.
The film doesn’t arrive in Japanese theaters until December 11th, but the marketing team has been feeding us a steady diet of gorgeous new footage, and I am absolutely here for it .
The latest drop focuses on the Bi clan, the ruling family of Binan-shu, the southern province where Maomao and Jinshi are headed for their latest mystery.
And let me tell you, this cast reveal is stacked.
The Bi Clan Cast Features a Ridiculously Good Voice Cast
According to the new trailer and multiple reports, we’ve got four key members of the Bi clan joining the film’s roster:
Mu Qing (previously announced) is voiced by Mariya Ise (Reg in Made in Abyss)
Birou, the head of the clan, is played by Nobuo Tobita (Zetsu in Naruto)
Qiuyu, Birou’s wife, is voiced by Kumiko Watanabe (Kyouko in Working!!!!)
Bisen, the eldest son, is brought to life by Hirofumi Nojima (Tian in Kingdom)
This is such a wonderfully talented group of voice actors, and seeing them all together in this trailer really sells the idea that Binan-shu is going to feel like a fully realized, living place.
The Bi clan also clearly plays a major role in the mystery surrounding the late consort’s remains, and I cannot wait to see how these characters factor into Maomao’s investigation.
What Is This Movie Even About?
For anyone who somehow hasn’t been following along, here’s the setup for The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure:
The Emperor gives Jinshi an order. He must fulfill the final wish of a concubine who died five years ago by returning her remains to her homeland .
Simple enough, right?
Except when Jinshi examines the body, it’s in pristine condition. She looks just as gorgeous as if she were still alive. So now Jinshi is dragging Maomao along to Binan-shu to figure out what the hell is going on.
They arrive at a gorgeous city on the water, where Maomao gets to geek out over all the unfamiliar herbs and medicines she’s never seen before.
But tensions are high because of those aforementioned pirates hunting for hidden treasure. And then, of course, something terrible happens at the consort’s funeral, triggering a chain of events nobody could predict .
Why I’m So Excited About The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure
Look, I’ve been a fan of The Apothecary Diaries anime series since the first season. So much so, I’ve read both the manga and the light novels three times through each.
That’s because Maomao is one of the most refreshing protagonists in recent anime, as she’s smart, cynical, deeply curious, and refreshingly uninterested in being a traditional heroine.
The dynamic between her and Jinshi is also endlessly entertaining, and the show’s blend of palace intrigue, medical mystery, and genuine emotional stakes has kept me hooked through every episode.
What excites me most about this film, though, is that it’s a completely original story with input from the original author Natsu Hyuuga.
That means even those of us who’ve read the light novels don’t know exactly where this is going. It also means a feature film allows for a bigger scope, more lavish animation, and a self-contained mystery that can dig deep into the world’s lore.
The southern province setting looks absolutely stunning in the trailer as well.
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In fact, if the animation quality in these character PVs is any indication, this film is going to be visually breathtaking.
TOHO Animation STUDIO is handling production with Norihiro Naganuma directing, and the pedigree here is undeniable .
The Wait for the Release of The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure Continues
The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure opens in Japanese theaters on December 11th, 2026.
Crunchyroll will be distributing the film internationally, though a specific release date for North America and other territories hasn’t been announced yet, so it may be 2027 before we finally get it. (Praise the Lord, let’s hope not, eh?)
If you need me between now and then then, I’ll be obsessively rewatching these character trailers and counting down the days until I can finally see Maomao back in action on the big screen.
This one can’t come soon enough.
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