{"id":9200,"date":"2026-09-03T18:22:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T10:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/apothecary-diaries-live-action-prime-video-2028\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T18:22:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T10:22:13","slug":"apothecary-diaries-live-action-prime-video-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/apothecary-diaries-live-action-prime-video-2028\/","title":{"rendered":"The Apothecary Diaries Live-Action Drama Coming to Prime Video in 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Apothecary Diaries is heading to Prime Video as a live-action drama \u2014 and it is arriving with major production firepower behind it. Amazon MGM Studios and TOHO announced the series today, confirming a 2028 worldwide streaming debut and the casting of actress Mana Ashida as the sharp-tongued apothecary Maomao.<\/p>\n

\"Anime
Image courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios \/ TOHO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mana Ashida Steps Into Maomao’s Shoes<\/h2>\n

Ashida, known internationally for Pacific Rim<\/em> and her voice roles in Mamoru Hosoda films, plays Maomao \u2014 the ever-curious, poison-obsessed young woman trafficked into the imperial court who turns her deep medical knowledge into a talent for solving palace mysteries. It is a demanding role, and the original author is already on board.<\/p>\n

“When Ms. Ashida was chosen to play Maomao, I thought, ‘Ah, I can safely leave this in her hands,'” original author Natsu Hyuga said, as relayed in the Anime Corner announcement coverage<\/a>. “When I actually met her, I thought, ‘That’s Maomao!'”<\/p>\n

Ashida acknowledged the weight of stepping into such a beloved character: “I was originally a huge fan of the novels, so there were many moments when I felt nervous,” she said at the announcement<\/a>. Filming ran across six months on large-scale sets built to recreate the imperial harem in full. Hyuga visited the production multiple times and came away confident in what she saw. The cast for male lead Jinshi has not yet been announced.<\/p>\n

\"Maomao
Image courtesy of TOHO Animation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Creative Team Behind the Adaptation<\/h2>\n

Director Yuki Saito is helming the series, with screenplay by Erika Yoshida \u2014 the writer behind the acclaimed BOCCHI THE ROCK!<\/em> anime adaptation. The pairing of an experienced live-action director with a screenwriter who deeply understands anime source material suggests an adaptation built to satisfy the fanbase first.<\/p>\n

This is a co-production between Amazon MGM Studios and TOHO, with TOHO Studios handling physical production in Japan. Buddy Marini, Amazon’s head of local originals, described the ambition plainly: “This story transcends genres and captivates worldwide audiences \u2014 the live-action adaptation will deliver a fresh visual experience for both devoted fans and newcomers,” he said at the announcement<\/a>. The series launches on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories \u2014 Singapore included, from day one.<\/p>\n

A Franchise in Full Swing Heading Into 2028<\/h2>\n

The timing of this live-action announcement is no accident. The Apothecary Diaries is at a creative peak right now. Season 3 of the anime premieres on 2 October 2026 with Yorushika performing the new opening theme \u2014 as we covered when the season details dropped<\/a>. An original anime film, The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress’ Treasure<\/em>, follows in Japanese cinemas on 11 December 2026. And for Singapore fans, The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition opens here on 30 September<\/a> at Fever Exhibition Hall and runs through 1 November 2026.<\/p>\n

A franchise with simultaneous anime seasons, theatrical films, a Singapore exhibition, and now a Prime Video live-action adaptation co-produced by TOHO and Amazon MGM Studios is operating at a scale very few anime properties ever reach. With Jinshi casting still to come and a 2028 premiere ahead, there is plenty more to look forward to \u2014 follow our anime and manga coverage<\/a> for updates as they land.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amazon MGM Studios and TOHO are bringing The Apothecary Diaries to Prime Video as a live-action drama in 2028, with Mana Ashida starring as Maomao in a worldwide exclusive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":9197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[25],"tags":[68,336,574,303,1468,205,1166,879],"class_list":["post-9200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manga-anime","tag-anime","tag-anime-announcement","tag-apothecary-diaries","tag-live-action","tag-mana-ashida","tag-prime-video","tag-the-apothecary-diaries","tag-toho"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/apothecary-diaries-live-action-teaser.jpg?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-2oo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5164,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/apothecary-diaries-movie-december-2026-japan\/","url_meta":{"origin":9200,"position":0},"title":"The Apothecary Diaries Movie Opens in Japan 11 December","date":"July 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure opens in Japan on 11 December 2026. 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