How Many Volumes of The Apothecary Diaries Are There?
Here’s the quick answer: 16 volumes in Japan and 15 volumes in English, as of March 2026. The series is ongoing — there’s more to come.
The manga has been running in Monthly Big Gangan, a manga magazine published by Square Enix, since May 2017. In manga publishing, new chapters appear in magazines like this on a regular schedule, then get collected into the paperback volumes you see on bookstore shelves. The English edition is published by Square Enix Manga, and the latest English release — Volume 15 — came out on March 17, 2026.
Three creators share credit for the manga:
- Natsu Hyuuga (日向夏) — original story (the author who created the characters and plot)
- Nekokurage (ねこクラゲ) — art (the illustrator who draws every panel)
- Itsuki Nanao (七緒一綺) — composition (the person who adapts the written story into a visual script, deciding how scenes are structured and paced on the page)
This kind of creative team is common in manga. Unlike Western novels or comics where one person often handles everything, manga frequently splits the writing, drawing, and structural planning across multiple creators.
One thing worth clarifying upfront: The Apothecary Diaries started as a light novel series by Natsu Hyuuga. A light novel is a Japanese prose novel — mostly text with occasional illustrations, similar to a regular novel but typically shorter and published in a series format. The manga is a separate version of that same story, not a direct page-for-page conversion. Nekokurage’s artwork brings its own visual interpretation — particularly when it comes to the darker scenes involving poison, death, and the uglier realities of life in the imperial court. If you’re here for the manga specifically, you’re getting a version of the story that stands on its own.
So why does this series show up on a horror manga guide? Because beneath the gorgeous historical setting and the slow-burn romance elements, The Apothecary Diaries deals unflinchingly with some genuinely dark subject matter. Infant deaths from poisoning. Political assassinations. Human exploitation and trafficking. The series doesn’t shy away from depicting cruelty — it just wraps it in a mystery structure where protagonist Maomao applies her pharmaceutical knowledge to untangle who’s doing what terrible thing, and why. If you’re a reader who gravitates toward dark mystery and thriller manga, this series earns its place on your shelf.
The Apothecary Diaries Manga Volumes by Story Arc
The Apothecary Diaries doesn’t break into clearly labeled story arcs — meaning distinct multi-volume storylines with defined beginnings and endings — the way some action-oriented manga might. Instead, it flows as a series of connected mysteries that build on each other, with each case pulling Maomao deeper into the dangerous politics of the imperial court. Think of the groupings below as approximate guide markers, not hard borders.
Rear Palace Mysteries (Early Volumes)
This is where everything begins. Maomao, a young apothecary’s daughter, is kidnapped and sold as a servant into the imperial rear palace — the walled-off compound where the emperor’s consorts (his wives and companions) live in a world of rigid hierarchy and constant political maneuvering. She plans to keep her head down and survive, but when she notices signs of deliberate poisoning affecting the consorts and their children, she can’t help herself.
The early volumes establish the series’ tone immediately. There’s a case involving infant deaths that’s handled with real weight — it’s not played for shock value, but it’s not softened either. You learn quickly that this story takes its mysteries and their human cost seriously. The politics of the rear palace, where women compete for the emperor’s favor and survival isn’t guaranteed, provide a constant undercurrent of tension.
These opening volumes are the essential starting point. If the first volume hooks you — and for most readers it does — the rest follows naturally.
Deepening Court Intrigue (Middle Volumes)
As Maomao proves her value as an informal investigator (and as Jinshi, a high-ranking palace official with mysterious motives, takes increasing interest in her abilities), the mysteries escalate. We’re no longer just talking about poisoned cosmetics or tainted food — the middle stretch of the series involves assassination attempts, political conspiracies, and cases where solving the mystery means putting yourself directly in danger.
Maomao’s pharmaceutical knowledge gets applied to increasingly complex and dangerous situations. She’s identifying poisons, deducing methods of delivery, and occasionally putting her own body on the line to test theories. The writing does a remarkable job of making her deductive process feel grounded — you believe this character knows what she’s talking about when she identifies a specific toxin or explains why a particular compound behaves the way it does.
The supporting cast deepens here too. Court ladies, officials, and servants who seemed like background figures in early volumes turn out to have their own secrets and motivations. The palace is revealed as a web of competing interests where almost no one is exactly who they appear to be.
Expanded World and Darker Themes (Later Volumes)
The story eventually pushes beyond the walls of the rear palace, and when it does, the subject matter gets grimmer. Themes of exploitation and trafficking come into focus. Maomao’s own troubled past — including her connection to the pleasure district where she was raised — becomes central to the narrative in ways that add real emotional weight.
These volumes reward patient readers. Plot threads seeded much earlier start paying off, and the scope of the conspiracies Maomao is dealing with expands significantly. The series never loses its mystery structure, but the stakes feel materially different when the cases involve systemic corruption rather than individual poisonings.
For readers specifically drawn to dark and unflinching storytelling, the later volumes of The Apothecary Diaries are where the series fully commits to exploring just how cruel and calculated the world Maomao inhabits can be.
Current Storyline (Latest Volumes)
As of March 2026, the latest English volume is Volume 15, with Japan currently at Volume 16. The English edition is steadily catching up.
The ongoing storyline continues to escalate. Without getting into spoiler territory, the stakes at this point in the series are the highest they’ve been, and Maomao is navigating threats that are both more personal and more politically far-reaching than anything in the early palace mysteries.
The gap between the Japanese and English releases is relatively small — just one volume — which means English readers aren’t far behind at all. For an ongoing series, that’s a comfortable place to be. Keep an eye on Square Enix Manga’s announcements for the Volume 16 English release date.
Which Edition Should You Buy?
This one is straightforward: only one English edition currently exists. Square Enix Manga publishes The Apothecary Diaries as individual volumes. There are no omnibus editions (multi-volume collections that bundle several books into one), no deluxe hardcovers, and no box sets confirmed at this time.
That simplicity is actually nice — no agonizing over formats. You buy Volume 1, and if you like it, you buy Volume 2, and so on. The volumes are consistent in size and print quality throughout the run.
Each volume carries a typical manga retail price. If you’re new to buying manga, individual volumes generally cost roughly what you’d pay for a standard paperback — not a major financial commitment to sample the first book and see whether the series clicks for you.
One important distinction: The Apothecary Diaries manga (illustrated by Nekokurage, published by Square Enix Manga) and The Apothecary Diaries light novel (originally licensed in English by J-Novel Club (digital); print editions are published by Square Enix Manga & Books in collaboration with J-Novel Club, a company that specializes in translating Japanese prose fiction) are separate products. They tell the same core story, but they’re different reading experiences. This guide covers the manga — the one with Nekokurage’s artwork. If you’re browsing online and see two different Apothecary Diaries lines, check the cover art and publisher to make sure you’re grabbing the right one.
A note for first-time manga readers: Manga is traditionally read right to left — you start at what feels like the “back” of the book by Western standards and read panels from right to left across each page. Don’t worry, the English editions include a note about this, and most readers adjust within a few pages. It becomes second nature quickly.
Standout Volumes for Dark-Mystery Readers
If you’re coming to The Apothecary Diaries specifically because you heard it’s dark, here are the volumes that are especially worth your attention:
Volume 1 is the obvious starting point, and it earns that position. The very first major case involves poisoning within the rear palace, and the way it handles the consequences — including the death of infants — establishes immediately that this is not a lighthearted romp through historical court life. The mystery is compelling, Maomao is a fantastic protagonist from the opening pages, and the tone is set perfectly. If you’re going to sample one volume to decide whether this series is for you, this is it.
As the series progresses, keep an eye out for the volumes that deal with Maomao’s backstory — her upbringing in the pleasure district, her complicated family history, and the experiences that shaped her into someone who responds to human suffering with clinical detachment rather than emotional collapse. These chapters add genuine psychological depth to the character and touch on themes of exploitation and survival that give the series its edge. Without spoiling specific plot points, this material surfaces as the series moves into its middle and later volumes, so readers who start at Volume 1 and keep going will encounter it naturally.
Volumes dealing with human experimentation themes and cases where Maomao encounters the results of someone else’s willingness to treat human life as disposable are particularly gripping for thriller-oriented readers. The series handles these subjects with a matter-of-fact tone that somehow makes them more disturbing than if they were presented sensationally.
The beauty of The Apothecary Diaries for dark-mystery fans is that the darkness isn’t gratuitous. Every poisoning, every death, every revelation about the ugly machinery behind the palace’s elegant facade serves the story. Maomao’s response to horror is to understand it — to identify the poison, trace the motive, solve the puzzle. That framework makes even the darkest material feel purposeful rather than exploitative.
Where to Buy The Apothecary Diaries in English
The Apothecary Diaries manga is published in English by Square Enix Manga and is widely available at major book retailers, both in physical and digital formats.
For physical copies, you’ll find individual volumes at most bookstores that carry manga, as well as online retailers. The series is popular enough that it generally stays well-stocked, though newly released volumes sometimes sell briskly in the first few weeks.
The latest English release is Volume 15, which came out on March 17, 2026. If you’re starting from the beginning, all 15 volumes are currently available, so you can read at your own pace without waiting.
The Apothecary Diaries
Digital editions are also available through platforms like Amazon Kindle, BookWalker, and other e-book storefronts. Digital availability tends to be broader geographically, so if you’re outside North America or having trouble finding physical copies in your region, digital is a reliable option.
Since there’s only one English manga edition (no omnibus or special editions to weigh against each other), the buying decision really comes down to physical vs. digital and how many volumes you want to pick up at once. Starting with Volume 1 to test the waters is always a solid approach — there’s no commitment beyond that first book, and you’ll know within a few chapters whether this series clicks for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many English volumes of The Apothecary Diaries are out?
15 volumes as of March 2026, all published by Square Enix Manga. The series is ongoing, with Japan currently one volume ahead at 16 volumes total.
Is The Apothecary Diaries manga finished?
No — the manga is still ongoing. It has been running in Monthly Big Gangan since May 2017, with the first collected volume published in September 2017, and new chapters continuing to release. Japan has 16 volumes out, and the English edition is keeping pace at 15 volumes.
Is there an anime adaptation?
Yes, and it’s a big part of why the manga’s readership has grown so much. The anime adaptation started airing in 2023:
- Season 1: 24 episodes
- Season 2: 24 episodes (2025)
- Season 3 Part 1: Announced for October 2026
The anime covers the same storyline as the manga, so if you’ve watched the show and want to continue the story or experience it in a different format, the manga is a natural next step. Nekokurage’s artwork offers its own interpretation of the characters and settings that’s worth seeing even if you’ve already watched the anime.
Manga or light novel — which should I read?
The manga (Nekokurage’s version, the one covered here) delivers the story visually. The artwork is detailed and atmospheric, and darker scenes — poisonings, injuries, the aftermath of violence — land differently when you can see them rendered on the page.
The light novel goes deeper into Maomao’s inner thoughts and provides more world-building detail. If you want the most complete version of the story with all the political and cultural context spelled out, the novels are where you’ll find it.
Many fans read both, since they complement each other well. If you’re choosing just one and visual storytelling matters to you, start with the manga. If you’re a more text-oriented reader who wants maximum depth, start with the light novel. Either way, you’re in for a great story.