Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
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tintor2
 Posts: 2301 |
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Apparently, even the original novelist Natsu Hyuga considers this event awkward to watch to the point she joked it's especially harder for her since she is watching the episode with her entire family.
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MFrontier
Posts: 15652 |
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Honestly I feel like I've taken for granted what Jinshi has to put up with. I mean, beyond his complicated family dynamic, he's having to put in strenuous physical appearances and trying to hide his identity (with numerous attempts to expose and/or kill him), help keep the rear palace running, and all the while nursing feelings for a girl that is, to say the least, complicated to have romantic feelings for.
There was no way Jinshi was going to just take Gyokuyo's precious Maomao without getting mercilessly teased about it. Yes, he has never called her by her name in front of her...though, granted, she's never actually said his real name (because she doesn't know it) so I guess it evens out. Basen! Everyone's favorite character! Who still doesn't get what the big deal about Maomao is but then he finds out she's just built different. Can't be a coincidence that we're dealing with Loulans father now. Lihaku! A character people actually missed! Princess Carry while avoiding gunfire, is there anything more romantic? This is now straight up a Shojo romance anime again. Maomao and Jinshi's "first kiss" being CPR feels...so them. I know Maomao is pretty blase about everything and her own appearance but even she has enough of a sense of modesty to not strip completely naked in front of a guy. Though she may not think of herself as very attractive, but her in her undergarments are more than enough for Jinshi. I think my favorite scene was when Jinshi turns the tables on Maomao and teases her by trying to feed her. It felt like a rare moment where Jinshi and Maomao actually act their ages. You can't tell me someone didn't pay that frog to show up at the exact right moment. |
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Minos_Kurumada
Posts: 1257 |
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"CPR has been performed for more than 2000 years in China.", from google.
Eh funny, I wonder if the author made her research or just said "Whatever" and wrote the scene, yet again, there is no hint of this series happening in our world. Anyways, Maomao most probably already deduced who Jinshi is, she just blocks herself each time she thinks about him for more than 5 seconds never acknowledging the final step of the deduction. |
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A Mystery
 Posts: 1894 Location: Netherlands |
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I find it interesting that people all have a different take on MaoMao's feelings, especially for Jinshi.
I remember thinking she absolutely hated her father. This turned out to have a different perspective. She isn't too fond of him for sure, but somehow she did orchestrate that her parents are together now. She also comes off as someone who's not that eager to bond with others, but in fact she DOES. She loves Xiaolan, the Gyokuyou household, her adoptive father and the sisters in the brothel. She doesn't show a lot of emotion or intimacy but they in turn do and she accepts it. Maomao is in denial, hides feelings, so what does she really feel when it comes to Jinshi? What we do know is that she didn't like his pretty boy narcistic persona. She likes it when he's acting more young and sincere. She's wary of their power dynamic, because it could cost her life since she's in a dependent position. She seems aromantic as the reviewer suggested more than a couple times, but she DOES take mental notes multiple times about Jinshi's more alluring moments. Why would someone not interested in sexuality note that so often? I think some of her behavior towards Jinshi could be read as disinterest but it could so be coping mechanisms in play, to ward off her feelings. Though I do believe Maomao would never be someone who frequently hugs or kisses people. She would always be somewhat clinical in her affect. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 2707 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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There's a pretty big difference between being aromantic and asexual. Aromantic (aro) means not interested in romance in a non-sexual sense, so if Maomao is aro, that means that she's not into the emotional aspects of a relationship. Asexual (ace) means not being interested in the physical aspects of a relationship. So someone aro but not ace would notice the sexual and possibly respond to it while still not being into the feelings bit. And of course, it's a spectrum, so not all aro, ace, or aro/ace people are going to be exactly alike. I personally feel like Maomao is aro but not ace. |
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DracoInduperator
Posts: 15 |
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Watching episode 11 I thought it would have been hilarious if Jinshi had been holding Maomao and she suddenly spoke up going "There's something hard poking me."
Jinshi probably would have exploded from embarrassment and Maomao would probably be disappointed that she couldn't try her new drug out on him. |
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q_3
Posts: 188 |
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It's definitely possible to recognize that someone is attractive - even to have a strong reaction to noticing that fact - without experiencing any sexual feelings. It's not all that different from being struck by a gorgeous sunset, or wanting to look at a cute animal. And Maomao herself has frequently noticed the attractiveness of people other than Jinshi, like some of the concubines or courtesans, without it seeming to be a sexual reaction. Personally I just don't perceive her as having ever followed the thought "Jinshi sure is attractive" with anything remotely approximating "and therefore I want to kiss him (or more)." |
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A Mystery
Posts: 1894 Location: Netherlands |
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Sorry, I do know the difference between asexual and aromantic, should've specified more. I thoughtlessly mixed those words, shouldn't have done that.
Back to the series: Though I question whether she's either of them. Just like she doesn't really 'fawn' over her friends but meanwhile she visits Xiaolan all the time and Maomao hated being in the outer court. She bonded with the quack doctor instantly. On the outside she doesn't look like a sociable person full of friends, but she is a person who makes lots of them. We've seen from Maomao that if she actively doesn't care - like that exam Jinshi forced on her - she doesn't learn and doesn't gain knowledge in that field. Yet she teaches others about sex. Could be that she just wanted to please the concubines but she sure knew a lot and loved to teach others about sex. If I'm watching a gorgeous sunset, I would only note it if I liked a gorgeous sunset. I used to not care about birds and so I didn't notice them at all. Now I see many different species. I do agree that thinking someone is attractive doesn't make you want to have sex with them. But she does seem interested in things that look attractive. My point is; Maomao is hard to decipher. She isn't honest to herself and others. Sure she isn't smitten by Jinshi. But she's comfortable enough touching him. I sure wouldn't touch anyone I actively disliked. Some people can, but I would have a reaction to distance myself from people I don't like. Maybe she just thinks of him as a friend she cares about. Again, I could be seeing too many signs but in the end this IS probably partly a romcom series. It does do a good job making the viewer see Jinshi as sexy. I can't remember seeing a purple long haired man in real life and thinking: he's hot. |
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TJ_Kat
Posts: 479 Location: Saskatoon, Canada |
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I mean, technically in that society romance doesn't even need to come into the equation. Given Jinshi's status, he can just point to a woman and say, 'I'm marrying her' and - barring some exceptions - she would have to marry him. Maomao doesn't need to have romantic feelings towards Jinshi, she just has to think the situation would be beneficial - or at least tolerable - to her, and that does seem to be kind of where she's at, especially if he keeps getting her rare ingredients. However, I would advise Jinshi against forcing a woman with an intricate and extensive knowledge of poisons into marrying him against her will, socially acceptable or not.
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Thesarum
 SubscriberPosts: 638 |
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Who knows what is a fascinating game all of its own. There's even two layers to it: who knows that "Jinshi" is a fake identity for the Imperial Brother... and who knows that the Imperial Brother is a fake identity for the Imperial Son? Certainly the first group is larger than second... even Jinshi isn't a member of that elite club! I think I agree with Shay Guy that Gyokuyou likely (but not certainly) doesn't know. Maybe she'd have to be "read in" if she becomes empress, at least to the first layer. There's a lot of political incentive to keep his real identity a secret even from her. She's the mother of the emperors only official children, and that is her entire purpose here, the reason her family sent her to the palace. For them, and really anyone, to discover that actually there's a pre-existing heir who is past the infant and child mortality danger and almost an adult would be a very serious issue. I think it's very unlikely Hongniang knows Jinshi is anything other than his eunuch persona. Lakan seems to have figured something out, but only the "Brother" cover, as far as we can tell. It seems plausible that Luomen knows the real truth about the babies (but possibly not that Jinshi is that baby, as he's probably only barely aware of Jinshi's existence at all... I don't see Maomao tell him much). As did, presumably, whoever was behind most of the S1 plots. (Though, in fairness, you wouldn't have to actually know Jinshi = Brother for that, since they purely targeted the brother) Since Anshi and Ah-Duo are more than likely both aware of level 2 (though we don't know the details of how it happened), does Suiren (especially if she has the relationship we suspect she does to Ah-Duo)? Gaoshun? Basen strikes me as not a guy you'd trust with the really important secrets, so he's probably only at level 1. Proud of himself for knowing something Maomao doesn't, but actually he knows less. (if only she'd let herself think about it). And perhaps most importantly for our current arc... what does Loulan and her father know? They've been cast as suspicious and up to something since they were introduced, and the events of this episode do absolutely nothing to beat the "deeply sus" allegations. On the topic of Maomao's feelings/sexuality..
I can't speak with any authority on the Ace or Aro experience, but I circle around to a similar point: Maomao is a terribly unreliable witness to her own emotions, to the point of being disassociated. To me, as very much a non-expert, it reads more like a trauma response, a subconscious but learned protective behaviour rather than being "built that way" (though of course it goes without saying: that's not to deny that some people are). She grew up in an environment where "love" is considered dangerous, where the ideal relationship is a transactional and professional one, and has seen some of its worst consequences both for the individuals involved and those around them. She's very much not "a girly romantic" of course, and I don't think we should ever expect to see her gossiping and giggling with Xiaolan and the other maids about their latest crushes, or daydreaming about a moonlit dinner for two. Her affection is a quieter thing. Little acts with meaning, not big showy demonstrations. |
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yeehaw
 Posts: 661 |
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I felt this episode was kinda disjointed? Like it was missing some connective tissue.
Like Jinshi isn't eating the food because apparently they're only serving him aphrodisiacs. Ignoring the fact that aphrodisiacs aren't really a thing he could have drank water still. About the aromantic reading people been talking about (Not quoting just because that be so much text) there was a scene were Maomao thought something about being born unable to love or something like that. That seemed to me to be a response to her mother not loving her. I don't know if her still thinking Jinshi is an eunuch has anything to do with her not seeing him as capable of being interested in her (I assume they're not allowed to marry or have relationships since that's part of the reason they're castrated but I could be wrong) I do think she thinks his position makes that impossible though. Like the thought hasn't entered her mind because he outranks her so. Either way I don't think she's aromatic, mostly because the author made a romance story, but I can see how someone else could read it that way
You're gonna have to tell me names my memory is a siv |
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Shay Guy
 Posts: 2519 |
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All this makes me think of the first substantial interaction Maomao had with the emperor, way back in S1E4 -- his request for her to nurse Lihua back to health. Back then, Maomao marveled at the fact that he asked her right in front of Gyokuyou, and thought of it as very "emperor-like". If there was a message in that choice, I think it would've been something like… "Yes, I'm quite fond of you, and Lingli is very dear to me. But remember, you are still a concubine, not the empress." Gyokuyou's his favorite concubine, and their relationship seems about as healthy as you could hope for, given their positions. But I get the sense the emperor still keeps part of himself away from her. He's a tricky character to speculate about, since we don't see him often and never get inside his head, but I think he can probably count the number of people he trusts absolutely on one hand -- and I think the only concubine who's ever been on the list is Ah-Duo. Gyokuyou seems to have fully accepted her position. No doubt she recognizes she's been more fortunate than many -- as Meimei said of a different flower garden, "Do you know how rare it is for a courtesan to get everything they want?". But in S1E3, Gyokuyou also asked, "Would it make me a terrible woman if I said I envy Concubine Fuyou?" And she has plenty of reasons to.
Yup. As I put it in a Reddit comment on S2E8:
I don't think he'd even be considered "almost" an adult. Of course, there's adulthood and there's adulthood (old enough to drive, vote, be drafted, drink), but he's only a year younger than Gyokuyou, and he's older now than Ah-Duo and the current emperor were when she gave birth.
And he may be the least qualified person in the court to catch on to the connection between Ah-Duo and Jinshi. 
I feel like it doesn't get enough attention that romantic love was the reason her mother mutilated her, and that that was her first brush with it, in the most formative period of her life.
Though if her capacity for romance started to blossom again, I can see her starting to get much more attentive when other people talk about it. That, too, is part of how she expresses herself: "What you are talking about is of great interest to me and I want to be sure I hear every word." Her default state with Luomen, for instance. (And then you get the reverse…) As for daydreaming… c'mon, this is Maomao we're talking about. "Hitorigoto" is right there in the title. Of course, she'd probably never think of time with Jinshi the same way she would fantasize about working with her cordyceps or that long-awaited ox bezoar, but I can absolutely see her mind wandering: "I wonder if he would… and maybe then… this is dumb, why am I thinking about this?" |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18671 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I have read at least an episode or two past this point in the manga, and I can't agree with this. For dramatic purpose, spoiler[the episode ended exactly where it should have. The bulge in Jinshi's clothing is evident, as is her leg being right beside it, so what this should lead to is already clear. It's the best place for a cliffhanger.] |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10162 Location: Virginia |
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@Key
I agree with Shay Guy. Half the scene is missing. I hope this will be corrected in the next episode. |
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Shay Guy
Posts: 2519 |
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I stand by my assessment. spoiler[I checked six reaction videos, and they seemed to interpret the moment as primarily one of romantic tension, with two thinking maaaybe Maomao was about to find out. Most of the comments on Crunchyroll’s clip of the scene that aren’t from source readers are similar reactions. Same for the comments on /r/anime’s episode thread, a number of which joke about the frog being a JinMao shipper, or explicitly mention that Maomao still thinks Jinshi’s a eunuch — there’s enough ambiguity to allow this exchange, for instance. All that supports my own viewing of the scene — the most critical information is not there unless you’re already looking for it (e.g., one of Maomao’s hands being hidden). The music also emphasizes the emotional weight of their intimacy, which… well, it’s not nothing. It’s the most physically intimate our main characters have ever been, and the LN and manga both focus on Maomao’s heart pounding. But the most important thing about this minute or two of their lives (as the LN and manga also show with the narration right after that focus on her pounding heart) is something concrete and practical, and I know people have been calling this an evil cliffhanger, but “something big just happened” always makes for a more effective cliffhanger than “something big might be about to happen”. If I were storyboarding it, and I couldn’t fit Maomao’s narration, I’d at least want to take the “Gliding Over All” approach: Go as far as Jinshi cringing as Maomao squeezes, show her looking down at her hand’s position like the LN describes, and end on a closeup of one or both of her eyes widening as she puts two and two together. Leave no question in the audience’s minds that yes, at last Maomao knows — and watch your SNS engagement metrics explode.] |
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