The Apothecary Diaries Gives Maomao a Magical Makeover for Halloween 2026
Image by James Richardson
The Apothecary Diaries has launched its annual Halloween celebration with new artwork transforming Maomao and Chou-u into magic users for a three-day series of character reveals.
The new “The Apothecary Diaries Halloween 2026” project is themed around a “Halloween Night Where Wizards Gather,” with original character visuals and accompanying mini voice dramas set to be released across three consecutive days.
Based on Natsu Hyūga’s light novel series, The Apothecary Diaries has now surpassed 57 million copies worldwide and is currently airing its third anime season, which sent Maomao and Jinshi beyond the familiar surroundings of the Rear Palace when its first cour began earlier this month.
The franchise is also preparing for its first theatrical movie, “The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure,” which recently revealed its main trailer and an original theme song by Kenshi Yonezu ahead of its December premiere.
Maomao and Chou-u lead the first Halloween visual, with Maomao dressed in a dark magical outfit as she stands beside a large cauldron holding a thick book in one hand.
Chou-u peers into the pot beside her as smoke rises from the cauldron in the shape of a grinning pumpkin, giving Maomao’s latest experiment a suitably Halloween-themed twist.
The pairing also reflects Chou-u’s larger role in the currently airing third season, where he is now living alongside Maomao in the pleasure district following the events surrounding the Shi clan in Season 2.
Aoi Yūki and Natsumi Fujiwara reprise their roles as Maomao and Chou-u for the accompanying mini voice drama, which expands on the Halloween scene through a short conversation between the pair.
The 2026 project marks the third consecutive year that The Apothecary Diaries has released dedicated Halloween artwork, following similar celebrations in 2024 and 2025.
Two further character visuals and mini voice dramas are set to follow over the next two days, although the characters appearing in the remaining Halloween scenes have not yet been revealed.
The Halloween project arrives during an increasingly packed period for the franchise, with Koei Tecmo recently confirming a March 2027 worldwide release for The Apothecary Diaries’ first console game, “The False Imperial Brother”.
Bandai has also fully revealed the first official merchandise collection based directly on the upcoming movie, led by a new Maomao figure created for its December Ichiban Kuji launch.
The first “The Apothecary Diaries Halloween 2026” visual and mini voice drama featuring Maomao and Chou-u were released on October 29, with the remaining two reveals scheduled to follow as the three-day Halloween project continues.
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