Arguably, one of the best things about The Apothecary Diaries is the characters we meet along the way. While there's a lot to love about the series' leading lady, Maomao, her interactions with the people she meets add another layer of enjoyment to the series. For example, there's Shisui, a character introduced at the beginning of season two who has a lot more going on than she seems (though honestly, at this point, it's just another day in the Imperial Palace). During Anime Expo this year, we had the chance to chat with Aoi Yuki (Maomao) and Asami Seto (Shisui). The two discussed how they prepared to embody their characters, what it was like to portray their complex stories, and revealed that, much like Maomao and Shisui, they have nerdy interests of their own. NOTE: Spoilers for The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 ahead. Also, this interview has been edited for clarity. First and foremost, thank you so much for speaking with me today. The first thing I wanted to ask was: the sequel was announced just this morning . (Editor's Note: The interview was conducted shortly after the announcement) So how are you feeling about the new news? Aoi Yuki: It’s wonderful, and I really believe it’s because of all the wonderful fans that have supported us so far that this has become a reality. And I think a lot of us were sad that season two ended. But not to worry, we have something to look forward to, once more! And we have no expectations of which way it’s going to go. Whether they are going to be robots, or be sent to an isekai world, we don’t know [laughs]! The possibilities are endless. But we have no idea what to expect, and we’re looking forward to how the story relates to everybody who’s watching. Asami Seto: So I was obviously sad that season two ended, and just delighted to hear that there was going to be a new season to look forward to. And as Aoi-san said, maybe it is going to be completely different [laughs]! RELATED: The Characters of The Apothecary Diaries Could you each just describe how you got your roles in The Apothecary Diaries ? Yuki: Originally, I played Maomao through an audio-only drama CD that came with the light novel. And at first, when I opened my script, it was surreal to see the sheer amount of just text and monologues. But as I really got into it, and I started to play the character and started the recording, it started to feel natural, and I started to grasp the flow of the story and Maomao herself. To see that overlaid with the anime was also a very important experience within my career and for the development of Maomao in the story. Seto: So oftentimes, I’m able to get the roles for certain characters through auditions. But for The Apothecary Diaries and this character in particular, I did not have to go through an audition. It became apparent that the director, through watching me in other auditions, realized that I would be fit for Loulan in particular and that I could play her character. But then I needed to focus on how I wanted to approach Shisui because I had to start from zero in her character development and how I wanted to play her. And I understand that I needed to be high-spirited, energetic and exciting, but when I went into the studio, they asked for MORE excitement than I’d ever anticipated. Learning how to balance that, and really listening to what the director wanted and hoped from the character, I think, was a really meaningful experience. So you both portrayed characters who could go on and on about unexpected topics. For example, Maomao with poison, and Shisui with insects. Are there any real-life examples you drew from when you were tackling characters who are passionate about something? Yuki: Yeah, so I think Maomao and I have a lot of similarities in one sense, where she’s basically a nerd about poison. I was a nerd about…whether it was movies or muscles [room laughs]. I’m a “nerd” and have an obsessive personality when it comes to the things I’m passionate about, which carries over into Maomao’s passion for poison. Seto: For the role of Shisui, I had to look within myself and see how I could relate. And also, I took a lot of inspiration from Aoi-san’s passion as well, her connection to nerdy topics. But also, I’m really passionate about Japanese idols, so similar to Shisui and how she kind of starts to talk faster and gets lost in the moment and disregards everyone around her when talking about bugs is kind of how I feel when I start talking about idols. RELATED: How The Apothecary Diaries Explores the Beautiful Nuances in Female Relationships For Seto-san, how do you balance going between Loulan and Shisui? Were you aware that your character would be portrayed as two different people and two very distinct personalities, especially how they change between season one and two? Seto: So, for audiences that are watching, it’s kind of apparent that Shisui and Loulan have some polarity. But personally, I think they’re actually coming from the same place, and they have the same mission, and they’re destined to do the same things. So when I think about how I’m portraying both characters, I really have to be mindful about the outside character and how bright I am versus how serious I am between the characters, but the core is the same person. Shisui’s mission, and also Loulan’s mission and their relationship with her mother, I think it’s obviously coming from the same soul. So in that sense, when I put it on the scale, I’m coming from the same place. Something interesting about Maomao is that she seems to be only concerned with doing her job and leaving it at that, but she always ends up helping out other people. Yuki-san, how do you tackle portraying a character who wants to go unnoticed, but she’s so crucial to everything around her? Yuki: I think the most important aspect about Maomao’s character is that she values the life of others as if it were her own. She doesn’t have any kind of discrimination toward one person or the other based on their title, and I think the recurring theme within the series is using people and using lives as an advantage to get what you want, within that certain era of time. But regardless of that, she sees everybody as somebody worth saving. And because she came from “nothing” — based on other people’s opinions — like a stray cat, she’s very easy to talk to. Whether it’s good or bad, or hardships or just gossip, I think Maomao is just a really easy person to come and talk to. But that also takes a toll on Maomao, as well.
