Japanese Fans Just Picked the Best Anime of 2025 – And It's a Must-See Hit With 100% on RT
A hit anime about scandal, intrigue, and investigation at the court of the Chinese emperor.
If you got lost among the numerous new releases in the world of anime and don't know what to watch, don't worry – the main connoisseurs of anime, Japanese fans –have already chosen the best title of 2025 for you.
Animate Times conducted a survey, according to the results of which the first place was taken by the second season of The Apothecary Diaries, which is currently airing on Crunchyroll.
What Is The Apothecary Diaries About?
Maomao is an apprentice pharmacist with a passion for medicine, especially experimenting with poisons. She is sold as a servant to the imperial palace. Six months later, the girl learns that the health of the children of the imperial concubines is getting worse.
Maomao has a sharp mind, so the palace eunuch Jinshi decides to use her to investigate conspiracies against the ruler. Maomao is drawn into the intrigues between the concubines, their retinues, and local officials.
Jinshi is filled with compassion for the girl and protects her from threats. Maomao must learn many palace secrets and help a high-ranking official with his work.
There's No Violence and Gore in The Apothecary Diaries
In a time when the most-watched anime series like Chainsaw Man or Attack on Titan are full of violence, it is a big surprise to see a project without gore and action scenes.
The Apothecary Diaries is full of witty dialogues, dynamic editing and silly jokes. The plot never slows down, and the anime maintains a perfect balance between historical drama and love story.
Both Seasons of the Anime Are Impeccable in Terms of Visuals and Plot
The Apothecary Diaries doesn't lower the bar in Season 2 – the anime once again pleases viewers with both an intriguing plot and high-quality animation. Characters, music, atmosphere, visual style – all of this is as good as the first season, and sometimes even better.
The first season was released from October 2023 to March 2024 and received high scores from viewers. IMDb users rated the series 8.5 out of 10, and on Rotten Tomatoes – a perfect 100%.
In this title, anime fans will find what made them fall in love with Japanese animation, newcomers will get to know the genre in all its glory, mystery fans will find intrigues and investigations, and romantics will find sensuality and beauty.