The Apothecary Diaries: 5 Best Arcs in the Mystery Series, Ranked

The Apothecary Diaries has no shortage of intriguing mysteries, political schemes, and complicated cases for Maomao to solve. While every arc adds something meaningful to the story, some stand out more than others. These arcs perfectly balance mystery and character development while keeping a touch of emotional stakes and clever twists.

From The Verdigris House Arc to The Jinshi Arc, The Apothecary Diaries offers plenty of arcs embedded with sprawling mysteries and exciting plotlines. We’ll rank the arcs by how compelling their mystery is and how much they develop Maomao as a character.

5 The Verdigris House Arc Turns Maomao’s Past Into a Mystery

The Verdigris House is clearly one of the best arcs in The Apothecary Diaries because it starts digging into Maomao’s past. It’s one of those rare instances when the series focuses on something other than palace mysteries.

The arc takes Maomao to Verdigris House, the infamous pleasure house in Rakan’s district. That’s where her knowledge of medicine and potions connects with people she’s known for years. Maomao’s relationship dynamic with Pairin, Meimei, and Joka gives this arc more of a personal edge. Still, the Verdigris arc lands in fifth place because it doesn’t have major political stakes.

4 The Garden Party Arc Proves Maomao Can Outsmart Anyone

The Garden Party is particularly interesting because it puts Maomao’s intelligence and observational skills on full display. This arc features Maomao navigating an event filled with nobles, hidden agendas, and carefully concealed secrets.

At the same time, The Garden Party gives Maomao more opportunities to interact with important characters. Not only that, but the arc also exposes the complicated hierarchy of the Imperial Court. Watching Maomao make clever deductions is definitely entertaining, but still, this arc doesn’t deliver any big revelation or stronger emotional stakes. That is why it takes the fourth spot on the list.

3 The Rear Palace Arc Establishes Maomao as a Master Detective

We have often seen Maomao using her knowledge of medicines and potions to solve a mystery. However, in the Rear Palace Arc, Maomao has to connect seemingly unrelated clues and deal with people who are often difficult to read. This arc pushes Maomao out of her comfort zone. She not only uncovers the secret behind a mysterious illness but also uncovers a poisoning, making it one of the best in the series.

The arc features not one but many moments when Maomao’s deductions and problem-solving truly take the spotlight. On top of that, the personal and emotional elements leave a lasting impact on fans. If only the Rear Palace arc had higher stakes and a more layered investigation, it would have ranked higher.

2 The Shi Clan Arc Takes The Apothecary Diaries to Another Level

The Shi Clan arc kicks off with Maomao taking a case that seems harmless at first. But soon enough, she realizes that it involves some of the most influential and powerful people.

The fact that makes this arc so incredibly beautiful is how perfectly it weaves together all the minor storylines. Initially, it seems like just another case Maomao has to take on. But slowly and steadily, it raises the stakes for both Maomao and Jinshi. On top of that, the revelations and twists in the Shi Clan arc are some of the best in the series. That being said, there’s still one more arc that beats the Shi Clan with its tension and character development.

1 The Jinshi Arc Is Where Every Mystery Gets Personal

Without a doubt, the Jinshi arc in The Apothecary Diaries is what makes the anime a compelling mystery series. The arc starts with just another investigation, but it becomes something more personal for Maomao. Beyond the hidden mysteries and political schemes, Maomao’s relationship with Jinshi is especially interesting.

But what makes the Jinshi arc really special is the fact that it recontextualizes events from earlier parts of the story. And that’s pretty rare given that the anime rarely revisits events from the previous arcs. This approach alone makes the Jinshi arc feel more connected rather than like an isolated story in the anime. That’s exactly why it earns the first spot in the series.

Which story arc do you think is the best in The Apothecary Diaries? Do let us know in the comments!

The Apothecary Diaries is streaming on Crunchyroll in the U.S.