The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?

After the success of its first two seasons, Maomao is finally returning for another round of palace mysteries, strange cases, and complicated moments with Jinshi. Season 3 of The Apothecary Diaries premieres on October 2, 2026, and will follow a different release format this time.

Toho has already confirmed that Season 3 will be split into two parts, with the first cour starting in October 2026 and the second cour arriving later in April 2027. So before the first episode gets released, here’s everything you should know.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Full Episode Release Schedule

The wait for The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 is almost over. The new season will begin in Japan on Friday, October 2, at 11 PM JST (via the official website), with Crunchyroll streaming the episode for international viewers. The production team has not officially revealed how many episodes the first cour will contain. However, the first two seasons both had 24 episodes, which makes another 24-episode season a natural expectation.

Meanwhile, a typical cour lasts around 12 or 13 episodes. Meanwhile, Crunchyroll revealed that the episodes will arrive on the platform at 8 AM PT (via Crunchyroll). With that said, the dates below are based on the assumption of 12 episodes in the first cour and that new episodes will arrive every Friday without a break.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 EpisodesRelease DateUS Time (Crunchyroll)

Episode 1	October 2, 2026	11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
Episode 2	October 9, 2026	11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
Episode 3	October 16, 2026	11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
Episode 4	October 23, 2026	11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
Episode 5	October 30, 2026	11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
Episode 6	November 6, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 7	November 13, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 8	November 20, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 9	November 27, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 10	December 4, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 11	December 11, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST
Episode 12	December 18, 2026	10 AM EST / 7 AM PST

As mentioned above, these dates are projected and can change if the anime takes a break or the production team reveals a different episode count later for the first cour. Meanwhile, the US time also changes in November because Daylight Saving Time ends on November 1.

For now, October 2 is the date that matters most. Everything after Episode 1 should be treated as a projected schedule until the anime’s official broadcast details are released.

What to Expect from The Apothecary Diaries Season 3

Maomao has never needed flashy battles to make The Apothecary Diaries exciting. A strange illness, a suspicious ingredient, or one tiny mistake can be enough to pull her into another mystery. That is one of the biggest reasons the series feels different from many other popular anime.

Season 3 should continue that same style while moving Maomao and Jinshi into another stage of their story. Their relationship has become one of the most interesting parts of the anime, but the series still knows how to keep the focus on Maomao’s sharp mind and her strange fascination with medicine and poison.

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More palace schemes, new mysteries, and the complicated world surrounding Jinshi can give the story plenty of room to grow without losing the slower charm that made the first two seasons work so well. The split-cour format is another interesting change. Instead of running straight through, Season 3 will stop after its first part and return in April 2027. That may test the patience of fans, but it also gives the anime a chance to make the most of each part rather than rushing through the story.

There is another big reason Season 3 will feel different. The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress’ Treasure, a new anime movie, is scheduled to release in Japanese theaters on December 11, 2026. That puts the movie right in the middle of the Season 3 rollout. For Japanese fans, the franchise will move from the TV anime to a brand-new theatrical story before the second cour eventually arrives in April.

Where to Watch The Apothecary Diaries Season 3

In Japan, Season 3 will air on Nippon TV and its affiliated stations during the Friday Anime Night block. The premiere is scheduled for 11 PM JST on October 2. For viewers outside Japan, Crunchyroll will stream the new episodes as they air in regions like North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and the Indian Subcontinent. The first episode is scheduled to arrive on October 2, with the exact local time depending on the viewer’s region.

After two successful seasons, The Apothecary Diaries has plenty of momentum going into Season 3. Maomao’s strange way of solving problems, Jinshi’s complicated position, and another batch of palace mysteries should give the anime plenty to work with.

Now the big question: Are you excited to see Maomao return in The Apothecary Diaries Season 3? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will be available to watch on Crunchyroll from October 2, 2026. Meanwhile, the previous seasons are currently available to watch on the streaming platform.