The Apothecary Diaries Movie Reveals the Bi Family in New Trailer
Two official trailers released on consecutive days are revealing the heart of the first The Apothecary Diaries film. Following an October 11 video featuring Maomao, Jinshi and their travel companions, the October 12 preview turns to the Bi family: new faces, new voice actors and a secret linking a body preserved for five years to a hidden treasure in a city built around waterways.
Four consecutive trailers reveal the mystery piece by piece
The film's campaign unfolds as a four-part reveal. The first preview follows Maomao and Jinshi as they leave the capital to investigate the last wish of a consort who died at court five years earlier. The official schedule continues with the Bi family on October 12, the serpent group on October 13, and Ruoqing and Yinshan on October 14. Each video focuses on a different group of characters without immediately revealing how their motives fit together.
The first trailer also features Gaoshun, Basen, Lahan, Lihaku, Rikuson and Lakan. Its images alternate the series' signature elements — Maomao's fascination with medicines and plants — with ambushes, river pirates and combat. Meanwhile, Jinshi must act not only as an investigative partner but also in his public role as the emperor's brother.
The Bi family and new voice actors
The latest preview shifts attention to Binanshu, a water-bound city ruled by the Bi family. The family head, Bilou, is voiced by Nobuo Tobita; his wife Shuu by Kumiko Watanabe; and their eldest son Bisen by Hirofumi Nojima. Mariya Ise plays Muqing, Bilou's younger son, who was born to a concubine and kept on the margins of the clan. According to the official introduction, Muqing is a key character in the new mystery.
The central mystery begins with Ruoqing, a mid-ranking consort who died in the inner palace. Five years later, her body remains astonishingly well preserved. The emperor tasks Jinshi with returning her remains to her homeland, and Maomao becomes involved to explain what ordinary medicine cannot. Meanwhile, the former local ruler's treasure fuels violence and rivalry.
An original story written for the big screen
The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Consort's Treasure is not simply an adaptation of a story arc already shown on television. It is based on an original story concept by series author Natsu Hyuga. The move to cinemas expands the scope: the palace gives way to canals, caves, boats and a community with its own power dynamics, while the mystery retains the series' familiar approach of observation, pharmacology and reading the relationships between powerful figures.
The Japanese release date is set for December 11, 2026. No European theatrical release or international streaming platform has yet been announced for the film, so any plans for distribution outside Japan remain unconfirmed.
Confirmed staff and studio
Norihiro Naganuma directs the film from a screenplay by Yuko Kakihara. Yukiko Nakatani handles character design and chief animation direction, while TOHO animation STUDIO produces the project. The soundtrack brings together Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin and Arisa Okehazama. Aoi Yuki returns as Maomao and Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi, alongside returning cast members and new performers voicing the Bi family.
The film therefore retains many of the series' central creative voices while entrusting the theatrical production to TOHO. The trailers already feature more expansive cinematography and a strong emphasis on water, fire and subterranean architecture, distinguishing Binanshu from the palace settings.
What to expect from the next two trailers
The October 13 and 14 videos are expected to shed more light on the serpent group, Ruoqing and Yinshan. The central question remains: why did the consort request a return home only after death, and what substance or practice preserved her body? The trailers avoid giving away the answer, but make it clear that the solution will involve medicine, family succession and control of the treasure.
For now, the confirmed facts are that the film will reach Japanese theaters on December 11 with an entirely new story and a larger cast. The first two previews establish a self-contained mystery, familiar enough for anime fans yet expansive enough to warrant a theatrical feature.
Official sources
THE SIGNAL // 04 FALSE SAINT
Availability confirmed in the Smart GFX shop. Current price: €79.90. A striking, dark design chosen to complement the film's atmosphere of intrigue, hidden identities and uncomfortable truths.
Independent editorial content. Smart GFX is not affiliated with TOHO animation STUDIO or the film's production committee.
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