Anime’s Biggest Mystery Hit Officially Gets a New Game

6 days ago 13
The Apothecary Diaries anime Image via OLM

Published Sep 13, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Hannah has been writing about horror, sci-fi, and all things nerdy since 2021. At Collider, she covers news and conducts interviews, along with contributing features that dive deep into genre storytelling and why it works. If there’s something lurking in the shadows, she’s probably already writing about it if she's not too busy watching a tape from her VHS collection.

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The Apothecary Diaries has never needed sword fights or supernatural powers to keep its audience guessing. The anime instead follows Maomao, an exceptionally clever apothecary whose knowledge of medicine and poisons repeatedly pulls her into dangerous mysteries within the imperial court. Her habit of noticing what everyone else misses has made the series one of anime’s biggest recent hits.

The story began as a light novel series written by Hyuganatsu before expanding into manga and anime adaptations. Its combination of palace intrigue, slow-burning romance, and elaborate investigations also makes it unusually well-suited to an interactive adaptation. Maomao is finally getting the opportunity to solve those cases with some help from players.

Koei Tecmo and Gust have officially announced The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother, the franchise’s first console game adaptation. The mystery adventure will feature an original story conceptualized by Hyuganatsu and send Maomao across the rear palace, pleasure district, and capital city. It is scheduled to arrive in early 2027 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Personality Quiz Which Sci-Fi Hero Are You Most Like? Paul Atreides · Captain Kirk · Princess Leia · Ellen Ripley · Max Rockatansky

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🖖Capt. Kirk

Princess Leia

🔦Ellen Ripley

🔥Max Rockatansky

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What is your greatest strength in a crisis? The quality that keeps you alive when everything else fails.

APrescience — the ability to see further ahead than anyone else and plan accordingly. BImprovisation — I'm at my best when the plan falls apart and I have to invent a new one. CConviction — I know what I'm fighting for, and that certainty doesn't waver under fire. DComposure — I stay functional when everyone around me is falling apart. Panic is a luxury. EEndurance — I outlast things. I take the hit and keep moving long after others have stopped.

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08

When everything is on the line, what keeps you going? The answer is the most honest thing about you.

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Your Hero Has Been Identified Your Sci-Fi Hero Is…

Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.

Paul Atreides

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↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

Maomao Has Five New Mysteries To Solve

A girl smiling widely in The Apothecary Diaries anime Image via OLM

The story begins shortly after Maomao starts working as a maidservant in the rear palace, where rumors spread about incidents collectively known as the “Five Mysteries.” These include a faceless eunuch, a storehouse that mysteriously wails every night, and garments suddenly turning deep red. Jinshi tasks Maomao with investigating the strange events using her medicinal knowledge, observation skills, and talent for finding evidence. Maomao later befriends a traveling actor named Guanyu while visiting the pleasure district, but his personal troubles gradually pull her into another unfolding drama. After the Shi clan’s rebellion is defeated, a similar collection of incidents known as the “Five Curses” begins affecting residents throughout the capital. The investigation eventually leads Maomao to a masked vigilante claiming to be the imperial younger brother, despite Jinshi insisting the impersonator is not him.

Players will investigate incidents, gather evidence, present theories, and solve each mystery as the two apparent conspiracies begin connecting. The structure sounds like a natural extension of the series, where the real satisfaction comes from watching Maomao assemble small, easily overlooked details into an answer everyone else failed to see. The False Imperial Brother does not have an exact release date yet, but it will bring Maomao’s latest investigation to consoles and PC in early 2027.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date 2023 - 2025-00-00

Network Nippon TV, RAB, TVI, YBC, JRT

Directors Jun Owada, Akira Koremoto, Erkin Kawabata, Shintaro Itoga, Kentaro Fujita, Yukihiko Asaki, Tsuyoshi Nakano, Masahiro Matsunaga, Akira Shimizu, Yuushi Ibe, Yuu Kinome, Kyohei Yamamoto, Takanori Yano, Tadao Okubo, Misu Yamaneko

Writers Yuko Kakihara, Misuzu Chiba, Hitomi Ogawa

Franchise(s) The Apothecary Diaries

  • Cast Placeholder Image
  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Takeo Otsuka

    Jinshi (voice)

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