The fall anime season's biggest returning show is one week away.
## The date The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 premieres Friday, October 2 at 11pm JST on NTV's Friday Anime Night block, which is 10am EDT, and simulcasts on Crunchyroll, per Anime Corner and AniTrendz. The season is split: the second half arrives in April 2027.
## The new trailer The second trailer dropped September 25 and revealed the ending theme: "AIYOU" by Eve, per Anime News Network. Yorushika handles the opening. Eve gave Jujutsu Kaisen "Kaikai Kitan," one of the most-streamed anime openings ever, so fans of this show are getting a proven hitmaker.
## Who's back OLM animates, with Akinori Fudesaka directing and Kevin Penkin on the music team. Aoi Yuki returns as Maomao and Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi. Anime Corner notes TOHO animation STUDIO isn't in the credits this time, so watch for any change in the look.

## The franchise keeps growing There's more coming: a movie with an original story by author Natsu Hyuga opens in Japan December 11, a console game is set for 2027, and a live-action Prime Video series is planned for 2028.
## Why it lands outside the usual anime crowd Maomao isn't a chosen one. She's a working-class pharmacist sold into palace service who outthinks everyone above her, and the show's real plot is court politics and who holds power over whom. A smart outsider moving through a system built to use her is a story that travels, and it's why this show pulls viewers who don't usually watch anime.
## Sources - Anime Corner, Sept. 25, 2026: Apothecary Diaries Season 3 trailer previews ending song by Eve - AniTrendz, Sept. 25, 2026: Apothecary Diaries Season 3 reveals new trailer - Anime News Network, Sept. 25, 2026: 2nd trailer reveals Eve ending theme - YouTube (TOHO animation): trailer

