The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Release Tracker
This is a living The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 release tracker, updated as news drops: current status, the full announcement timeline, what the season will cover, English dub info and where to watch when it airs. Everything is sourced from official announcements and checked against two independent outlets — last verified September 1, 2026.
📅 Expected release
Our honest read: The date is locked: October 2, 2026 for Cour 1, April 2027 for Cour 2. The split-cour shape is the thing to plan around — this is one continuous season released in two halves six months apart, not two separate seasons, so the Cour 1 finale in December will be a mid-season break rather than an ending.
⏳ Episode 1 countdown
🗞️ What we know — announcement timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Toho Animation officially confirmed Season 3 plus an original anime film via a '2nd Anniversary Commemorative Trailer'. |
| October 22, 2025 | Season 3 confirmed as split-cour: Cour 1 in October 2026, Cour 2 in April 2027. |
| October 22, 2025 | The original anime film is titled 'The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure' (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Bohi no Hiho), directed by Norihiro Naganuma (The Ancient Magus' Bride) with an all-new story by novel author Natsu Hyuuga. Title, trailer, visual and cast were revealed July 2, 2026; it opens in Japan December 11, 2026, with Aoi Yuki and Takeo Otsuka returning and Mariya Ise joining as Mu Qing. |
| October 22, 2025 | Production confirmed to continue at OLM with Toho Animation. |
| August 15, 2026 | The exact premiere date landed: October 2, 2026, revealed at a special event with a new trailer, key visual, additional cast and an opening theme by Yorushika. Cour 2 still follows in April 2027. |
📖 What it will cover
Continuation of the court-intrigue / rear-palace political story. Season 2 closed Light Novel Volume 4, so Season 3 is expected to begin adapting Light Novel Volume 5 onward (the 'Locusts' / insect-plague arc, new political power plays, and Maomao drawn into fresh danger), likely covering roughly Volumes 5-6+ across the two cours.
🔚 Where Season 2 ended
Season 2's finale 'The Beginning' wrapped Light Novel Volume 4. Concubine Gyokuyou is crowned Empress after giving birth to a son, and Jinshi is forced to drop his rear-palace eunuch facade — setting up a new chapter for Maomao and Jinshi.
Keep reading: Continue the light novel from Volume 5 (Season 2 adapted through Volume 4; Vol. 5 opens with the 'Locusts' insect-plague arc and new court intrigue).
🎙️ English dub
Crunchyroll produced English dubs for both S1 and S2 (S2 dub debuted Jan 24, 2025, simuldub-style alongside the sub). Returning leads Emi Lo (Maomao) and Kaiji Tang (Jinshi). An S3 Crunchyroll English dub is highly likely on the same pattern but had not been officially confirmed as of August 2026.
📺 Where to watch
- Crunchyroll
❓ FAQ
When does Apothecary Diaries Season 3 come out?
Cour 1 premieres Friday, October 2, 2026 (11:00 p.m. JST, NTV 'Friday Anime Night'); Cour 2 follows in April 2027.
Who animates Season 3?
OLM with Toho Animation — the same studios as Seasons 1 and 2.
Where can I watch it?
Crunchyroll, which has streamed both prior seasons (sub and English dub).
Is there a movie?
Yes — an original-story theatrical film by author Natsu Hyuuga, directed by Norihiro Naganuma, set for December 2026, separate from the TV seasons.
Where did Season 2 leave off?
At the end of Light Novel Volume 4: Gyokuyou becomes Empress with a newborn son, and Jinshi drops his eunuch disguise.
What does Season 3 adapt?
Light Novel Volume 5 onward — the 'Locusts' / insect-plague arc and continued court political intrigue.
📚 Sources
Sourced from: Anime News Network — S3 & film confirmation · Crunchyroll News — release dates & film · Anime Corner — Fall 2026 / Spring 2027 cours. Last verified September 1, 2026.