The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 1 Review: Maomao’s New Mystery Begins With a Looming Locust Plague

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 1 is a strong return for Maomao, Jinshi, and the rest of the cast. Rather than spending too much time reminding viewers about the events of the previous season, the premiere immediately establishes several new problems that appear unrelated at first but gradually begin pointing toward the same larger mystery.

The episode, officially listed as Episode 49 and titled “Locusts,” premiered on October 2, 2026, with the third season streaming on Crunchyroll. The first cour is part of the anime’s Fall 2026 run, while the second cour is scheduled for April 2027. 

What makes the premiere particularly effective is how it balances the political developments surrounding the Imperial Palace with Maomao’s much more personal investigation. There is no major confrontation or explosive revelation yet, but the episode gives viewers plenty of reasons to be curious about what comes next.

A LOCUST PLAGUE CREATES A DANGEROUS NEW MYSTERY

The episode opens far away from the palace, showing the devastating consequences of a failed harvest. A desperate man is approached by a mysterious hooded woman who offers what appears to be a miraculous medicine. The scene immediately establishes a darker tone and suggests that the coming crisis will involve more than hunger or natural disaster.

Back in the Imperial Palace, Jinshi receives a warning about a possible locust plague. The timing could hardly be worse. Following the destruction of the Shi Clan, any major disaster could easily be interpreted as divine punishment for the Emperor’s actions.

The political situation is also changing. Gyokuyou is being elevated to Empress Consort, partly because her position can strengthen the Empire’s relationship with the West. Meanwhile, the births of Gyokuyou and Lihua’s sons have changed the succession situation and reduced some of the pressure surrounding Jinshi.

These developments give the premiere a useful sense of scale. Maomao may be dealing with insects and strange books, but the consequences could eventually reach the highest levels of the Empire.

MAOMAO’S INVESTIGATION CONNECTS THE LOCUSTS TO THE SHI CLAN

The most entertaining part of the episode begins when Maomao visits the Verdigris House and discovers that Chou-u has an unusual connection to the locust mystery. After eating the insects served as food, Chou-u begins recovering fragments of his memories and identifies different types of locusts.

His drawings eventually help Maomao understand that one species can be associated with the warning signs of a disastrous harvest. This immediately catches her attention because it connects with the information Jinshi has received.

Maomao’s curiosity then leads her to a bookshop, where she discovers a volume that resembles the books she encountered while imprisoned by the Shi Clan. Her investigation eventually identifies the seller as a former guard from the stronghold.

This is where the episode becomes especially intriguing. The former guard reveals that the apothecary imprisoned before Maomao was not only researching an immortality drug. He was also studying ways to deal with locust plagues.

That revelation transforms what initially looks like a simple agricultural problem into another mystery connected to the events of Season 2.

THE APOTHECARY DIARIES SEASON 3 EPISODE 1 IS A PROMISING RETURN

The biggest strength of Episode 1 is its setup. The premiere does not rush to explain everything, instead giving Maomao several pieces of information that she will have to connect herself. That approach fits the series perfectly because its strongest mysteries usually begin with seemingly insignificant details.

Maomao is also enjoyable outside the palace. Seeing her spend time at the Verdigris House and look after Chou-u gives her character a slightly different dynamic. At the same time, Jinshi’s political responsibilities provide the story with another narrative thread that should eventually intersect with Maomao’s investigation.

The return is also visually and musically confident. The third season’s new opening features Yorushika’s “Beyond the Clouds, Only Me Downwind,” with animation directed by Ayaka Nakata. 

Most importantly, the premiere understands what makes The Apothecary Diaries compelling. It combines political intrigue, character relationships, historical atmosphere and mystery without making any one element overwhelm the others.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Episode 1 is therefore an excellent start to the new season. It may move deliberately, but every major thread feels purposeful, and the connection between the locust crisis and the Shi Clan gives Maomao another mystery worth solving.