The Apothecary Diariesconsistently earned praise for its intriguing storytelling, unique genre fusion, and compelling characters. So, it wasn’t a surprise when asequel toThe Apothecary DiariesSeason 2was announced. Besides that, Maomao is a strong female lead, earning a nomination for the best main character of 2025. Fans adore her, including the dashing Jinshi, but for some reason, series author Natsu Hyuga’s favorite character isn’t one of them.
It’s not uncommon for authors or creators to favor a character who isn’t the main protagonist in their work. There’s Solo Leveling’s Chugong, who previously revealedhis favorite character isn’t Sung Jin-Woo, but the B-rank villain Kang Tae-Shik, because he was more enjoyable to write. In Natsu Hyuga’s case, her favorite character inThe Apothecary Diariesisn’t Jinshi or Maomao, but the quack doctor, and here’s why.
The Apothecary Diaries Author Picks the Quack Doctor as Her Favorite
Natsu Hyuga’s Favorite Isn’t Maomao, It’s Guen
Most fans ofThe Apothecary Diariesname Maomao or Jinshi as their favorite character or “bias” for different reasons. Since these two characters receive the most screentime in the anime, fans naturally grow to like them, among others. However, other fans also dote on side characters like Gaoshun, Lihaku, or even Basen. Some also prefer theHigh Consorts, such as Lady Gyokuyouand Lady Lishu.
Meanwhile, the author ofThe Apothecary Diaries, Natsu Hyuga, has a different character in mind. Instead of naming Maomao, Jinshi, or any of the mentioned characters above, she surprisingly favors the quirky Quack Doctor of the Inner Court, Guen. In a Q & A session shared by a fan on Reddit, the author ofThe Apothecary Diariesreveals the reason why she likes the Quack Doctor, among other characters:
Q: Who is your favorite character?
Natsu Hyuga: The quack doctor. He’s an incompetent person who’s good in changing the topic, so he’s an easy character to write.
Surprisingly, in aseries likeThe Apothecary Diaries,which is full of characters with sharp minds and layered personalities, the author picks an incompetent and meek character like Guen as her favorite over Maomao and Jinshi. Understandably, the quack doctor is an easy and humorous character to write about, as Natsu Hyuga can enjoy the freedom of being chaotic and strange with this character without the pressure of following any logic or complex plot twists.
The Apothecary Diaries Author Wants More Screentime for The Quack Doctor
Guen Is Only a Side Character
In the same Reddit post, it was also revealed that the author ofThe Apothecary Diarieswanted to give the quack doctor, Guen, more screentime. She also shared that she pitched ideas to her editor about how they could give the quack doctor more screentime, but unfortunately, “they were rejected.” This might be one of the reasons why fans only saw glimpses of the quack doctor in Seasons 1 and 2 of the anime.
But as much as fans, even the author, would love to see the quack doctor appear more inThe Apothecary Diaries, the fact remains that Guen is only a side character. He is also a comic relief, an oddball who brings more fun and entertainment intoMaomao’s life in the Inner Court. And now that the story shifts to Maomao’s life outside the Inner Court, the quack doctor might not appear as frequently as before.
All in all, I’ve built a good relationship with the quack doctor.—Maomao
Despite this, there’s more to the quack doctor than meets the eye. Natsu Hyuga gave Guen an intriguing backstory, which most fans find compelling.Before he became a eunuchand a court physician, he was once a papermaker in his village. However, he had to abandon this job to prevent his sister from being a palace lady after their paper business declined. While he became a court physician, he had little to no medical skills. That’s why he felt relieved when he learned he could rely on Maomao to make medicine for his patients.
The Apothecary Diaries Author Shares Which Character Is the Toughest to Write
Natsu Hyuga Admits Jinshi Is the Hardest Character to Write
There are a lot of rumors that the author ofThe Apothecary Diariesdislikes Jinshi and that she once thought of killing him off. Naturally, fans were surprised upon learning this information, especially after the author revealed Jinshi is also the toughest character to write in the series.
Here’s what she had to say:
Q: Who is the toughest character to write?
Natsu Hyuuga: Jinshi. That’s why he doesn’t get as much screen time. When writing Jinshi as character, you have to think a lot about what he can and cannot do, his lingo, since he is a member of royalty. I want to portray him as someone who is struggling, but masks it. But I don’t want the readers to misunderstand that. It’s difficult to balance his struggles because if it’s too much, it would make him look incompetent, but on the other hand, if it’s too subtle, it may fail to get across to the readers.
Undeniably, Jinshi is one of the most complex characters inThe Apothecary Diaries. Every scene with him, especially the most serious moments, needs precision. The author can’t just make him too emotional, or else he will look weak or incompetent to readers and viewers alike. He’s a tricky and layered character, but that’s exactly why most fans like him, even though he sometimes fades into the background.
