One of the unexpected pleasures of the Fall 2023 anime season is the utterly gorgeous The Apothecary Diaries (aka Kusuriya no Hitorigoto or 薬屋のひとりごと).
An anime series being called “the most beautiful anime of 2023”, and one I am so obsessed with I have watched the four currently released episodes three times, screenshot scenes for my laptop wallpaper, and listened to the opening and ending theme songs so many times Spotify will soon be complaining.
Along with those theme songs, there is also an insert song on The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 3 that is one of the prettiest Japanese pop songs I have heard in a while.
It is the song that plays throughout The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 3 scenes as Concubine Fuyou is walking towards the front gate of the palace, on her way to be given to the military officer.
It continues playing as protagonist Maomao tells Lady Gyokuyou what she suspects about the relationship between Fuyou and the young military officer.
We then see the couple’s history — childhood friends who loved each other, but were forced apart when then Princess Fuyou was given to the Emperor as one of his concubines — and watch Jinshi looking out of the window, suggesting he also suspects Concubine Fuyou is on her way to finally being happy.
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Those scenes, and the story of Concubine Fuyou, are some of the most touching of The Apothecary Diaries so far, although I suspect, as the anime continues, the stories will only become more powerful.
So what is the song playing on The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 3 as Concubine Fuyou goes to meet her military officer?
‘Omoikaze‘ by Yuiko Ohara and Arisa Okehazama
With several possible translations of the song’s Japanese title ‘想風’ or ‘Omoikaze‘, I am going with ‘Thinking About the Wind‘.
The Episode 3 insert song itself is performed by Yuiko Ohara and Arisa Okehazama.
Along with Satoru Kousaki and Kevin Penkin, Arisa Okehazama is one of the composers of the lovely The Apothecary Diaries soundtrack, while Yuiko Ohara is a Japanese anison singer who is affiliated with Toho Animation Records.
Ohara is also known for performing the opening and ending themes for the Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation anime, as well as theme songs for Little Witch Academia, Land of the Lustrous and Hanebado!
The song itself is one of the loveliest things, and adds such a touching romantic feel to those scenes between Concubine Fuyou and her military officer.
Listen to ‘Omoikaze‘ by Yuiko Ohara and Arisa Okehazama, The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 3 via Spotify below.
You can also watch that beautiful scene as Concubine Fuyou meets her military officer for the first time in a long time, which features ‘Omoikaze‘ by Yuiko Ohara and Arisa Okehazama, down there as well,
The track itself was officially released on October 23rd, 2023 right after it played on the anime.
You can watch the utterly stunning The Apothecary Diaries anime via Crunchyroll now.
Just 4 episodes in of a planned 24-episode series, and I know this will be my favorite anime of 2023. How about you?
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More information about the anime: Official The Apothecary Diaries website
