The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24 insert song is not only appropriate for that touching scene, but so is it’s title
The masterpiece-in-every-way anime The Apothecary Dairies ended its first season this weekend with a wonderful Episode 24 that wrapped up one of the main plot lines.
As well as referenced back to various other places in this superb story to bring them to some closure.
The main focus of The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24, however, was Lakan’s story.
The story of a man who fell in love with a high-ranking courtesan, and then lost her.
Lost her while unknowingly leaving the courtesan pregnant with his child, and with the two then spending the next 18 years apart — her suffering and slowly dying from syphilis, and he the top military strategist at the Palace but, behind all that success, a completely broken man.
The story of Fengxian and Lakan comes to a close in The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24, with Lakan discovering the woman he loved had not been sold off to another man as he had been told, but had instead spent the last 18 years of her life being hidden at the Verdigris House as she slowly went mad.
Both from the syphilis, and because her pride had been completely taken from her.
In a somewhat “happy” ending to the tragic story, Lakan finally finds Fengxian and buys her.
He then takes the woman he loves away from Verdigris House becoming the person who will make Fengxian happy in her final days as, unlike everyone else, he is unable to see the way her once beautiful face is now completely destroyed.
Accompanying that story, The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24 served up a gorgeous insert song that was not only appropriate for the scenes as Maomao dances, but even has the perfect title.
What is The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24 insert song as Maomao dances on the wall to send off her mother with Lakan?
Along with the touching story of Lakan and Fengxian, we also hear Maomao’s thoughts about the reconciliation of her birth parents, as she is sent a beautiful shawl from Meimei with a letter telling her “who bought out who”.
The shawl is to be used in the celebratory dance courtesans perform when one of their own is bought, and sent off to, hopefully, a better life.
Thus, Maomao dresses herself in her most beautiful clothes, applies make-up, styles her hair, and climbs the walls of the Palace compound.
Once there, she begins to dance for her mother Fengxian — giving her the appropriate send-off for her new life, short that it may be, with Lakan.
That The Apothecary Diaries, Episode 24 insert song is one of several absolutely beautiful insert songs we have had the pleasure of hearing through this utterly wonderful anime.
It is a song appropriately titled ‘When Wishes Bloom‘, (aka ‘想い咲く時’ in Japanese) as, at least Lakan’s wishes have bloomed and, hopefully, Fengxian’s have too, and is performed by Aoiema, with lyrics by Mashiro Uchida and music by prolific Japanese composer Satoru Kōsaki.
You may also recognize it as using some of the music of ‘Flower in the Snow‘, which was released earlier in the season.
Other The Apothecary Diaries insert songs from Mahiro Uchida and Satoru Kōsaki
Mahiro Uchida and Satoru Kōsaki also composed another The Apothecary Diaries insert song — ‘Blaze of Clear Sky‘ — Episode 19, played as Jinshi carries an injured Maomao away from the ceremonial hall, while Satoru Kōsaki composed the music for the Episode 9 insert song ‘Towards the Light‘ played as Maomao and Jinshi talk about death.
Listen to the touching When Wishes Bloom‘ by Aoiema, Mashiro Uchida and Satoru Kōsaki, in both the clip of Maomao’s dancing scenes, released earlier today by TOHO Animation, and via the anime’s soundtrack on the Spotify player below. (links for other platforms here)
You can also listen to the entire The Apothecary Diaries soundtrack on Spotify (and it’s stunning), as it too was released on the platform earlier today. (see player below)
All 24 episodes of Season 1 of The Apothecary Diaries are now streaming on Crunchyroll and, yes, Season 2 has just been confirmed.
