by A new collaboration between The Apothecary Diaries and Matsukiyo Cocokara has given fans plenty to talk about. Two newly drawn illustrations featuring Maomao and Jinshi have sparked an enthusiastic response online, with some fans joking that the pair look less like co-workers and more like a married couple.
The collaboration officially began at Matsukiyo Cocokara stores across Japan on September 16, 2026, and features exclusive artwork, limited goods, giveaways, app campaigns, and other promotions.
But it was the newly drawn Maomao and Jinshi visuals that immediately caught fans’ attention.
One illustration presents the pair in elegant outfits, with Jinshi holding a flower. The other shows them walking together through a city, with Maomao carrying a surprisingly large package. That second image, in particular, has led to plenty of playful fan interpretations.
Comments included reactions along the lines of “I thought she was holding two babies,” “I thought Maomao and Jinshi-sama finally had a child,” and “They look like a married couple.”
For a series known for its complicated relationship between the sharp-minded Maomao and the seemingly perfect Jinshi, the new artwork has given fans another reason to overanalyze every little detail.
Maomao and Jinshi Become the Stars of a New Collaboration
The latest collaboration pairs The Apothecary Diaries with Matsukiyo Cocokara, one of Japan’s major drugstore chains.
The campaign runs from September 16 through November 15, 2026, with several different ways for fans to participate. Depending on the campaign, fans can enter prize drawings through qualifying purchases, quizzes, or X campaigns. There are also first-come bonuses for eligible purchases and exclusive collaboration merchandise available at selected Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cocokara Fine stores.
The campaign also includes an original mystery-solving challenge featuring Maomao, store displays using the newly drawn artwork, original in-store audio, and smartphone-wallpaper opportunities.
That gives the collaboration considerably more content than a simple merchandise release.
Why Are Fans Saying They Look Like a Married Couple?
The biggest source of excitement is the chemistry between Maomao and Jinshi in the new illustrations.
In the first image, both characters are dressed in elaborate clothing, creating a more refined and romantic atmosphere than fans usually associate with their everyday interactions.
Jinshi is holding a flower, while Maomao stands beside him with her usual composed expression.
The second illustration has generated even more discussion.
The pair are shown walking together through a city, with Maomao carefully carrying a large package. Because the package is positioned in front of her, some fans jokingly mistook it for something much more unexpected.
That led to comments suggesting that the illustration looked like a scene from the life of a married couple—or even that Maomao was somehow carrying babies.
Of course, the artwork does not confirm any such development. These are playful fan reactions to the composition of the illustration rather than story information.
Still, the jokes demonstrate just how closely fans watch Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship.
The Relationship Between Maomao and Jinshi
For newcomers, Maomao is the central protagonist of The Apothecary Diaries.
She is a highly knowledgeable young woman with an unusual interest in medicine, poisons, herbs, and mysteries. After being brought into the imperial palace, her knowledge repeatedly allows her to solve strange incidents that others cannot explain.
Jinshi, meanwhile, is a beautiful and influential figure working within the imperial palace. His elegant appearance and charming personality make him extremely popular with the women around him, but Maomao is far less impressed by his looks.
Their relationship is one of the major sources of comedy and drama in the series.
Jinshi often tries to get Maomao’s attention, while Maomao frequently responds with indifference, suspicion, or an analytical explanation that destroys the romantic atmosphere.
That unusual dynamic is one reason the pair have become so popular with viewers.
The Anime Is Entering a Major New Chapter
The collaboration arrives at an especially important time for the franchise.
The anime’s third season begins on October 2, 2026, airing every Friday at 11:00 p.m. in Japan on the Nippon Television network’s FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT programming block. The season will be split into two courses, with the second part scheduled for April 2027.
Season 3 will also expand the story beyond the imperial rear palace.
According to the official introduction, the new storyline involves signs of a disaster threatening the country, a mysterious shrine maiden, and new responsibilities placed on Jinshi as an imperial prince. Maomao and Jinshi will also find themselves dealing with new challenges as the story moves into a broader world outside the palace.
That makes the current Maomao-and-Jinshi collaboration particularly timely, as fans prepare for another major stage of their story.
New Season 3 Opening Theme Revealed
The third season will feature an opening theme by Yorushika, titled “Kumo wo Nuke Kaze Shita Watashi Dake.”
The latest official promotional material also introduces the mysterious Hakujōjō, voiced by Reina Ueda.
The new season’s key visual shows Maomao and Jinshi walking through a golden field beneath a beautiful morning sky, hinting at the broader journey ahead.
With the anime returning in just a few weeks, interest in the franchise is already building through collaborations, merchandise, promotional videos, and special events.
The First Apothecary Diaries Movie Is Also Coming
The franchise is expanding beyond television as well.
The first theatrical film, ** The Apothecary Diaries: The Secret Treasure of the Dead Empress **, is scheduled to open in Japan on December 11, 2026.
The movie features an original story concept by series creator Natsu Hyuga.
The story follows Maomao and Jinshi as they travel south to return the remains of a consort who died in the rear palace five years earlier. Their journey takes them to a lively water city, where Maomao becomes fascinated by unfamiliar medicines and plants before becoming involved in a much larger mystery.
The story also involves water bandits, hidden treasure, a mysterious boy named Muching, and several original characters created specifically for the movie.
This will be the first completely new theatrical story in the anime franchise.
The Apothecary Diaries Is Also Getting Its First Console Game
There is even more news for fans.
On September 10, 2026, the franchise announced its first consumer video game, ** The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Prince **.
The game is scheduled for release in early 2027 and will feature an original mystery-adventure story with an original concept by Natsu Hyuga.
This means the franchise is simultaneously expanding across television, theaters, games, merchandise, and real-world collaborations.
For fans who discovered Maomao through the anime, there is now an unusually large amount of new material on the way.
More Collaborations Are Arriving Before Season 3
The Matsukiyo Cocokara campaign is only one of several collaborations currently surrounding the series.
A recent collaboration with Kracie YOHADA features Maomao and Jinshi in promotional videos and a limited pair set featuring the two characters. That campaign runs from September 9 to October 8, 2026.
Another collaboration with VASARA and Kabukiza began September 15 and runs through October 31. It features newly drawn kimono illustrations of Maomao, Jinshi, Xiaolan, and Suirei, along with collaboration goods and special displays.
There is also a Giant Cone collaboration running through November 29, adding yet another promotional campaign to the packed autumn schedule.
The sheer number of collaborations has helped keep the series visible even before Season 3 begins.
Fans Have a Lot to Look Forward To
The latest Matsukiyo Cocokara illustrations may have started the conversation with jokes about Maomao and Jinshi looking like a married couple, but the timing of the campaign is important.
The Apothecary Diaries franchise is entering one of its busiest periods yet:
- September 16–November 15: Matsukiyo Cocokara collaboration
- October 2, 2026: Season 3 begins
- April 2027: Season 3 second cour begins
- December 11, 2026: The Secret Treasure of the Dead Empress theatrical movie
- Early 2027: The False Imperial Prince consumer game
The official franchise site is also running a special autumn “#Kusuriya Ikkimi” watch campaign ahead of Season 3. Selected episodes with cast audio commentary are being released on the TOHO animation YouTube channel through September 26, while ABEMA is offering free marathon screenings of Seasons 1 and 2.
That gives existing fans an opportunity to revisit important moments while newcomers can catch up before Season 3.
Why the New Visuals Are Getting So Much Attention
At first glance, the Matsukiyo Cocokara artwork may simply look like another promotional illustration.
But The Apothecary Diaries has built a large audience around the subtle relationship between Maomao and Jinshi. Their interactions often combine comedy, mystery, awkward romance, and misunderstandings.
As a result, even a simple illustration of the two walking together can become something fans want to analyze.
The flower held by Jinshi, Maomao’s expression, their outfits, and even the large package in her arms have all become conversation points.
The comments about them looking like a married couple are therefore best understood as fan jokes and playful interpretations, not evidence that the story has suddenly changed their relationship status.
The Apothecary Diaries Is Bigger Than Ever
Since its anime debut in 2023, The Apothecary Diaries has grown into one of the most recognizable modern mystery and historical-fantasy anime franchises.
Its appeal comes from the combination of several elements: Maomao’s unusual personality, palace intrigue, medical mysteries, detailed historical-inspired world-building, and the complicated relationship between Maomao and Jinshi.
The official Season 3 introduction states that the franchise has surpassed 57 million copies in series circulation, demonstrating how significantly the series has grown.
With Season 3, the first theatrical movie, a new console game, and multiple collaborations all arriving around the same period, the franchise is entering a particularly busy phase.
And for fans, it seems even a simple picture of Maomao carrying a package next to Jinshi is enough to start an entirely new conversation.
Final Thoughts
The new Matsukiyo Cocokara × The Apothecary Diaries collaboration has given fans two beautiful new Maomao and Jinshi illustrations—and plenty of material to joke about.
The comment “I thought they were holding a baby” may be an exaggerated fan reaction, but it perfectly captures the kind of playful speculation that follows this pair everywhere.
More importantly, the campaign arrives just weeks before Season 3 premieres on October 2, while the franchise’s first movie and first consumer game are also on the horizon.
So whether you are here for Maomao’s mysteries, Jinshi’s endless attempts to get her attention, the comedy, or the increasingly complicated story surrounding the imperial court, a lot is happening in The Apothecary Diaries right now.
And judging by the reaction to these new illustrations, fans are going to be examining every single Maomao-and-Jinshi visual along the way.
