Is The Apothecary Diaries Manga Finished?

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No — The Apothecary Diaries manga is not finished. As of 2026, the series is still ongoing across two separate manga adaptations, both based on the light novel written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touco Shino. The most widely read version, drawn by Nekokurage for Monthly Big Gangan, continues to release new chapters and remains one of the best-selling manga in Japan.

So if you’ve been worried about the story of apothecary heroine Maomao wrapping up, you can relax. Below, you’ll find which two manga versions exist, how many volumes each has reached, whether the original light novel is finished, where the anime stands, and what’s still coming for the franchise in 2026 and beyond.

Table of Contents

Is The Apothecary Diaries Manga Over?

No, The Apothecary Diaries manga is not over. Both manga adaptations are actively ongoing in 2026, with no announced ending. The popular Nekokurage version reached 16 volumes by late 2025 and keeps serializing in Monthly Big Gangan, while a second adaptation has climbed past 20 volumes — proof the story is far from done.

The manga is an adaptation, not the source, so its pace depends on the original light novel by Natsu Hyuga, which is also still running. Because that source material is ongoing and continues to add arcs around Maomao and the rear palace, neither manga is anywhere near a forced conclusion. New chapters arrive regularly.

Why Are There Two Apothecary Diaries Manga?

A point that confuses many readers: The Apothecary Diaries has two completely separate manga adaptations, both ongoing, drawn by different artists for different publishers. They tell the same core story but are distinct comics.

Here’s how the two versions break down:

  • Nekokurage version — published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan, compiled by Itsuki Nanao. This is the more popular adaptation internationally and the one most English readers know; it had reached 16 volumes by late 2025.
  • Minoji Kurata version — published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X. This adaptation runs at a faster volume pace and had passed 21 volumes by the end of 2025.

Both draw from the same light novel, so neither is “the real one.” They’re parallel adaptations, which is why the answer to “is The Apothecary Diaries manga finished” applies to two ongoing series at once, not just one.

Is The Apothecary Diaries Light Novel Finished?

The light novel — the true source material — is also not finished. Written by Natsu Hyuga with illustrations by Touco Shino, it began as a web novel in 2011 before becoming a published light novel series, and it remains ongoing with 16 volumes released as of 2025.

Notably, Hyuga once considered ending the series around volume 12 but chose to continue, expanding Maomao’s investigations and the political intrigue of the imperial court. That decision matters for the manga question: as long as the light novel keeps going, both manga adaptations have new material to draw from, so The Apothecary Diaries manga staying unfinished is a direct result of a healthy, ongoing source.

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If you want to follow Maomao’s latest cases in English before the official volumes catch up, SnowMTL offers AI-powered manga translation at snowmtl.org, making it easy to read ongoing series like The Apothecary Diaries without waiting on the print release.

Has the Anime Caught Up to the Manga?

No — the anime is well behind both the manga and the light novel. Produced by OLM and TOHO Animation Studio, the Apothecary Diaries anime aired its second season, which concluded in July 2025, and a third season is set to premiere in October 2026, with an anime film also planned for December 2026.

Because the manga and light novel are far ahead, anime-only fans have a large backlog of story still to be animated. So when people ask “is The Apothecary Diaries manga finished” out of fear that the anime might overtake it, the opposite is true: the print versions remain comfortably ahead, and the franchise is expanding on every front in 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Apothecary Diaries Manga

Is The Apothecary Diaries manga finished? No. The Apothecary Diaries manga is ongoing in 2026 across two separate adaptations, the Nekokurage version in Monthly Big Gangan and the Minoji Kurata version in Monthly Sunday Gene-X. Both are still releasing new volumes.

Why are there two Apothecary Diaries manga? Two publishers produced separate adaptations of Natsu Hyuga’s light novel. Square Enix publishes the Nekokurage version, and Shogakukan publishes the Minoji Kurata version. They share the same story but are drawn by different artists.

How many volumes does The Apothecary Diaries manga have? The Nekokurage adaptation reached 16 volumes by late 2025, while the Minoji Kurata adaptation had passed 21 volumes by the end of 2025. Both counts continue to grow as the series is ongoing.

Is The Apothecary Diaries light novel finished? No. The light novel by Natsu Hyuga, illustrated by Touco Shino, is still ongoing with 16 volumes as of 2025. The author chose to continue the series past an originally planned ending around volume 12.

Has the anime caught up to The Apothecary Diaries manga? No. The OLM anime finished its second season in July 2025, with a third season due in October 2026. Both the manga and light novel are far ahead of where the anime currently sits.

Conclusion

To settle it: The Apothecary Diaries manga is not finished. Both the Nekokurage and Minoji Kurata adaptations are ongoing in 2026, fed by Natsu Hyuga’s still-running light novel, while the OLM anime keeps expanding with a third season and a film on the way. Maomao’s story has plenty of road ahead. If you’re picking your next mystery binge, see our guide to the best mystery anime. Bookmark this page — we update it whenever new volumes or anime news drop.

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