No. The Apothecary Diaries light novel is still ongoing. Natsu Hyuuga has published 16 volumes in Japan as of May 2025, and the story shows no signs of wrapping up. J-Novel Club handles the English translation and has kept pace, with all 16 volumes available in English. The web novel that the series is based on is also still running.
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TL;DR
- No, The Apothecary Diaries is not finished. 16 volumes in Japan as of May 2025, ongoing. The web novel is also still running.
- All 16 volumes are available in English. J-Novel Club has kept pace with translation.
- The story shows no signs of wrapping up. Natsu Hyuuga is actively writing.
- Season 3 of the anime is likely. The source material is well ahead of the adaptation.
This is one of those series where “ongoing” is good news. Hyuuga keeps the mystery-of-the-week format fresh, the overarching political plot is getting more layered with each volume, and the franchise is too massive for the publisher to rush an ending. Season 3 of the anime is already confirmed for October 2026. This series isn’t going anywhere.
More about Apothecary Diaries
- Apothecary Diaries Light Novel Reading Order
- Apothecary Diaries Light Novel Review
- Apothecary Diaries: Light Novel vs Anime
- Apothecary Diaries: Manga vs Anime Differences
Current Status
The Apothecary Diaries light novel launched in 2014 under Shufunotomo’s Hero Bunko imprint. Sixteen volumes are out in Japan. The release schedule has been roughly two volumes per year, though Hyuuga sometimes takes longer gaps between books. Volume 16 dropped in May 2025.
There has been zero indication that the series is ending soon. The political conspiracies in the later volumes are expanding, not contracting. New factions, new mysteries, new complications for Maomao. When a light novel author starts wrapping up, you see threads getting tied off. Hyuuga is doing the opposite. She keeps introducing characters and plot elements that need resolution.
For my full thoughts on the series, check out my comparison of the light novel vs manga.
How Many Volumes Are There?
Japanese: 16 volumes (Vol 1: 2014, Vol 16: May 2025). About two volumes per year on average, but the schedule isn’t rigid.
English: J-Novel Club has published all 16 volumes digitally. Square Enix also started releasing physical print editions in May 2024 for people who want the books on their shelf. The English translation is essentially caught up with Japan, which is rare. Most light novel series have a multi-year gap between JP and EN releases. J-Novel Club’s prepublication model lets them translate volumes almost in real-time.
This is a genuine advantage of picking up the series now. You don’t have to wait for translations. When Volume 17 drops in Japan, the English version won’t be far behind.
The Web Novel Is Still Going Too
The Apothecary Diaries started as a web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou back in October 2011. That’s right, the source material predates the light novel by three years. The web novel is still being updated by Hyuuga, and it’s well ahead of where the light novel currently sits.
Before the light novel adaptation, Shufunotomo published a condensed single-volume novel version in 2012, with illustrations by Megumi Matsuda. That version is basically a curiosity at this point. The light novel is the definitive version in print, with Touko Shino’s illustrations and expanded content.
The web novel being ahead of the light novel means we have a rough idea of where the story goes. Hyuuga does change things between the web novel and light novel versions, but the general trajectory stays similar. Without spoiling anything: there’s a lot of story left. The political landscape gets significantly more complex, and Maomao’s personal history becomes a much bigger deal.
What About the Manga?
There are actually two manga adaptations running simultaneously, which confuses people constantly.
The Square Enix version (by Nekokurage, serialized in Monthly Big Gangan): 16 volumes in Japanese, licensed in English by Square Enix. This is the one most Western readers know. The art is gorgeous and the pacing is tight. It’s a legitimate way to experience the story if you don’t want to read the light novel. For the differences between them, I wrote a full comparison.
The Shogakukan version (by Minoji Kurata, serialized in Monthly Sunday Gene-X): 21 volumes in Japanese. Viz Media announced an English release starting Q4 2026. This adaptation has a different art style and pacing. It follows the light novel more closely in some areas.
There’s also a new spinoff manga, The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Story, that started in March 2025 on Manga Up! It tells the story from Xiaolan’s perspective. None of these manga adaptations are ahead of the light novel. They’re all adapting existing LN content.
What About the Anime?
The anime is what brought most Western fans to this series, and it’s not slowing down either.
- Season 1 (October 2023–March 2024, 24 episodes): Covered roughly Volumes 1-4 of the light novel
- Season 2 (January–July 2025, 24 episodes): Continues the story through approximately Volumes 5-7
- Season 3 (October 2026, split cour): First cour October 2026, second cour April 2027. Confirmed and in production.
- Film (December 2026): An original story written by Hyuuga herself. Not a recap movie.
The anime has been a phenomenon. It was produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, streaming on Crunchyroll worldwide. The fact that Season 3 was announced immediately after Season 2 finished, plus a theatrical film, tells you everything about how the franchise is performing commercially.
If you want to know what the anime changes from the source material, I covered that in my Apothecary Diaries anime vs manga breakdown.
How Much Story Is Left?
Hard to say precisely because the web novel is ongoing. But based on the web novel’s progression and how much plot Hyuuga has set up in the light novel, I’d estimate we’re somewhere around the halfway point. Maybe 60% through. The court politics escalate significantly in the later web novel chapters, and several major character arcs haven’t reached their resolution yet.
Maomao’s backstory, her relationship with Jinshi, the power struggles between the various palace factions, her father’s situation. All of these have been building since Volume 1 and none are fully resolved at Volume 16. Hyuuga is patient. She plants seeds early and lets them grow for multiple volumes before paying them off.
If I had to guess, we’re looking at 25–30 volumes total. But that’s speculation based on web novel pacing, and Hyuuga could always compress or expand arcs in the light novel version.
Should You Start Reading Now?
Absolutely. Here’s why an ongoing status works in this series’ favor:
The Apothecary Diaries isn’t one continuous plot where you need all the volumes to get satisfaction. Each volume contains self-contained mystery cases while advancing the larger political story. You can read Volume 1 and feel like you got a complete experience. That’s rare in light novels, where most series are structured so that individual volumes feel incomplete without the next one.
Sixteen volumes is already a substantial amount of content. That’s probably 80+ hours of reading. And the English translation is caught up, so you won’t hit a wall where you’re stuck waiting for translations.
I reviewed Volumes 1 and 2 individually if you want a taste of what you’re getting into. The short version: Volume 1 is one of the strongest opening volumes in any light novel I’ve read. Maomao is an immediately compelling protagonist. If the first 50 pages don’t hook you, nothing will.
FAQ
Is the Apothecary Diaries light novel complete?
No. The series is ongoing with 16 volumes published in Japan as of May 2025. The English translation by J-Novel Club is caught up. No ending has been announced.
How many Apothecary Diaries light novels are there?
16 volumes in the main light novel series. There are also two manga adaptations (16 volumes from Square Enix, 21 volumes from Shogakukan) and the original web novel.
Is the Apothecary Diaries web novel finished?
No. The web novel on Shousetsuka ni Narou has been running since October 2011 and is still being updated. It’s ahead of the light novel in terms of story progression.
When does the next Apothecary Diaries volume come out?
Volume 17’s Japanese release date hasn’t been announced yet. Based on Hyuuga’s typical pace of roughly two volumes per year, it could arrive in late 2025 or early 2026.
Will there be an Apothecary Diaries Season 3?
Yes. Season 3 was confirmed to premiere in October 2026 as a split-cour series, with the second part airing in April 2027. An animated film with an original story by Hyuuga is also set for December 2026.
Should I read the light novel if I’ve only watched the anime?
Yes. The light novel has significantly more detail in its mystery solutions and deeper political context. Maomao’s internal monologue adds a lot that the anime can’t capture. Season 1 covered Volumes 1-4, and Season 2 goes through roughly Volumes 5-7, so you can start at Volume 8 if you want to continue where the anime left off. Though I’d recommend starting from Volume 1 for the full experience.