The Apothecary Diaries: Episode 6 FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2024-08-21 13:00:04 +0000 UTC*CULTIVATED HEADPHONE WARNINGS*
Oh ho ho, if Episode 4 taught us anything, it's not to make MaoMao mad -- and if Episode 6 teaches us more: Don't threaten MaoMao with a good time!
MaoMao's desire to work with poison gets satisfied this episode, as some nefarious plots seem to be underway, but Jinshi may have his work cut out for him, in attempting to protect MaoMao, who despite her dangerous addiction, seems to be able to hold her own! Gaoshun, you have my sympathies!
LINK TO REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/V3MBAwQpEm9ZNqWyQmuxNg?
Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!
Comments
MaoMao is collecting hairpins like pokemon badges! And yes, I like that they are bringing to light how serious and scary some of these conditions were back then! And yes, AnimeAnnie always gives some great comments with this series! MaoMao definitely has tunnel vision sometimes – she’s like a basset hound on the scent/trail and ignores all the “unimportant” details, haha!! But yes, that makes her endearing! Thank you for the comment!
Romaniablack
2024-08-27 03:42:11 +0000 UTCI like that idea of the female roles being more “challenging” for Zai Tao! And yeah, I like how formalities are more “encouraged and scorned if done improperly” rather than the more…harsh treatments in earlier times! Anyway, I’m definitely looking forward to the nuggets of information to talk about with this book in upcoming episodes – the conditions for eunuchs were DEFINITELY nothing to take lightly. Ahhh, and the silk being bad insulation makes a LOT of sense! And hahaha, the comparison to “club outfits” in winter is a good one! The campus I went to college at had a major wind tunnel and in winter it was dreadful, so I feel for them in this episode! AHH! I am horrible at remembering the ladies in waiting except HongMian but Yinghua is so fiery and fun! I love that they dote on MaoMao like the “gently holds” meme, but in reality MaoMao is #boss on Lihua’s entire staff! 😀 The VA for MaoMao is fantastic, I agree! I love that she’s so into poison, despite how it makes me want to protect her! Yeah, probably good Jinshi didn’t see that face she made! And yes, the show is wanting us to wonder about those darn wooden tablets! YES 10000% to your note about the age thing with how it’s portrayed! I swear, I love how this show presents these topics to the viewer! And ah, that part about covering up to hide the freckles makes more sense now! For us the audience, I think it’s the anime “Sailor Moon Effect” where we’re like, “But you look the same” but in the reality of the show, there’s a difference, so that helps! OH my gosh, I can SO relate to the family trees in the country note – I had two people on my speech team in college that I found out were cousins with me, even though we all lived in different towns and the dating scene is SO worrisome because I can wonder, “Are we related” often. I’m all for falling down the rabbit hole with research for this series, though! Thank you so much for the comment and kind words! SO excited for the weeks to come with the series!
Romaniablack
2024-08-25 14:31:49 +0000 UTCAhhh, that would make sense! Thank you for the comment!
Romaniablack
2024-08-25 12:21:34 +0000 UTCMaomao's rolling in them hairpins now! Haha. Crazy and so much fun, then it quickly turned very serious once again to explain what today is simply know as food allergies. I enjoy the way they portray modern medical conditions and illnesses in more ancient times. A lot of great insights from Anime Annie, it'll be fun to read your thoughts to those! It was also funny how the other ladies in waiting wanted so desperately to gossip and tell Maomao about the "secret meaning of the hairpin" and Maomao is just like yeah, I don't care, moving on. Hahaha. Sometimes Maomao's blinders when she's focused in on an objective are so funny the way they just leave others shocked. But that's what we love about her!
L Freya
2024-08-24 14:16:03 +0000 UTCMaomao puts her hand over the place where her freckles would be, I think this is so that they can recognize her
William Pina
2024-08-23 17:03:11 +0000 UTCThe update on Sun Yaoting did make me think of Shakespearean plays and how back when Shakespeare was writing and producing them men filled the roles of both male and female parts. There wasn't any law in England back then that restricted women from acting on stage (as they were restricted from other things) but it was just a traditional thing done back then (and I believe can date back to Ancient Greek history). I do find it interesting though when an actor says they prefer roles for their opposite gender. Perhaps there was more freedom within female characters than male characters, or such roles felt more challenging for Zai Tao. Imperial etiquette for eunuchs though definitely seems like it was a lot and terrifying to get right because of how serious the repercussions could be. The British monarchy have modernised somewhat but there is still some "proper etiquette" that is supposed to be observed when serving or meeting them. Thankfully no-one's hauled off to the Tower and summarily executed for not following the etiquette anymore, just politely snubbed a little if you don't 😂 More layers typically would help but it depends on what material the layers are made of. I believe their undergarments (where Maomao sewed the pocket) would have been made of cotton, so the heat from the stones would give them a slight barrier from the cold. But if the other layers on top were not made from a material that is good at retaining heat then they'd still definitely feel the chill. As far as I'm aware the main material for such formal garments in Ancient China would have been silk. Nice fabric, but definitely not great for insulating you from the cold too much. Honestly makes me think of seeing young women going clubbing in short dresses in the middle of winter here 🥶😆 The Last Airbender references made me giggle! The colour combination though was so fitting for that. Also yes the garden party is very open with just some cloth barriers to create a more enclosed feeling. The only issue with that is, depending on the location, said barriers could instead create a sort of wind tunnel and lead to them all feeling even more cold. Thankfully with how the characters look that doesn't seem to be the case for those enjoying the banquet, but the poor ones in the background behind said barriers don't seem to be getting any kind of shelter. I think Yinghua may be favourite of Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting just because of her energy (she's also the one that was getting all fired up thinking about the event in the previous episode). How caring and protective she is with Maomao is so sweet. But it really is funny the miscommunication between all the ladies-in-waiting and Maomao being this hard-done-by, abused and bullied kid 😂 Especially after learning that there was more than just the slap and Maomao bossing them into doing chores when she was caring for Consort Lihua. The scene of Maomao tasting the poison is so beautifully done! 😍 But like you I love the face she makes when subtly threatening Consort Lishu's lady-in-waiting/food taster. Also Yuuki Aoi, her seiyuu, does an amazing job at delivering her lines. It shows Maomao as the right amount of serious and threatening, but also compassionate for someone in the same role as her. Also, once again, she doesn't tell her suppositions to Jinshi. She did not see nor is there any evidence that Maomao knows of that it was the food taster who switched Consort Lishu and Consort Gyokuyou's dishes. Just gotta hit you with the reminder of the underlying unresolved plot point in the form of the wooden tablets 😂 But honestly its so mean of them to remind you of it right as the episode ends with no further information. In regards to the age thing I'm definitely one of these ones that think it should be called out for not being right, though I do accept that it is being historically accurate. Considering Maomao's reaction to both the age the Empress Dowager was when she gave birth and when she learned Lady Lishu (at only 9) became the previous Emperor's concubine, I do feel like once again the show portrays this kind of thing well. It's not pretending like that kind of thing didn't happen back then, but it also isn't painting it in a light that tries to make it be considered "acceptable" by the viewer. Someone might have explained already but Maomao's hand gesture was to cover the part of her face where her freckles were. Neither of Consort Lihua's ladies-in-waiting could recognise Maomao standing right there, and it was only by covering that part and then making the same kind of face she made when she was staying with them at the Crystal Pavilion that the one girl then twigged who she was. Yeah family trees in the country can get a little bit iffy. One of my great aunts was raised by her second aunts and never told about my Nanny and their siblings, and they in turn were told she'd passed away with their mother a few days after childbirth. It only got revealed when my great aunt started dating a man she'd met at a dance hall...because said man was actually her older brother. Though it not only happens in the country here thanks to Northern Ireland being so small; accidentally dated a guy who was cousins with my oldest cousins but we weren't related because it was on my cousins' Dad's side of the family and they were my cousins from their Mum's side 😅 You are like me when I get the research bug of falling down the rabbit hole 😂 It's so easy done, and then you come to the end and go "how the heck did I end up here?!" 😆 Wu Zetian definitely sounds like a boss b*tch though!
Anime Annie
2024-08-22 19:52:23 +0000 UTC
