Season 3 of Kusuriya is off to a really strong start, no question about it. This is a very good for the series to be in – low-key, observational, witty in a dry way. Chou-u adds an intriguing element to the mix that’s unlike anything pre-existing, and the underlying storyline for the season is being laid out in a very unhurried fashion. It’s a reminder of how good this show can be at its best, how strong Maomao is as a lead, and what a stupendous seiyuu Aoi Yuuki is.
It’s fascinating – though not necessarily pleasant – to watch Maomao try and fill the role of guardian for Chuo-u. So far it’s more or less as you’d expect. She takes the “protector” element seriously and shows little interest in the emotional responsibility. Clearly she takes after the Madam more than Luomen, among her own parental figures. One would like to see growth from her in this respect, but at the moment what we’re getting is very much in-character for the Maomao we know. She’s an exceedingly practical girl who’s afraid of her own emotions.
As such, when Chuo-u is cold, she accepts her responsibility to get him some better clothes. Where this gets really interesting is on their shopping trip, where we see her slide into the role of teacher – one that comes pretty naturally to her. Chuo-u is clever and curious and at the “sponge” age, so she has opportunities in this respect. When the vendor at the (used) cloth stall starts into a tall tale about the garment of a “heavenly maiden”, Chuo-u eats it up even as Maomao analyzes it. And in the aftermath seizes on it as both an opportunity to save some money and to teach the lad a lesson about both people and science.
One thing we know from experience with The Apothecary Diaries is that there are no coincidences, so the whole story about the girl from the West, the secret language, and the faked death is surely going to be relevant going forward. For now Maomao spins the “fire rat” cloak into a wardrobe for Chuo-u (which he chooses to wear home all at once) and a cautionary note about taking things at face value. She files away the story for later reference as she always does, and it seems very likely to eventually link up with the locust plague storyline.
At this point Jinshi finally enters the story. He bears the scar from the (ridiculous) S2 finale, and it’s eliciting a lot of tongue-wagging on the streets. Maomao meets with him to request the procurement of the other insect guide from Shi, convinced it must still be at the ruined stronghold. Jinshi doesn’t need to be convinced about the dangers of an insect plague for the Emperor – he’s no fool. But he is exhausted, something Maomao obviously notices, and takes it on herself to force him to get some sleep. Something he’ll have an easier time doing at Verdigris, away from the demands of his office.
This last scene is both funny and fascinating. Maomao is very much in that “how much does she understand” mode here. She is a bit emotionally stunted but someone as smart as Maomao has to get that Jinshi is into her, sorry. I 100% believe she knew what he was getting at with the whole “sleep alone” thing. And that makes the courtesan setup effectively a troll by her. But Maomao is such an odd duck that it adds a fun uncertainty to their relationship. If Jinshi had been quicker on his feet he’d have answered the “type” question with “snarky, short, and smart” but hey, he is exhausted. In the end he at least gets a good night’s sleep out of it, so that’s a win for both of them.
