When The Apothecary Diaries started airing in late 2023, it did not take long for it to stand out in a crowded anime season. With its deep mysteries, richly imagined historical setting, and clever, slow-burn romance, the series offered a refreshing break from the usual high-octane, action-heavy fare. It was a slow poison in the best sense, subtle but potent. The show’s sharp writing and unique heroine made it feel like something truly special, and for a while, fans hoped it might go the distance come awards season.

That is why the results of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards hit a little harder than expected. Despite being one of the most artistically and narratively well-crafted shows of the year, The Apothecary Diaries missed out on several major categories, including Best Drama and Anime of the Year. It felt like a snub, especially given how critically acclaimed and commercially successful the series had been. But amidst the disappointment, there was one award that brought solace, and that was Aoi Yuki’s much-deserved win for Best Japanese Voice Artist Performance for her portrayal of Maomao.

Aoi Yuki’s Performance Was the Beating Heart of The Apothecary Diaries

Aoi Yuki Made Maomao Unforgettable

Aoi Yuki’s performance as Maomao is not just good, it is unforgettable. From the first episode, she establishes Maomao not as a typical anime heroine but as someone eccentric, brilliant, and endearingly odd. Yuki does not overplay the character’s quirks or descend into caricature. Instead, she leans into Maomao’s dry wit, intellectual detachment, and quiet stubbornness with remarkable control. Her delivery often switches effortlessly between sardonic muttering and razor-sharp insight, capturing the full spectrum of Maomao’s personality.

What makes Yuki’s work so powerful is how deeply it aligns with the emotional undercurrents of the story. Maomao is not a character who wears her heart on her sleeve. Much of her development is internal, and her facial expressions often stay neutral even in moments of emotional impact. It is Yuki’s voice that gives Maomao her depth, adding a kind of warmth, intelligence, and curiosity that makes viewers lean in and listen closer. Without her, the entire show would lose some of its subtle power.

There is also a remarkable balance Yuki strikes between performance and restraint. In many scenes, she uses pauses, half-whispers, and controlled inflections to make Maomao feel entirely real nad like someone observing the world from a careful distance. But in rare moments of vulnerability or emotion, Yuki cracks that control just enough to make those moments land with unexpected force. That ability to calibrate emotion so precisely is rare even among veteran voice actors, and it’s part of what makes her performance award-worthy.

Why The Apothecary Diaries Deserved So Much More

The Apothecary Diaries Was the Best Drama of the Year, Period

Of course, the excellence of Aoi Yuki’s performance was just one part of what made The Apothecary Diaries so special. The anime's entire structure is unlike anything else that aired in 2023. Based on a light novel series by Natsu Hyuuga, the story blends historical intrigue with medical mysteries, all filtered through the lens of a single, fiercely intelligent maid-apothecary. It is an anime that trusts its audience to pay attention and rewards viewers with layered storytelling and long-term payoffs.

The Apothecary Diaries creates a space deeply inspired by historical China, complete with a complex palace hierarchy, social constraints, and a deeply patriarchal system that Maomao constantly navigates and subverts.

The world-building, too, was phenomenal. While many shows settle for generic fantasy settings, The Apothecary Diaries creates a space deeply inspired by historical China, complete with a complex palace hierarchy, social constraints, and a deeply patriarchal system that Maomao constantly navigates and subverts. The politics are nuanced, the mysteries are cleverly constructed, and even minor characters have their own subtle arcs. It’s a drama that’s content to be quiet, thoughtful, and challenging, and it never talks down to its viewers.

So why did it not win Best Drama or even get a nod for Anime of the Year? Part of it may come down to visibility. While The Apothecary Diaries was beloved by many, its first season did not have the same explosive hype cycles or action-heavy moments that often dominate anime discourse online. It also aired in the same year as juggernauts like Solo Leveling season 1 and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, which naturally drew more attention. But that does not mean it was any less deserving. If anything, it deserved more recognition precisely because it dared to do something different.

The Crunchyroll Awards Need to Better Recognize Subtlety

Why Slow-Burn Excellence Like The Apothecary Diaries Deserves More Recognition

The results of the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards once again raised the repeated question of whether these awards truly reflect quality, or are they just a popularity contest? While it is encouraging that Aoi Yuki’s performance was acknowledged, the broader overlook of The Apothecary Diaries shows a pattern. Shows that are quieter, slower-paced, or rooted in intricate writing often get ed over in favor of flashier, high-action spectacles. It is a frustrating trend, especially when nuanced storytelling gets sidelined.

This is not to say that shows like Solo Leveling or Frieren: Beyond Journey's End do not deserve praise, because they absolutely do, and both featured some of the best animation and direction of the year.

This is not to say that shows like Solo Leveling or Frieren: Beyond Journey's End do not deserve praise, because they absolutely do, and both featured some of the best animation and direction of the year. But the anime landscape is vast, and there should be room to celebrate different kinds of excellence. The Apothecary Diaries brought something unique to the table with its intelligence, atmosphere, and an utterly original protagonist. That kind of storytelling should have a place at the top, even if it doesn’t scream for attention.

Part of the problem might be the structure of the awards themselves. Fan voting plays a large role, and tends to favor shows with broad, ionate online communities. Meanwhile, anime like The Apothecary Diaries, which appeal more to older viewers or fans of quieter drama, don’t always get that kind of mass mobilization. It’s a shame, because it risks creating a loop where only loud, flashy series continue to dominate while understated gems get ignored.

Aoi Yuki’s Win Was a Rare Moment of Validation

Yuki’s Victory Was a Nod to What Made The Apothecary Diaries Great

In the middle of all this, Aoi Yuki’s win felt like a rare and deserved moment of validation for the show. It was a subtle acknowledgment that, yes, people noticed. Yes, someone saw the craft that went into making Maomao such an unforgettable character. Yuki is already a decorated voice actress, but her work here stands among her very best, as complex, lived-in, and endlessly listenable. It is a performance that rewards repeat viewing because there is always something new in how she delivers a line or shapes Maomao’s inner world.

Yuki’s portrayal of Maomao is thoughtful, meticulous, and dryly funny, and that is exactly what made it so real.

For longtime anime fans, it is gratifying when the industry recognizes the kind of voice work that does not rely on screaming matches or melodramatic breakdowns. Yuki’s portrayal of Maomao is thoughtful, meticulous, and dryly funny, and that is exactly what made it so real. It reminds fans that anime is not just about spectacle; it is about characters who feel lived-in and stories that unfold with care. In many ways, her performance encapsulated what made The Apothecary Diaries so distinct.

And while one award might feel small in the face of the larger snubs, it is not meaningless. Yuki’s win sends a message to other creators and performers that quiet brilliance still has a place in the spotlight. It may not have been Anime of the Year, but this one award felt like a small, well-earned victory, not just for Yuki, but for everything The Apothecary Diaries stood for.

The Apothecary Diaries Deserved the Spotlight, and Yuki Delivered It

A Small Victory for a Show That Deserved Much More

So yes, fans are still disappointed. The Apothecary Diaries deserved far more than what it received at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Its writing, world-building, and originality placed it leagues ahead of many of its competitors. It was drama at its finest, as it was sharp, layered, and refreshingly mature. Watching it get ed over was frustrating, and for fans of the series, it likely felt like a gut punch. But Aoi Yuki’s win was a bright spot in the fog, a moment of recognition that reminded viewers why they loved the show in the first place.

In an industry where vocal performances are sometimes treated as secondary to visuals, Yuki’s nuanced portrayal of Maomao stood out as a masterclass in character work. She did not just voice a character, she embodied a personality, a worldview, a woman who was brilliant, sarcastic, and entirely her own. That level of artistry deserves more than a single trophy, but even one is better than none.

Hopefully, the success of The Apothecary Diaries and Yuki’s well-earned recognition will pave the way for more anime that challenge the norm and stories that whisper instead of shout, that think instead of explode. And maybe next year, fans will see more awards reflecting that kind of quiet brilliance. Until then, fans will keep watching, rewatching, and recommending. Because shows like The Apothecary Diaries might not win every award, but they win something even more important in their lasting respect.