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The Apothecary Diaries Season 2: Episode 23 FULL LENGTH Reaction! (Patreon)

Published:
2025-07-02 13:00:10
Edited:
2026-10-19 04:36:33
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*THEATRICAL HEADPHONE WARNINGS* This is easily one of the best episodes of the season and fits the penultimate vibes - the Shi Clan are def

*THEATRICAL HEADPHONE WARNINGS*

This is easily one of the best episodes of the season and fits the penultimate vibes - the Shi Clan are definitely 100% theatrical and here to go out with a BANG!

Loulan takes center stage but the weaving of exposition, animation, and emotions made this a helluva episode and reminds me why I love talking about this series and why I get so excited to watch it!

LINK TO REACTION: https://pixeldrain.com/u/zZRd2Zv8

Thank you for watching with me and for all the support!

Files

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2: Episode 23 Reaction! THE SHI CLAN!?

LINK TO REACTION: https://pixeldrain.com/u/zZRd2Zv8 **THEATRICAL HEADPHONE WARNINGS** This is easily one of the best episodes of the season and fits the penultimate vibes - the Shi Clan are definitely 100% theatrical and here to go out with a BANG! Loulan takes center stage but the weaving of exposition, animation, and emotions made this a helluva episode and reminds me why I love talking about this series and why I get so excited to watch it! Thank you for watching with me and for all the support! #romaniablack #apothecarydiaries #apothecarydiariesreaction #apothecarydiariesseason2 #theapothecarydairies Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RomaniaBlack My Anime: https://myanimelist.net/profile/RomaniaBlack Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/RomaniaBlack You can mail me a letter or anything (except food, please) at this address: Romania Black PO Box 768 Harrisburg, IL 62946 USA

Comments

C.Davis

I have some thoughts on Loulan's ability to survive. I don't know if any of this will prove to be relevant, but here we go: Early flintlock Pistols were poor weapons in reality. 1. They were extremely inaccurate and soldiers were trained to aim center mass. (It would have taken them more shots to hit). 2. They had very low muzzle velocity even compared to flintlock rifles. Jinishi being able to deflect the ball without breaking or even damaging his sword shows this. 3. The musket balls were made of fairly soft lead and would break apart when hitting anything hard, even bone. 4. Layered armor consisting of metal and padding could stop shot from early flintlocks. So, if we go of historical equivalents, how hard would it have been for Loulan to have a chain mail shirt and padding under her somewhat bulky, loose-fitting clothing? We know she hoped to survive by what she said when handing the note to Jinshi. Is it really a big stretch she would have a backup plan to give her a chance of survival if she could not use the note to survive? I freeze-framed where she got shot. The hole is dark grey and , as you said, no blood shows on the clothing even though it takes awhile for her to fall. Also, we see bits of clothing going outward from the impact. If the bullet simply penetrates, it will take the cloth into the would. This killed more people through infection then the actually damage done by the lead ball. If the ball hits something that stops it, then it makes sense to see cloth being ejected outward from the impact. The fall could be survived. I know this for a fact, unfortunately. I fell off a 20 foot roof at the age of 19. I had bruised ribs and a mild concussion. My friend Scott survived a 50 foot fall with a broken leg and cracked rib (Sadly, he survived getting lit on fire after that but then died in a car crash at 22. He had nothing but bad luck). Typical castle walls are 20-30 feet and towers 30-40 feet. So, I know its possible. So, as far as Loulan and the kids surviving cheapening Loulan's character, but wouldn't it fit her character this season? She plays the villain, but isn't actually a villain through 22 episodes, even this one to a degree. If she dies totally the Villain, then it goes against how she has been built up all season as someone who is playing a role. There is also the promise with Maomao, as you mentioned. I understand your point of view, but sit on the other side of the discussion. Those are just my thoughts before we find out next week.

Rose Jennison

I can see where you’re coming from about the kids possibly surviving, but I am hoping that Loulan did use the resurrection drug to try and save them. I feel like that would fit with her character and what she’s said about insects leaving their children behind, and how she wants everyone to take responsibility for what they have done. And I think all her actions concerning her parents keeps her plenty dark even if the kids do survive. That’s just my opinion, of course. But I do wonder why Loulan wouldn’t just tell MaoMao that’s what she did, considering it was just the two of them there. 🤔 As for Shishou and Shenmei, this episode had me comparing them to Jiang Fengmian and Madame Yu in some ways. Madame Yu and Shenmei both had to much pride and bitterness in them, and Fengmian and Shishou were both too passive, and that combo had very bad results for their respective children and later the world as a whole. Thanks for the video! Truly a wild episode, and your analysis added to my enjoyment of it.

Will

Anime only here but Loulan is dead. No more Loulan. Jinshi said it himself, that was the last time he saw Loulan. We will never hear the name Loulan again! 😉😉😉

Will

I'm anime only so these crazy mutterings are my thoughts only. My interpretation of Shishou is that he wasn't trying to gather the rot. He just stood idle while Shenmei did whatever she wanted. But he played the part like Loulan asked him to in order to maybe save Suirei. I think Shenmei's plan was to have Loulan birth a son from the Emperor, kill all other potential babies, kill Jinshi to remove one more obstacle to the throne and then kill the Emperor once Loulan's son was able to take over. I'm not even sure that Shishou was aware of her plan, other than Loulan becoming a high ranking concubine. As for Loulan saving the kids and possibly surviving, I think it fits her character as a tanuki. Everything she does is fake. Loulan isn't even a real persona. But Loulan did try to die and I think she succeeded. But I think Maomao also succeeded in saving Shisui. Loulan is dead, Shisui survives (maybe?)

C.Davis

We don't know that yet either though. There may be a reveal one way or another next episode as it has not aired yet. I wish i could see the future and know, but, if I could see the future, I would win the lottery and not use the ability prognosticate an anime story line lol.

Be Happy

I think what William meant is that they think Weather she died or survived, the personna of Loulan is definitely gone …

C.Davis

Good point, it's so easy to misread something just in text. After all, like 90 percent of communication is nonverbal. Thanks for pointing that out :)

Be Happy

You re welcome 🤗

romaniablack

Yeah, I guess it’s like you said - the fact that they “fake out” the audience by making us think that Loulan is heartless when it was really her saving them - I agree with you on the symbolism, but yeah, it feels like it’s just “jerking the audience” around and that makes me frown at the author. And kind of see behind the curtain because it’s like, “Oh, you’re going to have MaoMao find out later and be like, ‘oh what a good person Loulan actually was’ and maybe I wanted to be more surprised by it…it’s hard for me to articulate why it makes me grumbly, haha!! I appreciate you offering this view, though! Ooohhhh, I can 100% see the connection to Madame Yu and FengMian – except that while Madame Yu was abusive, she DID care about her kids and protected them until the end and didn’t treat them like dolls – Madame Yu is a much more redeemable character to me than Shenmei, but that’s just my opinion. Thank you for the comment and kind words! One more to goooo!

romaniablack

I appreciate you noting your anime only as well! Thank you!! I agree with you totally that Shishou was letting Shenmei do what she wanted – it sure was RISKY for what Loulan wanted, though, and her saying in the episode “we’re not that smart” – maybe that explains why they did the risk. I just want the best for Suirei, so if it works, I’m down for that – girl has suffered for no reason! I think I talked about it in a previous discussion but I thought that plan was a scenario as well from Shenmei’s perspective and Loulan was like, “No, I don’t want to have kids. Ciao!” 😛 That is true that Loulan is just the persona – I get the “symbolism” around it but it just…ehhh…I have a lot of thoughts about it but it is what it is. Thanks for sharing your comment and kind words!

romaniablack

I appreciate you trying to justify Loulan’s ability to survive – I mean, this is an anime, and they’ve taken some liberties that aren’t 100% realistic, but it’s fun to learn about the pistols! :D I feel your explanation was like Charlie’s “Pepe Silvia” board from It’s Always Sunny! 😀 I don’t personally think she has a chainmail shirt, though. I think the bullet might have hit the pin, as unlikely in real life as that is. That sucks about you falling 20 feet – I can see the snow or what not breaking the fall – so that could make sense. I can see the symbolism – I think for me it’s what her and the children living “overall” means to the story and the “stakes” of the story, which makes me a little disheartened because I thought it was going to go *way* darker than it apparently is going to go in some aspects. I appreciate you sharing your point of view – I think my issue isn’t what it does to Loulan’s character but that it’s saying, “Don’t worry - your favorites aren’t REALLY going to die in this show” and that was something I thought the series was going to not do but it is what it is and I’ll just have to accept that lack of stakes in the show moving forward. Thanks for the comment - let’s see what the final episode gives us!

C.Davis

Actually, for me, I never feared any of my favorites would die after about midway through the first season. To me, the kids are more a footnote (I say this clinically, not to be weirdly cold about it) than a favorite. It they are dead, it would be sad and kinda dark, but will be fitting with a high level of realism. If they live, it's proof positive that "If the author doesn't kill off these minor characters, they are not going to kill off a major character" line of thought. We will see how it wraps up. I guess part of me is rooting for Loulan to survive. Loulan was dealt a terrible hand in life: she had a tyrant for a mother, a weak father but cunning father, a sister she loved and was loved in return, but she had to watch be abused, and forced to become the emperor's concubine which meant that would be all she was for the rest of her days until she was too old to care about. I know what generally happens to people dealt those kinds of hands in real life, there end is generally as bad as their life if not worse. If all are dead like it seems to be likely at the end of episode 23, then her life will have ended worse. In my fiction, I generally prefer it to be a little rosier than real life. I will be hoping for a less sad end to things when I watch the final episode Wednesday morning. We shall see which way it goes!!

romaniablack

I'm definitely a "happy ending" person for sure! I just had braced myself for the tone shift with this series, but it looks like that won't be the case, so I just have to adjust and accept it. But that's just me! Thanks!

C.Davis

I just wanted to add, it's so much fun discussing the anime and hearing what other people think! Thanks Romania :)

romaniablack

Thank you -- I feel bad being different in my opinions sometimes than the majority, so I'm glad you all are on board hearing me out!