The Apothecary Diaries has plenty of wonderful characters. Keeping Maomao and Jinshi aside, characters like Gaoshun, Lihua, Gyokuyo, Lishu, and others have stolen the show. But even amongst them, Xiaolan is an especially beloved one.
Xiaolan is a literal child with a heart of gold. She unexpectedly became friends with Maomao, and ever since then, her appearances have been loved by the audience. She brings the kind of brightness to the anime that it severely needs after its bouts of seriousness.
The Apothecary Diaries fans can’t let go of their favorite character
Xiaolan is technically Maomao’s best friend. Ever since she debuted, every appearance of hers has been a delight. She was sold off as a child, and despite her tragic predicament, she has not lost even a bit of her optimism. She is always grateful for having a place to stay and for the food she receives.
Unfortunately, in the latest episode of The Apothecary Diaries, her contract with the Inner Palace ended. She had already earned a letter of recommendation from another consort. Thus, she leaves for her next job as a house servant and takes a permanent leave from the series. She has a safe future ahead of her, far away from the scheming and planning of the palace.
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Needless to say, fans are not happy with their favorite girl leaving the show. She was a ray of sunshine in Maomao’s mystery-filled and often dangerous world. She brought some much-needed relief and fluffiness to the plot as well. Thus, fans demand that the series bring forth more appearances of the character.
Xiaolan deserves much more than a spinoff
Fans demand Xiaolan to be brought back | Credits: OLM x Toho
At this juncture, The Apothecary Diaries has given Xiaolan a spinoff to make sure that fans are satisfied. In fact, there are plenty of aspects that can be focused on. There’s a lot about her life that fans currently don’t know and would love to find out. After all, she was only a side character in the entire show and only appeared for a limited time.
Related: ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Narrowly Saves Maomao From Being an Average Pick-Me Girl
To begin with, Xiolan’s past is still obscure. Why did her parents sell her off? How did she reach the Inner Palace? How much did she struggle? These questions can easily be answered with the spinoff. Additionally, Xiolan’s POV would be much appreciated since she goes through traumatizing events and still manages to maintain her smile.
Thankfully, Big Gangan has already announced the serialization of a spinoff based on Xiaolan. The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Memoirs will focus on the POV of Maomao’s bestie. Nasu Hyuga is writing the series, and it has already begun serialization on March 23, 2025.
Additionally, the spinoff could even concentrate on Xiolan’s life outside the palace. The show can portray how life has changed for her outside the Inner Palace. It can also show how she is coping with her new job and whether she still meets with her friends from the palace, notably Maomao. But her character is so warm-hearted and welcoming that there is a constant fear that a spinoff might not be able to do her justice.
The Apothecary Diaries anime is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
