How this anime turned SUS LORE into character depth

What’s the biggest flex a series can do?
I know. Take a sus piece of lore, turn it into legit meaningful world-building, and get away with it. And that’s exactly what The Apothecary Diaries did.

The novel came out way earlier, sure—but when the anime dropped in 2023, an era when everything's either left, right, or invisible. Lmao.

And everyone’s just like:
“Of course king.”

Series: The Apothecary Diaries / Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

[deviancepurplehaze]

Fun fact: The emperor kept consort Lishu not for himself but for Lishu own safety. A very wholesome guy!

[fan_iulianaberegoi]

I love the fact that across the episodes, as lady gyoukyou's daughter grows up the emperor visits lady gyoukyou often to check up on the princess. He IS a good and caring man, he just has tastes (understandably)

[SingingSealRiana]

His mother was 10 and pretty torn up which traumatised him, so his preference is for women with the usuall fertility hints who are percived as especially equiped for a childbirth that's as riskless as possible.
He still has a big age difference with his daighters mother (35 to 19) but given the time and standards thats pretty decent, he cares for his wifes and kids health and also plain spends time with them to play with his, for enheritance worthless, kid.
Also a good point, he first married a very strongwilled a year older woman and intended on her being the only one, before she lost ability to bare children, making that impossible...
He still greatly respects her.

Of cause he is quite a bit shady, there is no way to rule and not be shady, but given his circumstances he is mostly decent

[cosmok-]

In other words, the current emperor is a man of culture.

[thalia]

For context, MaoMao solved an ancient puzzle that he couldn't, so one of the trusted menon the emperor susggested the the emperor take MaoMao as a concubine (because she's highly intelligent like th 1st empress... the1st empress had designed the puzzle.
The emperor said no, because she would need ~13cm more around her chest... he called her flat!!!
Though I personally think it's mostly because he can tell Jinshi likes her

[aptom]

He banned the creation of eunuchs, allowed the education of girls and allowed Maomao to act as an apothecary, generally exiles rather than executes most of the villains of the show. Guy is basically a paragon of virtue for the time period depicted.

[ednamde-icrdbl]

fun fact: he never touch lishu, the reason he took her in as a concubine is to protect her also he see lishu as his child and waiting for lishu's love of her life to come <3

[PerfectPride]

The emperor is A+. I keep expecting him to be an antagonist but he’s actually a pretty good guy. Plus he’s hot. 😂

[erfanthered]

The previous Emperor liked eating unripe grapes while the current one prefers the taste of large and juicy Watermelons.

[nt]

Spoiler….

Emperor loves and respects his family/people. Probable main reason for increased age gap between Ah Duo and his other wives/concubines is Emperor initially refused to marry anyone else but Ah Duo who is a year older than him, and he also wanted Imperial Brother as his heir.

Ah Duo and Empress Dowager Anshi wanted him to take more concubines since Ah Duo cant get pregnant anymore. Imperial Brother does not want to be emperor. Since it’s inevitable he takes in concubines, he went for those more mature physique/mentality.

He only took in Lishu (who is like his and Ah Duo’s surrogate child) as a concubine to protect her from remarriage to a governor with same PDF tendencies as late emperor.

Sometimes I think Lihua and Gyokouyo reminds him of Ah Duo. Warm, smart, dedicated and extremely gorgeous. Though Ah Duo is more of an equal in terms of mentality since they can speak more freely and she can be a tsundere like Maomao.

[hirahiro]

He just like big...hearts! Its to make his big...heart.

[Celeste-jhlj]

I noticed this as well and it's honestly a relief. Considering his mother was a child when she had him he probably saw the damage the previous emperor caused with his... Tastes... As he grew and didn't want any part of it. So far I like this emperor

[detroyes]

So what you are saying is, the Emperor enjoys overseeing huge... tracts of land?

[arashiuchiha]

The current emperor likes his wine finely aged.

[evisaragih]

If you watch many chinese drama inspired by real dynasty, you will know that the emperor here is pretty good. He still love Lingli eventho she’s ‘just’ a daughter. I mean, usually emperor like him will ignore their daughters coz they wouldn’t inherit the throne. He didn’t wary against jinshi and even want him to be the crown prince. Usually, emperors like him feared that their successor will usurp their throne.
So, yeah. He’s a pretty decent guy and good ruler.

[hoytrichardson]

Seems the Emperor gravitates to bigger things than his predecessor.

[sumertaagus]

the current emperor is TOTALLY BASED & CULTURED MAN🫡

[PhantmGams]

He like like WOMEN! Curvy in the best spots women.

[tjjordan]

The guy is pretty fair and kind to the women who are part of his royal court. Compared to other rulers, he ranks pretty high as being the best among them.

[TopazToken]

basically if you didn't get it the last emperor would fit in with the diddy disciples, and the current likes the things that make you go holy moly guacamoly oogly boogly ooga booga cha ooh ooh ahh ahh (diddy in 2025 🥀🥀🥀🐟)
(seriously tho its april how hasnt there been a big pdf yet, 2024 had one for each month until like september)