Japanese Entertainment is NO LIMIT! PHASE TWO OF “UNIVERSAL COOL JAPAN 2025” REVEALED First-ever Collaboration with Hit Animation Series! UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN × The Apothecary Diaries Join “Maomao” and “Jinshi” in a Super Real Experience!! | News

Universal Studios Japan is currently holding “Universal Cool Japan 2025” throughout the year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its special “Universal Cool Japan” event. In the second phase of the event, we are pleased to announce our first collaboration with the hit animated film, “The Apothecary Diaries,” which is currently airing (Season 2 will begin on January 10, 2025). The attraction will be open for a limited time from Tuesday July 1st, 2025, to Sunday January 4th, 2026, offering a Super Realistic experience with the main characters “Maomao” and “Jinshi”.

The smash hit series, “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” (“The Apothecary Diaries”) has sold over 40 million copies and is beloved by people of all ages for its poignant heroine character of “Maomao” who takes on difficult cases, with authentic mystery and drama spun out in the palace court. The first season of the anime attracted a great deal of attention immediately after its broadcast, ranking first in total TVer views among new anime programs which led to the series winning the “TVer Award 2023” Special Award. Its popularity is not limited to the Japanese market, and the series is an entertainment brand that attracts attention from around the world, as evidenced by the 3,400 North American fans who gathered at Anime Expo 2024, the largest anime convention in North America, held in Los Angeles. This collaboration will deliver the world of “The Apothecary Diaries” as a “Super Real” experience under the slogan “NO LIMIT!” Enjoy a Super Thrilling experience only possible at the Park.

The tenth year of Universal Cool Japan offers special experiences that put you in the middle of the worlds of various Japanese entertainment throughout the year and invites you to immerse yourself in Super Thrilling and Super Real experiences. Currently, the first-ever participatory real-life mystery show, “Peril at the Masquarade,” based on Keigo Higashino's “Masquerade” series, and “Detective Conan World,” in which you can join Conan and his friends in solving a thrilling mystery, are currently running through Sunday June 30th, 2025.

Information about collaborations, attractions and Park original food and merchandise for the third installment of this year’s “Universal Cool Japan” is coming soon. Stay tuned!

About “The Apothecary Diaries”

“The Apothecary Diaries” is a mystery series in which Maomao, an apothecary's daughter with an unusual obsession with poisons and medicines, solves numerous cases that arise in the palace court.
One incident attracts the attention of the beautiful eunuch Jinshi, and she ends up working as a poison taste-tester. The series has sold more than 40 million copies and is very popular among people of all ages. Season two of the television series is on air from January 2025!

【Introduction of Characters】
■Maomao
Maomao is a flower-growing apothecary with an unusual obsession with poisons and medicines.
After saving the life of Gyokuyou’s daughter from poisoning, her talents were recognized by Jinshi and recruited as a taste-tester.
Curiosity, a thirst for knowledge, and a slight sense of justice often lead her to get involved in cases.
■Jinshi
A eunuch who manages the inner palace. His beauty is such that if he were a woman, he would topple countries.
He brings troubles and problems that occur in the palace court to Maomao and has her solve them.

Universal Studios Japan and Japan’s Entertainment Brands

Universal Studios Japan continues to promote the value of Japan's globally acclaimed entertainment brands, such as manga, anime, video games, music, and fashion, by transforming them into “real experiences” that can only be experienced at the Park and continues to promote the value of these brands to people in Japan and abroad.
Under the slogan “NO LIMIT!”, the Park continues to bring the worlds of the original stories to life on an amazing scale through its state-of-the-art, boundary-pushing creativity and technology. The original experiences that have been created over the past 20 years have attracted many guests, and some of the experiences from Universal Studios Japan have made their way to Universal Studios Hollywood in the U.S. The Grand Opening of the attractions are scheduled for Friday April 25th, 2025.
“Universal Cool Japan”, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, is recognized for its quality as a comprehensive theme park experience that includes shows, rides, attractions, original merchandise coveted by fans, live entertainment restaurants, snacks and refreshments that immerse the visitors’ five senses in the world of the works and has grown into a major event that attracts many guests from overseas. Universal Studios Japan’s mission for “Universal Cool Japan” is to serve as a platform to bring new value to experiences based on the great works of Japanese talent and to expand their appeal both domestically and internationally.

■About Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan belongs to the Comcast NBC Universal Group. Universal Studios Japan has succeeded in establishing its position as a major entertainment and leisure landmark attracting many guests in Japan as well as from overseas. Universal Studios Japan offers world-class entertainment such as authentic attractions and shows, based not only on Hollywood blockbusters but also popular entertainment brands such as Japanese anime, and a variety of seasonal events entertaining its guests with the world’s highest quality entertainment. Through “Super Amazing” and “Super Exciting” experiences made possible only at Universal Studios Japan, all park visitors are given the opportunity to break out of their shells and be “Super Energized” in the “Super Energetic District” that is Universal Studios Japan.
Universal Studios Japan has continued to evolve since its opening in 2001 and has recently accelerated its growth with the launch of world-class entertainment experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, The Flying Dinosaur which soars through the entire Jurassic Park area, Minion Park and the “Hacha Mecha Ride” where guests are able to enjoy the chaotic antics of the Minions, and Super Nintendo World, a new area where guests can unleash their passion to play in an immersive environment based on world renowned Nintendo characters and their worlds.

© Natsu Hyuga, IMAGICA infos / “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” Production Committee
Calligraphy: Sisyu
HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © J.K. Rowling.
MINIONS TM & © 2025 Universal Studios.
© Nintendo
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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