alicia is the first reactor i've seen, who instantly understood the reason for the makeup, i am so glad she watches this series

Maomao: *deduces complex conspiracy with a few context clues* Also Maomao: He gave me a hairpin? Huh, wonder what that's about

I love that you picked up on the anti-makeup and it's purpose instantly. A dark bit of backstory which shows Maomao's intelligence and the dangers she has faced.

One of the things that I love about this show is that there's no destination. Maomao doesn't have this great big goal of becoming a high-ranking concubine or establishing herself as an expert apothecary or even trying to escape the rear palace. She's just existing in the circumstances she landed in, keeping her head down and trying to make the most of it. It wouldn't be surprising to see her end up as the imperial apothecary or Jinshi's partner or something, but those aren't her goals. She's just living.

I love the fact that in almost every reaction mashup of this episode most woman instantly realized what she meant about her freckles and the motive while man mostly was like: "why?"

Jinshi is also unhappy that he was unable to police the Rear Palace such that kidnapped girls become indentured maids as well as the Empire not policing adequately violence in the city.

There are a lot of works that will try and write around gender and class power dyanmics of certain periods or places to have their progressive cake and eat it, too (I'm looking at you, Netflix Avatar) but Apothecary Diaries genuinely wants to discuss those dynamics and I am here for it! In particular: The Quack Doctor. There's a neat, symbiotic dynamic he and Maomao have that the latter lays the groundwork for up to this episode-Maomao is a young woman while men like the doctor are _people._ If that were Maomao alone in the infirmary there's an almost certain chance that her input would be summarily dismissed. What I like about the doctor is that he _speaks for Maomao_ in such a way that uses his status and privilege to enable her. The guard speaks to the doctor but the doctor immediately defers to Maomao's input in such a way that doesn't demean her. He doesn't even really care that she's more skilled than him-he even openly praises her. Instead he sits down with the guard, who were to assume would be more comfortable talking to the doctor within earshot of Maomao. Instead of writing a character in an inherently unequal setting as being _good_ by virtue of simply just being an exemplar completely detached from the power dynamics of the time we have someone who is working within them simply to be a decent person.

Alicia’s reactions are so intelligent especially with this series! She notices things faster and with a better knowledge than other reactors I've seen. And she has also given me a better understanding of different aspects of the story so far.

It always saddens me to hear how people have to do certain things to prevent themselves in public. I do some code switching since I’m a tall and athletic black guy and don’t want people to be intimidated by me but on the other side, I always offer to walk my girl friends home late at night because I know it might make them feel safer to just have a man and certainly a rather large one

Jinshi vc: ah yes she should know what a man giving a hairpin means Maomao: 🧍‍♀️

One of my favorite things about your reactions is that you're one of the few reactors I've found who genuinely understands Mao Mao's point of view. Most people get frustrated with Mao Mao not sharing her theories, which I do understand, but you understand her situation perfectly. It's honestly funny, there isn't a single episode where Mao Mao doesn't make it a point to mention how expendable she and the other serving women are, yet people still don't understand why she has reservations about speaking up. It's for her survival!!! She could be put to death at any moment based on the whims of her superiors whether justified or not, of course she watches her mouth!

I've had to do something similar to the fake freckles. Just with posture not cosmetics. Worked with the park's department back in highschool. When I did the night shift, had to watch out for drunks and rowdy individuals wandering in from the beach bars. I still have the bat I swiped from one who was trying to smash in some car windows. Always amazed me how much of a deterrent standing up with a confident straight back was.

I must say, you're probably the first reactor I've seen who realized the thing about freckles before the final reveal.

Men do this as well. Before l worked on a different country my employers told me to grow a beard and moustache because when my face is shaved I looked like a woman (even my voice sound like one) since the area I will be assigned are notoriuous for human trafficking and the likes. I worked there for 3 yrs and required to even travel with security guards to and from the area hahaha

" You should hide your freckles occasionally..." I have never before witnessed such HERESY!!!

Like others have said, you're the only reactor that I know to figure out the freckles. I didn't know that make-up was used to get rid of unwanted attention but I did read in a fantasy book where a scarred girl was hot enough that, because she lived in a red light district, she also pretended to walk with a severe limp when she was in a really bad part of the city.

Nope, always expendable. This is a time period where regardless of your skill and rank, if you mess up in front of the wrong person or the wrong place, your head will roll. It does not matter how important one may be to the higher ups, if maintaining order means taking one's life, so shall it be done.

Watching Alicia give an in depth reason on so many small aspects and large aspects of this show is such a nice thing to watch

...Am I stupid? I have watched this episode(through various react channels) so many times...and I always thought that Xiao Lan was talking about someone else when telling Mao Mao about the aphrodisiac story. That either Jinshi used the aphrodisiac on someone else or gave it for someone else to use. But it wasn't until Alicia said "She used an aphrodisiac" while the scene was showing Mao Mao giving the aphrodisiacs to Jinshi did I realize the rumor is about Mao Mao(the palace servant) giving the aphrodisiacs to Jinshi(the 'woman hating military officer' because he would never give the concubines the time of day) and winning him over(and making him care about her).

I am so glad you are continuing this cant wait to see future reaction 😊

For those curious, the LN goes on to explain that Maomao went so far as to attempt to tattoo the freckles onto her face, but by doing it herself, the tattooed freckles were very faint, and she had to use other methods to emphasise them. Also there is a reason why the "Quack" is the only doctor in the rear palace, it's explained more later, but there are more competent personnel, and indeed other sources of care in the rear palace. Because I feel like expanding on it, the reason why the doctor has so little facial hair, and looks somewhat pudgy. Referred in the LN as a thin/wispy loach moustache When rendered a eunuch the body undergoes a few changes. The drop in testosterone results in less body hair, loss of and difficulty maintaining muscle mass, the body starts to develop more feminine features, it's easier to put on weight, and the immune system becomes weaker. The Quack is also noted for being rather gentle, and something of a push-over, occasionally being mistaken for a little old woman when seen from behind.

im just gunna say a few things here... im the kind of guy that tends to overshare and ramble most of the time, but there are some topics i tend to shy away from for.... reasons... so before i start doing my normal thing, im just gunna say thank you... thank you for being you.

From THAT moment Gaoshun and Suiren knew she was The One.

Love that as smart as Maomao is she is clueless about palace life and tradition. The Hairpin scene was one such scene. Also lets you know that despite living in the same city Maomao and Jinshi might as well be from different countries. The Hairpin scene in particular shows both of them being ignorant. Ignorance is one of this anime's themes at least in the early episodes.

@16:39 her glowup is gawd damn, she so pretty

Kind of an amuisng bit about the Qucak Doctor apparently is it's a matter of "You get what you can' about. Being a doctor is something that normally is already pretty prestigious in itself, so becoming a eunuch normally isn't worth it. So in thsi case it's someone who is medically trained...wehre being aeunuch is an upgrade. Seems like a weird bit where it results in less qulaity doctors in the rear palace than one would expect.

I want Alicia to take a guess at Jinshi's age

Im glad that Alicia is bringing up the subject of human trafficking cause most people practically avoid talking about it to the point where many are unaware that these crimes still exist today. My favorite manga of all time focuses on these topic with absolutely no limits to how much the author will showcase the dark side of humanity and what is the boundaries between morality and instinct

That ain't no makeup, that's a make-down

Yeah mostly people know this stuff either from experience or if they work in specific branches of the police that hunt down the traffic group leaders. Today the top buyers of Hum..s esp those under the legal age bracket are in order:Poland,Latvia,Lithuania,US,Georgia followed by Japan and various caribbean areas.The top sellers are (esp under the legal age bracket) in order:Ukraine(it is by far the highest and extremely far ahead of n2)south korea and Japan(so by proxy US).

In high school, I watched a movie called ICE it revolves around human trafficking and an organization that is fighting against it. There’s also a book called Sold that revolves around sex slaves. I honestly don’t recommend watching or reading either thing unless you want to have knowledge on it because for me I have had I don’t wanna get into it let’s just say I don’t feel the same as I was before I was made to watch that movie and read that book, not the same. You can look at it as educational, but it is dark and I don’t mean dark well it is scary away, but just watch it alone if you want to try just be careful for the sake of your peace of mind.

Quack doctor is best boy, and no one can change my mind. Someone in his position would typically be jealous of Maomao and try to sabotage her, but he’s just a precious little bean who found a new friend.

just to point this out again. jinshi is heir apparent until the emperor has a son. independent of if he is the emperors son or brother. Thats why he is so sad about not being able to police the populace.

Eh, you've almost understood the hairpin and necklace. Not quite. But they will go more into it in future episodes.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR EPISODE 6!!!!!!

15:50 "Yes, FBI? I'd like to report an emperor"

that was really cute

For using making makeup to make yourself look less attractive, I dub the term... the "glow down" as opposed to glow up.

W video!

MOREEEE

Hey I highly recommend you check out Welcome to Demon School Iruma kun. It’s a great feel good series I’m sure you will love.

❤❤❤

W

Am I the only one with the opinion that freckels are atractive?

I just see jinshi as a man, I don't really get why everyone confuse him as a woman. For me is as clear as day.

A

Please React To Record Of Ragnarok Or Hellsing Ultimate Please

F youtube. I can't comment anything without getting deleted.

So my comments just get deleted?

Day 197 of asking Alicia to play Nier:Automata!!