Ai Minami joins The Apothecary Diaries film as mysterious maid chief
Ai Minami joins The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure as Ginsan, a mysterious chief maid with a key role in the film’s story.
The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure has cast actor Ai Minami (見上愛) as Ginsan, a mysterious chief maid whose role is tied to the film’s central story. The announcement also marks Minami’s first acting project since leading the NHK morning drama Kaze, Kaoru.1
A new role for Ai Minami
Minami will play Ginsan, described in the announcement as a mysterious chief maid who holds a key position in the film’s plot. The actor said she approached the role with all the care she could give it, and that she was genuinely happy to join The Apothecary Diaries after already being a fan of the series.1
The film is the first theatrical feature for The Apothecary Diaries, and tells an original story by series creator Natsu Hyuuga. The official film site sets the story in a water city where Maomao and Jinshi become caught up in a mystery surrounding a hidden treasure and a long-dead consort’s final wish.2
What we know about the film
The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure opens in Japan on 11 December. The official site confirms the new film’s water-city setting and its mystery-led story, while the latest casting announcement adds Ginsan to the list of characters surrounding Maomao and Jinshi.12
International release dates have not been announced in the supplied reports. The film’s original story and new setting give it room to build a case that is separate from the television series, while keeping Maomao’s taste for solving difficult mysteries at its centre.
Our opinion
Adding a mysterious chief maid to a story built around a hidden treasure and a suspicious death is a smart fit for The Apothecary Diaries. Ginsan sounds like the sort of character who can make the film’s social world more complicated without stealing the spotlight from Maomao. Minami’s enthusiasm for the series is encouraging, too, although the role’s real impact will depend on how much the film lets her character remain unknowable before the mystery turns.
For now, the casting gives the film another distinctive thread to pull when it reaches Japanese cinemas this December.