Jinshi (The Apothecary Diaries)

Jinshi (Japanese: 壬氏) is a fictional character from Natsu Hyūga's light novels The Apothecary Diaries. Jinshi is an eunuch from the Imperial Palace filled with laundry women, serving the Emperor's concubines, eunuchs, and respective staff in the Rear Palace. He finds the protagonist, Maomao, a young apothecary and introduces Maomao to Gyokuyou due to her notable skills. As the plot progresses, Jinshi's true identity is revealed as he is connected with other characters working in the Imperial Palace but becomes attracted by Maomao, wanting her to remain by his side. He is also often surrounded by Gaoshun who has taken care of him since his childhood.

In the making of the light novels, Jinshi was mostly a narrative accent but his popularity within the readers led to the author make him an active character with his own personality and relationship with Maomao. His relationship with Gaoshun was meant to be darker resulting in an attempted asssassin arc and Jinshi being a more vulnerable individual. In the animated adaptations of the series multiple voice actors provided their talents for Jinshi. Critical response to the character has been generally positive for his mysterious identity and dynamic with the protagonist Maomao. However, some critics were against his obsession with Maomao.

When creating the character of Jinshi, Natsu Hyūga made him with light-hearted feelings similar to characters explored in shōjo manga. Hyūga said that she had two ideas: make him an eunuch or leave it to the readers to decide. She initially planned Jinshi to die but scrapped that idea alongside other personality traits not seen in the novels. The character was also never meant to be important in the story as he was conceived more as a narrative accent. However, the character's popularity in the readers led him to become a more active character.^[1] In the original concept for the light novels The Apothecary Diaries, Natsu Hyūga conceptualized Jinshi as well as his relationship with Gaoshun in a different manner from the final product; Jinshi was originally going to be a more vulnerable figure with Gaoshun having orders to kill him. Had the story followed the path, the bond of Jinshi and Gaoshun would have been challenged. Furthermore, Jinshi was not going to be a major power figure in the Palace and would instead be used as a pawn by other members, leading to an assassination arc. These ideas were scrapped and Jinshi became a "as an elegant and seemingly untouchable figure."^[2] When it came to Jinshi's romantic overtones with Maomao, Hyūga found it challenging writing initimate scenes when compared to the main plot which is about developing the main characters.^[3]

In the drama CD, Jinshi was voiced by Takahiro Sakurai with fellow voice actress Aoi Yūki (Maomao) describing the experience "like a harem". Takeo Ōtsuka replaced Sakurai for the anime series where he befriended Yūki.^[4][5] Ōtsuka was said to use multiple expressions in order to make his character more appealing. Yūki believed both Maomao and Jinshi suffered multiple changes after the first season's ending and looked forward to the second season.^[4] Ōtsuka enjoyed recording with Takuya Kirimoto (Lakan) based on their interactions. He further thanked the director for helping him in the second season to grasp more of Jinshi's characterization and revealing hs more childish side and felt he was "unfinished" due to he keeps changing.^[6] Megumi Han voices Jinshi as a child.^[7] In English he is voiced by Kaiji Tang as an adult, and Mikaela Krantz as young. There was backlash to one of Jinshi's smirk involving Maomao with Kaiji Tang apologizing for such part.^[8]

Anime director Norihiro Naganuma said that Maomao shows a notable growth as a human in the first season when expressing her trauma in the final episodes as she talks with Jinshi about it. Naganuma also saw Gaoshun as a caretaker to both Jinshi and Maomao, able to tell about how close they became.^[9]

Jinshi is introduced as an eunuch who runs most of the administration of the rear palace, where the Emperor's concubines and their respective staff reside. Both men and women alike are attracted to his physical appearance, but he finds himself attracted to Maomao, the only person he has met who is not immediately enamored by him. Later it is revealed that Jinshi is not a eunuch, he merely is using suppressants (anaphrodisiacs) to appear as one, in order to hide his identity as the Emperor's younger brother. Behind his face lies a shrewd mind that tries to balance his duties to the Emperor while improving life within the Imperial Palace. He is often accompanied by Gaoshun, his loyal attendant, often supporting him. Maomao is also included in the resulting mass layoffs as a victim of Fengming's and her family's side business of human trafficking. Jinshi is torn between keeping her and fearing it might tear them apart even more because he thinks she hated working at the rear palace. Maomao tried negotiating with Jinshi, since she has not fully paid the madam of the Rokushoukan of her debts (and might turn her into a courtesan) but to no avail. It is during a party thrown by a rich person outside of the brothel where he thought of buying her out of the brothel. Maomao returns to the palace, but this time to work in the outer palace, because, as Gaoshun explains to her, they cannot just restore her former position after being laid off.

Maomao discovers that Jinshi's family has long been served by the Ma Clan, to which Gaoshun and Basen belong, while Basen, serving as Jinshi's temporary assistant, is instructed to keep Jinshi's identity secret. Only two people in the land have the character "Ka" in their name: the emperor and Jinshi, also known as Ka Zuigetsu (華瑞月(かずいげつ) Huá Ruì Yuè), his brother. Jinshi searches for Maomao after her disappearance. Jinshi recalls that Suirei's name was written with that character. Investigation of the shrine near where Maomao's message was discovered reveals how Maomao was taken--through an old, abandoned waterway. Lahan reports the results of his investigation to Jinshi, revealing unreported expansion in the Shi stronghold, evidence of rebellion. Lakan then addresses Jinshi as a royal, asking him to mobilize the Forbidden Army against the Shi rebellion.

Besides several adaptations based on The Apothecary Diaries, Jinshi has been featured alongside Maomao in a series of animated shorts dealing with gags.^[5]

Merchandise based on Maomao and Jinshi's looks was produced.^[10] At the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Jinshi was nominated for "Best Supporting Character". Two of Jinshi's international voice actors were nominated for the "Best Voice Artist Performance" category, namely Julien Allouf (French) and Andrea Oldani (Italian); however, they lost to Adrien Antoine's Kafka Hibino and Ilaria Pellicone's Kyomoto, respectively.^[11]

Critical response to Jinshi's character has been generally positive. FandomWire said that Jinshi was initially seen as a likable main character thanks to his charismatic personality but the more he fell in love with Maomao, it challenges the audience who want to see the possibility of the two protagonists starting a romance. While the romance is not the most major factor in the series, it is also crucial to the proper development of each character on their own future episodes and thus Jinshi was in need of a bigger arc.^[12] Anime Feminist found Jinshi's characterization interesting and as well as her dynamic with Maomao but was bothered by where was going their constant interactions as if the narrative would bring more sexual scenes.^[13] Time enjoyed the mystery of the first season involving the culprit who wants to kill Jinshi as it helps develop the character in a violent case where more twists are given about each. Jinshi's relationship with the Imperial Family remains as one of the biggest mysteries in early episodes, an appealing case for fans of mystery that also helps to challenge his identity more.^[14] Game Rant said the relationship with Jinshi as "nothing short of brilliant" as they balance each other due to their notable traits subtle moments that help slowly develop their bond.^[15]

Comic Book Resources compared the characters of Maomao and Jinshi to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson due to how both series involve solving mysteries. Not only her intelligence earns Jinshi's attention, but her personality appeals highly to the audience due to being independent, detached and often harsh. The latter is noted due to the protagonist's tendency to exploit other people's weak points as long as her mission is accomplished. The relationship with Jinshi was not only compared to Watson but also "fairytale helper" due to the constant assistance Jinshi brings her in her cases. Despite the constant assistance Jinshi gives her, Maomao tends to ignore the character's feelings, coming across as an oddness that might come across as a strong build for a romance subplot in the anime's future.^[16] Collider compared them to K-dramas due to how they often involve cases of medicine with a high level of detail and how different is the latter's relationship from other women. The writer added "Maomao is a brilliant protagonist who is instantly loveable from her passion for apothecary and nosy brain." praising the evolution of her relationship with Jinshi and how the second season of the anime can build on this after seeing previews.^[17] IGN said most of the series' entertainment comes from how Maomao reacts to the characters' facades as well as her hostile and playful interactions with Jinshi.^[18] In retrospect, Polygon said the relationship was also entertaining, considering the true nature behind their casual interactions as they constantly hide secrets from each other.^[19]

During a scene from the second season, Jinshi and Maomao nearly kiss when she falls over him in a cave and when the latter tries to get up, she touches the former's crotch under the belief she grabbed a large frog by accident since she did not know Jinshi was faking being eunuch. After this, Jinshi and Maomao start arguing about the crotch indirectly by instead talking about frogs. Polygon claimed this accident became hot topic on social media as several fans joked about frogs and whether or not Jinshi's crotch size was fitting for a frog. Nevertheless, the writer from Polygon enjoyed the chemistry the duo has and expected in future episodes, their relationship is further explored.^[20] As the second season of the story moves to a more action narrative, Jinshi's portrayal as a warrior was praised for how he has changed since the beginning, reflecting a major growth in his personality and identity.^[21][22] Comic Book Resources praised Jinshi's siding with Lakan to attack the Shi rebellion while also giving his shortlived meeting with Maomao impact to the duo as the latter finds herself missing her master.^[23]