What the Official Intro Says About Rikuson
The post on the anime's official X account pairs a new Season 3 visual with a short character blurb. It describes Rikuson as a soft-spoken young man who serves as aide to Lakan, and it names his particular talent: once he sees a face, he never forgets it. That is the entire text, and it is the first official Season 3 framing for a character who has hovered at the edge of the story so far.
According to Japanese entertainment news site ABEMA TIMES, Rikuson is set to get more screen time in the third season than he has had before. That is why this character card drew a bigger response than a routine profile post.
The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, an apothecary who ends up working as a poison taster in the imperial rear palace, where her sharp eye pulls her into one mystery after another. Her back-and-forth with the enigmatic Jinshi supplies the comedy. The anime adapts Natsu Hyuuga's light novel series of the same name, which has also spawned two separate manga adaptations.
Kōki Uchiyama and the "Ucchi" Factor
Kōki Uchiyama (Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia, Toge Inumaki in Jujutsu Kaisen) returns as Rikuson. Japanese fans call him "Ucchi," and the nickname is all over the replies to the reveal. ABEMA TIMES rounded up several of them: one fan wrote that they fell for Rikuson at first sight, another cheered "He's here! Rikuson! It's Ucchi!", and a third asked whether he will show up a lot in Season 3 and said they are looking forward to it. Others thanked the author for creating the character or said they were thrilled simply because they love Uchiyama's work.
The one-line blurb about never forgetting a face is also the first time the anime's marketing has spelled out that trait, so fans who only know the show from the first two seasons now have a concrete hook for who this quiet aide is.
Season 3 Staff, Studio, and the December Film
Season 3 premieres October 2, 2026 and runs as a split-cour season: the first half airs from October 2026, the second from April 2027. Per Animate Times' Season 3 listing, OLM handles animation production, with Akinori Fudesaka directing, Norihiro Naganuma on series composition, and Yukiko Nakatani on character design. The main Season 3 trailer on the TOHO animation YouTube channel features the new opening theme by Yorushika.
The franchise's first film, The Apothecary Diaries: The Deceased Empress' Treasure (劇場版 薬屋のひとりごと 亡妃の秘宝), opens in Japanese theaters on December 11, 2026, about ten weeks into the first cour. Aoi Yūki (Maomao) and Takeo Ōtsuka (Jinshi) headline the film's cast.
Looking Ahead
Crunchyroll will stream Season 3 outside Japan starting October 2, 2026, with an English dub also planned. The film's December 11 date is for Japan; we have not seen an international release date for it yet.
English readers who want to get ahead of the anime have options. Natsu Hyuuga's light novels are published digitally in English by J-Novel Club, with Square Enix handling print editions, and Square Enix Manga & Books publishes the manga adaptation in English. Whether Season 3 gives Rikuson the screen time those fan replies are hoping for is something we will find out once the October episodes arrive.