COSMOS and ‘The Apothecary’ Spin-off in Joint Campaign: Special Illustration Cards at Bookstores
Two manga series hitting the shelves today (June 18) are offering a surprise collaboration to their readers. The 22nd volume of the spin-off ‘The Apothecary’s Diary: Maomao’s Palace Puzzle Notebook’ (originally titled Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Koukyuu Nazotoki Techou) and the 9th volume of Ryuhei Tamura’s ‘COSMOS’ series are released on the same day. Readers who purchase both of these publications at the same time will be able to obtain special collaboration illustration cards prepared by famous artists.
As part of the campaign, a newly drawn illustration postcard by the spin-off’s artist Kurata Sannomiya and ‘COSMOS’ creator Ryuhei Tamura is being distributed. This postcard is a special work bringing together characters from both series. Tamura is a name previously known for ‘Beelzebub’; Sannomiya is from the team working on the manga adaptation of Natsu Hyuuga’s popular novel series. The collaboration is likely to excite both readers new to the ‘The Apothecary’s Diary’ universe and those who have long been fans of Tamura.
The ‘The Apothecary’s Diary’ (original title Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) novel series began publishing on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō platform in 2011 and quickly gained a large fan base. The story follows Maomao, who works as an apothecary in the palace, and her life full of intrigue and mysteries. The spin-off ‘Maomao’s Palace Puzzle Notebook’ handles the events of the main series in more detail from Maomao’s perspective. Meanwhile, ‘COSMOS’ is a science fiction and adventure-themed manga that Ryuhei Tamura started in 2023 and continues to attract attention worldwide.
The campaign is valid only at certain bookstores in Japan. However, international readers can also access these two volumes via digital platforms. The physical postcards are limited in stock, so it’s a great opportunity for those who act early. Such joint campaigns allow manga to promote each other and encourage new readers to explore different genres. New volumes of both series are expected to be announced in the coming days.
