Maomao

Maomao is the sharp-witted protagonist of The Apothecary Diaries anime, a young woman (appearing in her mid-teens) with a petite, short stature and a plain, unassuming look—she often deliberately downplays her appearance with freckles (sometimes makeup) to blend in and avoid attention. In the anime, she has striking blue eyes and dark forest-green hair usually tied back practically with a ribbon and beads.

Raised in a red-light district and trained by her adoptive apothecary father, she possesses extensive knowledge of herbs, medicines, poisons, and toxicology. After being kidnapped and sold into servitude in the imperial palace's rear (inner) court, she starts as a low-ranking maid but inevitably gets pulled into solving mysteries, poisonings, and medical issues thanks to her deductive skills and pragmatic mindset.

Personality-wise, she's deadpan, sarcastic, highly observant, and eccentric—especially when it comes to her obsession with poisons (she's known to test them on herself in small doses out of sheer curiosity). She has little interest in romance, status, or drama, preferring to stay low-key, work hard, and focus on science/medicine over palace politics or personal relationships. Her aloof, no-nonsense demeanor contrasts with her underlying compassion and resourcefulness, making her a refreshingly grounded and intelligent lead in the historical mystery setting.