The Apothecary Diaries’ Lakan Isn’t As Controversial As Fans Think

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From the moment he appeared in Season 1 of The Apothecary Diaries, Maomao’s father, Lakan, has only earned her disapproval and dislike. Because the story is told from Maomao’s perspective, it’s natural for viewers and readers to sympathize with her feelings towards him.

Even Master Jinshi, a supporting character in the series, doesn’t think highly of Lakan, finding him both irritating and threatening whenever he visits. However, viewers have also seen Lakan attempt to be a good father to Maomao, though his efforts are always unsuccessful. Considering everything anime-only viewers learn about Lakan in the first two seasons, it’s reasonable to question whether he truly deserves the negative reputation he has.

Maomao’s Aversion to Her Own Father Begins With Her Mother

Maomao’s difficult relationship with her parents stems from a complicated past. Lakan, her father, sent her mother, Fengxian, away for three years without realizing she was pregnant. Though he couldn’t have known, Fengxian blamed Maomao for the circumstances and held a grudge against her from birth.

After becoming pregnant, Fengxian was unable to continue working as a courtesan and was forced to turn to streetwalking. During this difficult time, she contracted syphilis. Her adoptive father, Luomen, didn’t discover her illness until it was too advanced for treatment. Unable to cure her, he could only try to keep her comfortable as her mental state deteriorated.

Driven to extreme madness, she cut off her own pinky finger and a portion of Maomao’s, then sent both to the La Family home. Her distress at even seeing Maomao only intensified as her mental state deteriorated.

Lakan’s Return To Verdigris House Came Far Too Late

After learning he was gone, he rushed to Verdigris House to find Fengxian and their child. However, the Madam attacked him at the door with a broom, severely injuring him and leading him to believe his loved one had died. Discovering his uncle, Luomen, was caring for Maomao, he then went to find her at the apothecary.

Badly beaten and scarred, he reached for her, claiming to be her father. From that moment on, she loathed him and wanted nothing to do with him. Whenever he visited Verdigris House and offered to buy Maomao from the Madam, they would hide her, but he never stopped trying to purchase her.

Once Lakan learned Jinshi was working in the palace, he tried to become friends with him for two reasons. He believed he was safeguarding his daughter’s reputation from the handsome attendant, and he also wanted to ensure Jinshi wouldn’t take advantage of her. However, Maomao quickly dismissed the idea whenever it was mentioned.

Lakan rescued Maomao, and she proposed a game of Go with a bet: if he won, she would accept him as her father. In return, if she won, he had to marry and provide for one of the women at Verdigris House.

Maomao tricked Lakan into getting very drunk, which allowed her to succeed in her plan. When Lakan regained consciousness at Verdigris House, Mei Mei hoped he would choose her, but his discovery that Fengxian was still alive led him to purchase her freedom from the Madam for a very high price. Though Maomao’s parents were finally reunited in marriage, the timing meant they couldn’t truly rebuild their family life.

Lakan’s Rare Cognitive Disorder Doesn’t Make the Best First Impression

From the start, we learn Lakan has a rare condition called prosopagnosia – he can’t recognize faces, not even those of people he knows. This condition shapes his unusual personality. Given the historical setting of the story, his inability to recognize people would likely create awkwardness in his relationships and lead others to see him as strange or impolite.

Throughout the story, it becomes clear that he only ever truly remembered and recognized three people: Fengxian, Maomao, and his uncle, Luomen. These three individuals are the most significant in his life, even though his own daughter doesn’t reciprocate his feelings.

It’s completely understandable that Maomao feels hurt and abandoned by her father. To make things worse, it’s easy to picture the cruel things the Madam and other courtesans must have said about him after he left, especially in front of Maomao. Knowing her blunt personality, the Madam would likely have spared no effort in criticizing the man who almost ruined her business, Verdigris House, with just one impulsive night.

However, viewers have only ever seen this character trying to connect with his daughter, hoping to build a relationship with her. His forceful and unusual behavior can easily be mistaken as strange or unsettling. It’s also crucial to remember that Maomao is just seventeen years old at the start of the story. She’s still young enough to feel significant anger towards a father who reappeared so late in her life. Her unique childhood has influenced how she views family, and she essentially already has a loving father figure in her life.

Despite feeling resentment towards Lakan, Maomao’s feelings don’t make him a bad person, just as Jinshi’s discomfort with him doesn’t either. Ultimately, Lakan is a solitary man who’s been marginalized his whole life due to a condition he can’t help. He simply doesn’t know how to connect with others because he’s never been given the chance. Hopefully, he and his daughter can find a compromise and build a healthier relationship.

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2026-04-20 03:16