Cheat Pharmacist primarily banks on the Using Knowledge From Our World trope. We have no qualms about that as it can be highly entertaining and amusing if done properly. How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom offers a good example of how it’s done. Reiji’s inventions, if we can even call them that, are so common that we find it difficult to believe that they don’t already exist in that world. True, this new world may be very far from the technological advancement our world has achieved, but let’s not forget that it is a fantasy world where monsters, demons, and magic exist.

Cologne, relaxation elixir, soap, polish, and energy potions are a few of Reiji’s concoctions. Arguably, this world may not have the technology to produce or even conceive of such ideas, but are they really so dumb as to not figure out an alternative option? Taking cologne as a specific example, surely the world has some form of aromatics. Given the way the queen highly values her appearance, it’s only valid to believe that this world has beauty standards and favors good odors. If so, then those who are conscious of their looks have surely attempted to make their scent more attractive. Be it through potions, flora, or even magic, something similar should already exist.

There’s no argument that Reiji deserves the title cheat pharmacist. Despite being a mere corporate slave during his previous life, he instantly gains bountiful pharmaceutical knowledge after transmigrating. Not only that, he even has a highly efficient ingredient appraisal skill. For someone of his stature, however, his creations are rather lackluster.

He claims to be a pharmacist, but he rarely addresses medical problems. Pushing the fact that his creations are nothing more than common objects aside, their efficacy is only above average at best. Other than the energy potion, which somehow gives that old monster of a carpenter an intense power up, the others don’t perform as great. Even the energy potion isn’t something we’d call a cheat.

We don’t want to sound nitpicky without offering any viable alternatives, so here are some possibilities we think can make the inventions more interesting. Since the protagonist is a pharmacist, then the series might have taken that path. The energy potion, and maybe even the aphrodisiac, are a good start. Given that medicine in that world hasn’t progressed much, then Reiji could have introduced antibiotics, effective clotting agents, or even the use of charcoal as poison neutralizer. If that sounds rather boring, then he can just take the idea or the way it works and concoct a potion that acts the same way. He is a cheat pharmacist after all.

Another route the series can take is accidentally creating overly effective decoctions. The aphrodisiac is a good start for this but on a larger scale. Obviously, that will result in total mayhem, but it’s definitely interesting to watch unfold.