diff --git a/minimal_requirements.txt b/minimal_requirements.txt
index 23bea54193..1a2e21a218 100644
--- a/minimal_requirements.txt
+++ b/minimal_requirements.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ cmyt==1.1.2
     # via yt (pyproject.toml)
 colorspacious==1.1.2
     # via cmyt
+contourpy==1.0.5
+    # via matplotlib
 cycler==0.12.1
     # via matplotlib
 ewah-bool-utils==1.2.0
@@ -12,7 +14,7 @@ fonttools==4.53.1
     # via matplotlib
 kiwisolver==1.4.7
     # via matplotlib
-matplotlib==3.5.0
+matplotlib==3.6.0
     # via
     #   yt (pyproject.toml)
     #   cmyt
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ numpy==1.21.3
     #   yt (pyproject.toml)
     #   cmyt
     #   colorspacious
+    #   contourpy
     #   ewah-bool-utils
     #   matplotlib
     #   unyt
@@ -34,7 +37,6 @@ packaging==20.9
     # via
     #   yt (pyproject.toml)
     #   matplotlib
-    #   setuptools-scm
 pillow==8.3.2
     # via
     #   yt (pyproject.toml)
@@ -45,10 +47,6 @@ pyparsing==3.1.4
     #   packaging
 python-dateutil==2.9.0.post0
     # via matplotlib
-setuptools==74.1.2
-    # via setuptools-scm
-setuptools-scm==8.1.0
-    # via matplotlib
 six==1.16.0
     # via python-dateutil
 sympy==1.13.2
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index b56b1d4b1d..1794f35edd 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ requires-python = ">=3.10.3"
 dependencies = [
     "cmyt>=1.1.2",
     "ewah-bool-utils>=1.2.0",
-    "matplotlib>=3.5",
+    "matplotlib>=3.6.0",
     "more-itertools>=8.4",
     "numpy>=1.21.3, <3", # keep minimal requirement in sync with NPY_TARGET_VERSION
     # https://github.com/numpy/numpy/issues/27037
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ test = [
     "pytest-mpl>=0.16.1",
     "sympy!=1.10,!=1.9", # see https://github.com/sympy/sympy/issues/22241
     "imageio!=2.35.0", # see https://github.com/yt-project/yt/issues/4966
-    "contourpy",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]