is a Japanese
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
series by
Mari Yamazaki
is a Japanese manga artist known for her seinen comedy manga ''Thermae Romae''. She was born in Tokyo, but now lives in Chicago. She was awarded the 3rd Manga Taishō and the Short Story Award in the 2010 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes. An anime ...
. It won the third
Manga Taishō
The is a Japanese comics award recognizing achievement in manga. It is awarded annually to a manga series published in the previous calendar year of eight or fewer collected volumes in length. The Manga Taishō was founded with the aim of re ...
and the Short Story Award at the 14th
Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize
Named after Osamu Tezuka, the is a yearly manga prize awarded to manga artists or their works that follow the Osamu Tezuka manga approach founded and sponsored by Asahi Shimbun. The prize has been awarded since 1997, in Tokyo, Japan.
Current ...
. The manga has been licensed in North America by
Yen Press
Yen Press, LLC is an American manga and graphic novel publisher co-owned by Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. It published ''Yen Plus'', a monthly comic anthology, between 2008 and 2013. In addition to translated material, Yen Press ...
.
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
produced a live-action film adaptation and released on April 28, 2012.
A second film, ''
Thermae Romae II
is a 2014 Japanese comedy film directed by Hideki Takeuchi and based on the manga series ''Thermae Romae'' by Mari Yamazaki.
Cast
* Hiroshi Abe
* Aya Ueto
*Kazuki Kitamura
*Takashi Sasano
*Anthony Ripoll
Anthony or Antony is a masculine give ...
'', was released in 2014. An anime television adaptation by
DLE Inc. aired in Japan on Fuji TV's
Noitamina
is a Japanese Block programming, programming block on Fuji TV devoted to anime, originally broadcast every Thursday late night/Friday morning from 00:45 to 1:15. It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typic ...
block in January 2012.
The show has been licensed by
Discotek Media
Discotek Media is an American entertainment company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, focused on distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series.
Formed in 2005, Discotek primarily focuses on licensing retro titles fr ...
in North America, and by
Siren Visual
This is a list of anime industry companies involved in the production or distribution of anime.
Japan-based companies
Animation studios
There are over 500 animation studios in Japan. Below are those notable enough to have an article.
* 3Hz
...
in Australia.
An
original net animation
An original net animation (ONA), known in Japan as , is an anime that is directly released onto the Internet. ONAs may also have been aired on television if they were first directly released on the Internet. The name mirrors original video animati ...
(ONA)
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series adaptation by
NAZ titled ''Thermae Romae Novae'' was announced and premiered on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
in March 2022.
Plot
The story follows an ancient Roman architect named Lucius, who is having trouble coming up with ideas. One day, he discovers a hidden tunnel underneath a
spa
A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...
that leads him to a modern Japanese
bath house
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...
. Inspired by the innovations found there, he creates his own spa, Roma Thermae, bringing the modern ideas to his time.
Each subsequent chapter follows Lucius facing some sort of a problem, just to be swept to Japan once again. He visits modern bath houses,
personal baths, waterparks, fertility festivals, and even zoos. There, he always happens to find the inspiration to solve the exact problem he has been tasked with.
Characters
;
:
:A Roman thermae architect who excels in designs ends up discovering modern Japanese baths, believing them to be the baths of 'flat-faced slaves'. He uses these ideas in his own work back home. Later on, inspired others with his discoveries. But his endeavours cost him his marriage, and suspicion of either being Emperor Hadrian's homosexual lover, to destroying businesses.
;
:
: Lucius's friend and a marble sculptor. Oftentimes, he becomes Lucius's carver in his projects.
;
:
: Emperor of Roman Empire. Initially commissioned Lucius of building a private thermae, then commissioned him for more baths.
;
:
; Satsuki Odate
:
: A 28 year old Japanese woman who is both the town geisha, and an expert in Roman history. She is also a polyglot, can speak and translate Latin. Fell in love with Lucius.
Anime
A
flash
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid ...
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
adaptation by
DLE aired on
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
in its
Noitamina
is a Japanese Block programming, programming block on Fuji TV devoted to anime, originally broadcast every Thursday late night/Friday morning from 00:45 to 1:15. It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typic ...
block between January 12, 2012, and January 26, 2012. The series was released on Blu-ray Disc on April 20, 2012, and included an unaired episode. The ending theme is by
Chatmonchy
was a three-piece all-female rock band which consisted of Eriko Hashimoto (guitar, vocals), Akiko Fukuoka (bass, chorus), and formerly Kumiko Takahashi (drums, chorus) who are from Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.
Since 20 ...
.
Siren Visual
This is a list of anime industry companies involved in the production or distribution of anime.
Japan-based companies
Animation studios
There are over 500 animation studios in Japan. Below are those notable enough to have an article.
* 3Hz
...
released an English-subtitled version in Australia in October 2012.
The series was licensed for release in North America in 2013, and a re-release is planned on December 29, 2020, with an English dub. An
original net animation
An original net animation (ONA), known in Japan as , is an anime that is directly released onto the Internet. ONAs may also have been aired on television if they were first directly released on the Internet. The name mirrors original video animati ...
advertisement of toothbrush company Reach was released on April 15, 2014.
During
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
Anime Festival 2020, it was announced that the series would receive a new original net animation (ONA) anime adaptation by
NAZ titled ''Thermae Romae Novae''. The series is directed by Tetsuya Tatamitani and written by Yūichirō Momose. It premiered on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
on March 28, 2022. Each episode also has a live action section where author Mari Yamazaki explores different hot springs in Japan at the end of the episode.
The opening theme is by
Paolo Andrea Di Pietro
Paolo Andrea Di Pietro (born November 8, 1986), better known mononymously in Japan as , is an Italian singer and actor living and working in Japan ('' Gaikokujin tarento''). He has appeared in a variety of Japanese commercials, TV shows and film ...
.
Episode list (DLE)
Episode list (Netflix)
Film
Cast
*
Hiroshi Abe as
Lucius
Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...
*
Aya Ueto as Mami Yamakoshi
*
Kazuki Kitamura
is a Japanese film and television actor who won the award for best supporting actor at the 21st Yokohama Film Festival for '' Minazuki'', ''Kyohansha'' and ''Kanzen-naru shiiku'' as well as the CUT ABOVE Award for Excellence in Film at JAPAN CUTS ...
as
Ceionius
*
Riki Takeuchi
is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in v-cinema yakuza movies.
Takeuchi has starred in many yakuza films and action films, such as '' Dead or Alive'' by Takashi Miike. Takeuchi also starred in '' Battle Royale II: Requiem'', in which h ...
as Tateno
* Kai Shishido as
Antoninus
*
Takashi Sasano
is a Japanese actor.
Career
Sasano has appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films '' Bright Future'' (2003) and '' Before We Vanish'' (2017). He also appeared in Amir Naderi's 2011 film ''Cut''.
Filmography
Film
* '' Tora-san's Island Encounter'' ( ...
as Shūzo Yamakoshi
*
Masachika Ichimura
is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He was born in Kawagoe, Saitama and studied at the Theater Art College in Tokyo after graduating high school. He is best known to anime fans as the voice of Mewtwo. Ichimura is also the ex-husband of actress ...
as
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
* Midoriko Kimura as Yumi Yamakoshi
* Katsuya as Marcus
Reception
As of July 29, the film had a box office gross of US$74,091,903. It was the second highest-grossing domestic film at the Japanese box office in 2012 and, as of January 5, 2015, is the
95th highest-grossing film in Japan, with
¥5.98 billion.
Hiroshi Abe won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for the film at the
36th Japan Academy Film Prize presentation. ''Thermae Romae'' also received a nomination for Mitsuo Harada's art direction at the same awards.
''Thermae Romae'' earned HK$1,498,789 at the Hong Kong box office.
The film had its North American premiere in September 2012 at the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{Netflix original animated series and films
2008 manga
2012 anime television series debuts
2012 films
2022 anime ONAs
Bathing
Comedy anime and manga
Comics about time travel
Comics set in ancient Rome
Discotek Media
Enterbrain manga
Films about time travel
Films set in ancient Rome
Flash television shows
Japanese films
Japanese-language Netflix original programming
Kadokawa Dwango franchises
Live-action films based on manga
Manga adapted into films
Manga series
Manga Taishō
Naz (studio)
Netflix original anime
Noitamina
Seinen manga
Winner of Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (Short Story Award)
Yen Press titles