The appeal and evaluation of Thermae Romae Novae: bringing the bath culture of ancient Rome to the modern era

"Thermae Romae Novae": A time-travel comedy where Roman and Japanese bath cultures intersect

The anime "Thermae Romae Novae," available on Netflix, is based on the popular manga "Thermae Romae" by Mari Yamazaki. It began streaming on March 28, 2022, and all 11 episodes were released on the same day. This anime tells the unique story of Lucius, an ancient Roman bath engineer, who encounters modern Japanese public baths and the bath culture of the Edo period, and brings that knowledge back to Rome.

story

Thermae, baths that supported the prosperity of the Roman Empire. Lucius, born into a family of bath engineers, worked as a bath engineer himself, but was fired from his office because his design ideas were outdated. One day, Lucius gets sucked into the drain of a public bath and suddenly finds himself time-traveling to a modern-day Japanese public bath. He is moved by the bathhouse culture he sees there, such as the murals and fruit milk, and brings them back to Rome, where he grows into a popular bathhouse engineer.

Lucius also travels back in time to the Edo period, where he incorporates the knowledge he gained into the Roman baths, further evolving. A new story not depicted in the original work unfolds, and the background of why Lucius wanted to become a bath engineer is also revealed.

Commentary

"Thermae Romae" is a masterpiece that won the 2010 Manga Taisho Award and the 14th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Short Story Award. This popular work has been made into an anime by Netflix and reborn as "Thermae Romae Novae." The original author, Mari Yamazaki, is involved in the series composition, bringing out the charm of the original work to the fullest.

In the anime, the story unfolds in greater depth as Lucius encounters not only modern Japanese public baths, but also the bathing culture of the Edo period. Through the fantasy element of time travel and comparison of bathing cultures, it is an entertaining work that combines laughter and emotion.

cast

A stellar cast of voice actors has been assembled, including Tsuda Kenjiro as Lucius Modestus, Kobayashi Chikahiro as Marcus Pietrus, and Kobayashi Sanae as Livia. In addition, each character is played with charm by Isobe Tsutomu as Emperor Hadrian, Seto Asami as Mami Yamaguchi, and Ikeda Shuichi as Kuniyoshi Utagawa. Narration is provided by Kubota Hitoshi, who smoothly guides the progress of the story.

Main Staff

The film is directed by Tetsuya Tatamiya, with character design by Fumihiro Nagata and scriptwriter Yuichiro Momose, bringing together professionals from various fields. Art director Masakazu Miyake, color designer Hitomi Fujii and cinematographer Toshikazu Kuno are among the staff who pursue visual beauty. Additionally, music is provided by Ryu Kawasaki, enhancing the atmosphere of the film. Animation is handled by NAZ and the film is produced by Netflix.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• #1/All Baths Lead to Rome (2022/03/28)
• #2/Lucius Modestus, the Time-Traveling Bathhouse Technician (2022/03/28)
• #3/Lucius builds an open-air bath (2022/03/28)
• #4/Lucius builds an indoor bath (2022/03/28)
• #5/Lucius Builds a Bath at Emperor Hadrian's Villa (2022/03/28)
• #6/Lucius makes a bedrock bath (2022/03/28)
• #7/Lucius appears on the Tokaido at the end of the Edo period (2022/03/28)
• #8/Lucius learns bathing etiquette in Japan (2022/03/28)
• #9/Lucius meets a flat-faced fellow craftsman (2022/03/28)
• #10/Lucius makes an amusement bath (2022/03/28)
• #11/Lucius Builds a Hot Spring Town (2022/03/28)

Theme songs and music

The theme song is "The Bullfighter's Song ~Onsen Manner's Aria~" with lyrics by Paolo Andrea Di Pietro, music by Georges Bizet, arrangement by Ryu Kawasaki, and vocals by Paolo Andrea Di Pietro. Ryu Kawasaki also supervised the production, playing an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the play.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Thermae Romae Novae" retains the charm of the original work, but the new story and character development make it even more fascinating. The growth of Lucius, the various difficulties he faces, and his attitude towards overcoming them will impress the audience. It also offers both laughs and learning through the comparison of bathing culture between ancient Rome and modern Japan.

This is a must-see, especially for bath and history lovers. The scenes where Lucius encounters modern Japanese public baths and the bathing culture of the Edo period are visually appealing. The addition of the fantasy element of time travel adds even more depth and interest to the story.

Furthermore, thanks to the efforts of the gorgeous voice actors and staff, the visual beauty and music have been realized at a very high level. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the process of Lucius creating various baths will never bore the viewers.

This work is available on Netflix in its entirety, so you can watch it easily. It is also recommended to watch it with family and friends. In particular, it is a work that should be watched by those who are interested in bath culture and history. Through Lucius' adventures and growth, you will be able to laugh, be moved, and gain new knowledge.

Additional Information

"Thermae Romae Novae" inherits the humor and culture of the original "Thermae Romae" while developing the story from a new perspective. By having Lucius experience modern Japanese public baths and the bathing culture of the Edo period, viewers can learn about the differences and similarities between Roman and Japanese bathing culture. Furthermore, viewers are moved by Lucius' growth, the difficulties he faces, and his determination to overcome them.

In the anime, the story unfolds in greater depth as Lucius encounters not only modern Japanese public baths, but also the bathing culture of the Edo period. Through the fantasy element of time travel and comparison of bathing cultures, it is an entertaining work that combines laughter and emotion.

In addition, the visual beauty and music have been realized at a very high level thanks to the efforts of the gorgeous voice actors and staff. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the process of Lucius creating various baths will never bore the viewers.

This work is available on Netflix in its entirety, so you can watch it easily. It is also recommended to watch it with family and friends. In particular, it is a work that should be watched by those who are interested in bath culture and history. Through Lucius' adventures and growth, you will be able to laugh, be moved, and gain new knowledge.

"Thermae Romae Novae" retains the charm of the original work, but the new story and character development make it even more fascinating. The growth of Lucius, the various difficulties he faces, and his attitude towards overcoming them will impress the audience. It also offers both laughs and learning through the comparison of bathing culture between ancient Rome and modern Japan.

This is a must-see, especially for bath and history lovers. The scenes where Lucius encounters modern Japanese public baths and the bathing culture of the Edo period are visually appealing. The addition of the fantasy element of time travel adds even more depth and interest to the story.

Furthermore, thanks to the efforts of the gorgeous voice actors and staff, the visual beauty and music have been realized at a very high level. As you can see from the subtitles of each episode, the process of Lucius creating various baths will never bore the viewers.

This work is available on Netflix in its entirety, so you can watch it easily. It is also recommended to watch it with family and friends. In particular, it is a work that should be watched by those who are interested in bath culture and history. Through Lucius' adventures and growth, you will be able to laugh, be moved, and gain new knowledge.