" Thermae Romae" (directed by Hideki Takeuchi , released in 2012), a film adaptation of Mari Yamazaki's bestselling manga starring Hiroshi Abe , will be broadcast on Fuji TV's "Saturday Premium" slot (Saturdays at 9pm) on November 22nd. The sequel, " Thermae Romae II" (directed by Takeuchi, released in 2014), will also be broadcast the following week on the 29th.
The film "Thermae Romae" is based on Yamazaki's comedy manga of the same name, which won both the Manga Taisho 2010 and the 14th Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize Short Story Award in 2010. Abe, who plays the lead role as an ancient Roman, won the Best Actor Award at the 36th Japan Academy Awards.
Lucius (Abe), a bath designer in the ancient Roman Empire, loses his job due to his overly earnest personality that doesn't fit with the changing times. Feeling depressed, he is invited by a friend to visit a public bath and suddenly finds himself transported back in time to a modern-day Japanese public bath. There, he meets aspiring manga artist Mami (Ueto Aya) and other "flat-faced people" (i.e., Japanese people), and is shocked by Japanese bathing culture. Lucius returns to ancient Rome and uses his ideas, causing a sensation.
Lucius, who repeatedly travels back in time, gains fame in Rome as a bath engineer. Upon hearing of his reputation, the then Emperor Hadrian (Ichimura Masachika) orders Lucius to build a large bath for Caeonius (Kazuki Kitamura), whom he considers to be his successor. Gradually, Lucius, and the truth itself, become deeply involved in the fate of the Roman Empire...
