Time travel has always been an interesting theme to explore in the realm of fiction. Be it novels, films, or anime, it has provided creators a platform to come up with the most fascinating storylines, especially when a character travels into the future. There is an element of confusion—mostly revolving around contemporary technology—which leads to a series of comedic errors. That's essentially what Thermae Romae centers around.
Written by Mari Yamazaki in Japanese, the manga series follows the protagonist, Lucius, from the past who is suddenly transported to present-day Japan. He makes several discoveries, tries the most ordinary, modern-age inventions for the first time, and finds them absolutely enthralling. The manga's already been adapted a couple of times, but it hasn't really received worldwide recognition, which is bound to happen when the Netflix anime, titled Thermae Romae Novae, gets released in 2021. While fans still don't know much about the plot details of the Netflix anime, it can be speculated how the series may go by exploring the world of the manga and its previous adaptations.
10 Lucius Is An Architect In Ancient Rome
The central character in Thermae Romae is an architect called Lucius Quintus Modestus, who seems to be having a sort of mental block. He needs to construct a new bathhouse in his time in ancient Rome, but he just can't come up with a new layout. To relax and calm him down a bit, he visits a spa, where he chances upon a tunnel that nudges him to contemporary Japan.
He takes all he sees and experiences in the future in his stride and incorporates the modern ideas into a new spa he constructs in ancient Rome. In this way, throughout the manga, he returns to Japan from time to time, finding inspiration and solutions to the problems he comes across in his own time.
9 Lucius Will Discover The Joy Of Eating Ramen
Like the quintessential tourist, Lucius peruses all that Japan has to offer in "The Power of Baths" in the anime. He walks down the streets of Tokyo, absorbing the sights and sounds of everything around him. He buys a few souvenirs for those back home, like the good tourist. And, being as he is in Japan, Lucius also walks into a restaurant and has a bowl of delicious ramen.
He also tries out the spas, hot springs, and bathhouses. And then later, in "I Want to Slip Honestly," Lucius stumbles upon the wonders of a water park.
8 Lucius Will Be Fascinated With Modern-Day Toilets & Toiletries
Some things are so integrated into modern, city-living that they are for granted. For someone like Lucius, obviously, such everyday facilities are the most extraordinary of inventions.
One such facility is the toilet, which Lucius comes across in "Shampoo Hat" in the anime. He actually time-travels into a toilet showroom and sees his first bidet-equipped toilet—which inspires him to build a new-age toilet for Emperor Hadrian in his time. In another instance, in "Pietrada’s Marriage," Lucius comes across a toothbrush in the modern-day and is delighted by its function.
7 Roman Emperor Hadrian Will Be A Crucial Character
One of the most important secondary characters in Thermae Romae, Emperor Hadrian was an actual Roman leader who ruled from 117 to 138. A first cousin of Emperor Trajan, Hadrian was one of the better rulers, who wanted to see his lands prosper rather than devolve into chaos.
In Thermae Romae, he latches on to the idea of bathhouses (thermae) as a means to spread peace and tranquility. That is how he comes into contact with Lucius who, as an architect, is an integral part of Hadrian's plan.
6 Lucius' Best Friend Is A Lot More Chill
When Lucius is first introduced in the manga, he is quite tensed and fed up. Things aren't really going his way. After a particularly grueling day, he comes across one of his closest friends, Marcus Pietras, on the road, who persuades him to go to a bathhouse together to chill out.
Marcus, a sculptor by profession, ends up enjoying the bath quite a bit. And while Lucius boils over with annoyance, not being able to stand the sounds of his surroundings, Marcus relaxes so much that he looks into the hair removal facilities of the bathhouse.
5 Most People Will Not Be Able To Understand Lucius
In the manga, when Lucius arrives in Japan for the first time, he has a very serendipitous encounter with a woman who could speak Latin just like him. Nobody else understands him since he can only speak Latin while they only know Japanese and English.
But Satsuki, the woman he meets, is not only well-versed in Latin but is deeply interested in the history of ancient Rome. It is later revealed that she was invested enough to establish a high school club about the Roman Empire.
4 Hadrian Will Want Marcus Verus To Take Over From Ceionius Commodus
Much like actual history, Thermae Romae’s Hadrian appoints Ceionius Commodus / Lucius Aurelius Caesar as his heir, but Commodus dies before getting a chance at the throne. In the manga, this is a great fear of Hadrian, that his heir would die before him and leave a gap in the succession line.
For, Commodus isn’t his intended successor. He is only meant to rule till the time the 15-year-old Marcus Verus could come of age and take his destined place as the ruler. In the manga, there is an added reluctance on Hadrian’s part brought on by the fact that Commodus is a womanizer and is a bit flaky. Still, when he feels a bit ill and thinks he’ll die soon, Hadrian sends for Lucius and asks him to build a bathhouse that may be used for Commodus’s first official public project. In the end, it’s all for naught since Commodus dies well before Hadrian.
3 Lucius Will Charm A Horse Called Hanako
Despite the ages between their times, Lucius finds quite a few fans in contemporary Japan. The girls seem to like his classical looks and old-world manners. Even a jittery female horse called Hanako falls prey to his charming personality.
He found it calming, brushing her mane and taking care of her, and she, in turn, felt much more relaxed and happy in his company. After he left her, Hanako the horse daydreamed about him and wished he was there to soothe her.
2 There Will Be A Love Story Between Lucius & Satsuki
Like many time travel tales, Thermae Romae too has a love story attached to it. In the film version, this love affair doesn’t have a happy ending, but in the manga, they declare their feelings for each other and end up together toward the closing chapters of the manga.
Satsuki, in fact, travels to ancient Rome to be with her lover, fulfilling a life-long dream of hers. Since she can speak Latin, she doesn’t feel as out of place as Lucius did in Japan. In the end, the two live happily ever after, going on to have a child in the process.
1 There Will Be New Storylines Provided By Mari Yamazaki
During the course of the Netflix Anime Festival 2020, the streaming website announced that a new avatar of Thermae Romae was in development with the manga artist, Mari Yamazaki. This new anime would be created by NAZ, a Tokyo based animation studio, and be called Thermae Romae Novae.
Though the characters and the basic plot of the anime would be based on the manga, it wouldn't truly closely follow the entire narrative. In fact, Yamazaki herself will provide some new material, new plotlines, for the Netflix adaptation.