The Dechronization of Abe Hiroshi

Abe Hiroshi and Ueto Aya in Thermae Romae

Remember in the Naka Risa movie “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”, where she slips back to the past and meets Akiyoshi Nakao, and even though he’s a freakin’ amateur DIRECTOR, once he gets past the basic “Wow, so you’re from the future”, bypasses any insight a FREAKING GIRL FROM THE FUTURE might be able to tell him, and goes straight to the boring “How can I tell her how much I care for her” cliché crap? Well, as readers of this blog may recall, I sure had an issue with that movie, so it was with great trepidation that I approached the Time-Jumping movie THERMA ROMAE…would this movie follow suit or rejuvenate my interest in the time traveling genre?

Roman Bathhouse Architect Lucius Modestus

Struggling Manga Artist Yamakoshi Mami

Hiroshi Abe plays a down-on-his-luck Roman Bath Architect named Lucius Modestus in 128AD in need of new ideas who time slips to present-day Japan where he is starstruck by the amazing structures of the modern-day bathhouses. He takes back with him the ideas and inventions that eventually make him famous in ancient Rome. Every time he slips to the present, he crosses paths with a struggling would-be manga artist named Mami (played adorably by Aya Ueto) work whose fate seems intertwined with him.

A Manga Artist's Inspiration

A BathHouse Architect's Inspiration

 Though things are pretty mundane in Mami’s life, she gets inspiration whenever this strange, dark, muscular Roman He-Man keeps appearing half-naked before her, and through clues and sleuthing, she deduces that this geletleman is somehow from Ancient Rome and thus she begins studying Rome History as well as learning Latin to communicate with him better. As the only constant in his travels, he bonds with her, and she finds herself attracted as well…

Dodging an Omiai

Meeting Up with her Dream Man

Then on one of Lucius’ trips to modern day Japan, an unexpected twist happens, where he and Mami are (accidentally) embracing and they fall into the Hot Springs, sending them BOTH back to Rome! “Ah!”, I thought- “Now we’ll see her experiencing Rome from the OTHER side of time! And as a MANGA artist in need of inspiration, this is probably as close to Heaven as she can get!

This...Is...ROME!

But, no. She finds that Lucius has refused  to build a Bathhouse on principles, and will be sent to the Battlefield. Having read her History, she knows that if Lucius goes into battle, he will die, and soon we find her running through the city looking for Lucius, not giving two hoots that she HAS GONE BACK IN TIME and is RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS OF ANCIENT ROME, and only “I must find Lucius and stop him before he goes to War, why won’t he listen to me?!”

"To Hell With Rome, I must find my Love...!"

Send In The Clowns: Geezers Go Timejumping

 It was here that I feared the movie was starting to veer towards that Risa Naka movie, and then when the old geezers (comedy relief characters) who bathed at the Japanese Bathhouse ALSO fell into the time-warp and transported back to Ancient Rome, I held up my hands going OH NOES! Thankfully, my fears were unfounded…once there, far from being wacky comedy relief, the old geezers used their bathhouse knowledge to help Mami and Lucius find a solution that keeps Lucius out of Battle and ends up redeeming him in the eyes of the Senate. At this point I breathed a sigh of Relief, thinking, “Whew, OK, the movie’s back on track…” LOL. 

Ueto Aya as Roman Beauty...

...and as a Modern-Day Dork! LOLOL

I'll tell you one thing- they really did a good casting job in Thermae Romae, specifically, if you’re going to have Japanese Man playing a Roman, Hiroshi Abe, with his strong features, makes an excellent choice! His calling the Japanese People he meets members of a strange “Flat-Faced” race had me howling with laughter! And of course, if you’re going to have a girl playing both a Roman beauty AND a modern-age dork, there’s no better choice than Aya Ueto! Ah, in the end, I have to say it was a most satisfying Flick!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com