Thermae Romae, Vol. 2

Where's this book been?
by Mari Yamazaki | Graphic Novels |
ISBN: 031623219X Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 1/15/2017
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, January 15, 2017
I've been curious about this quirky-sounding manga for some time, but was put off by the pricetag on Vol. 1. Found this fair-condition ex-library hardcover online, and decided to start with it - and, as it turns out, it stands on its own pretty well.

The premise is delightfully goofy. A talented architect in ancient Rome, Lucius, has somehow developed a mystical connection to modern-day Japan: whenever he's suddenly submerged in water, he comes out in the "land of the flat-faces", until another incident returns him to his own time.

This volume opens with a meeting among Roman senators, very much concerned about the future of Rome - and about the freshness of the sea urchins at dinner. In an attempt to get rid of an unwanted politician, they discover that his popularity is based largely on the extensive baths he's built - with the help of bathhouse architect Lucius. And lo! Our hero has a price on his head...

The really funny thing about Lucius is that he's a very serious guy, devoted to the art of designing bath houses, and remarkably calm about his new time-traveling gift. Early on, he's attacked by bandits - and ignores them in favor of the remarkable sulfur hot springs he's discovered! But just as he's explaining the benefits to his new comrades, a rock falls and sends him underwater - and on to his latest adventure in Japan. He does display considerable emotion on his first visit to a souvenir shop, with its tasty breads and cutesy tanuki figurines - and a Slinky! - but soon he's struck with a new idea that he can use when he gets to his own time again.

Interspersed between the chapters of the manga are essays by the author, with notes on favorite hot springs and volcanoes and other sites that inspired bits of the story - entertaining in their own right.

As Lucius' adventures continue, he finds the most unexpected ways to fall into water - often when it's really inconvenient, though he usually comes back with new insights to help with whatever the latest problem was. But later in this book, there's a new wrinkle: just when he really wants to use the fall-into-water technique, it ceases to work... Is he stuck in the land of the flat-faces forever??? [The scenes of a naked Lucius trying increasingly-complicated dives are very, very funny.]

Additional complexities include a young Japanese woman with a serious interest in ancient Rome, who's delighted to find that this handsome (and under-dressed) stranger speaks Latin. And then there's a man who resembles someone Lucius knew in his own time - coincidence, or does someone else have the same ability to jump between times?

And the horse who's apparently fallen for Lucius - but that seems to be a matter for the next volume!

Lots of lovely period detail (in both eras), intricate plots switching from Very Serious to Utter Slapstick and back again - quite goofy and a lot of fun.

[There's a TV Tropes page on the series with some entertaining tidbits. And to my surprise there's a 2012 live-action film adaptation, which I'd love to see some time.]

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Released 7 yrs ago (1/17/2017 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm sending this to BCer emmejo in New York; enjoy!

*** Released as part of the 2017 Clean Start for the New Year release challenge. ***

Journal Entry 3 by emmejo at Trumansburg, New York USA on Saturday, January 21, 2017
This arrived today. Wow! This is a beautiful book. Thanks very much for sending it to me!

Journal Entry 4 by emmejo at Little Free Library #113415 in Cortland, New York USA on Friday, June 10, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (6/10/2022 UTC) at Little Free Library #113415 in Cortland, New York USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Added to the Little Free Library.

I was looking forward to reading this, but need to get books out urgently. This one survived one pre-move purge, but finding volume one has been tricky. Maybe the next reader will have better luck.

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