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Thermae Romae Time-Traveling Bath Manga to End in March
posted on by Egan Loo
The March issue of Enterbrain's Monthly Comic Beam magazine is announcing on Tuesday that Mari Yamazaki is ending her Thermae Romae in the following issue on March 12.
The comedy follows Lucius, an architect of public bath houses (thermae) in ancient Rome who time-travels to various modern-day baths in Japan. Through manga and essay passages, Yamazaki explores the two cultures in the world "that have loved baths the most: the Japanese and the Romans!" Yamazaki launched the manga in 2008, and the fifth compiled book volume shipped in September. Yen Press will publish the second omnibus volume in North America in May.
The manga inspired a television anime mini-series, a live-action film starring Hiroshi Abe and Aya Ueto, and an upcoming live-action film sequel. Discotek licensed the anime in North America.
The work won the Manga Taisho (Cartoon Grand Prize) award in 2010, followed by the Short Work Prize in the 14th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes. Although Yamazaki was born in Tokyo, she now lives in Chicago.
[Via Manga News]
