17 wrestlers from The Japan Sumo Association will appear in live-action film

The Japan Sumo Association is collaborating with the upcoming Thermae Romae II film to feature some of its athletes. Wrestler Taro Akebono will play Akebonius (pictured left) and Kotoōshū Katsunori will play Kato-oshunus (pictured right). Both wrestlers have Japanese citizenship, but Akebono (née Chad Haaheo Rowan) is Hawaiian-American and Katsunori (née Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov ) is Bulgarian. The movie will feature at least 17 current and former sumo wrestlers in its cast.

The second film's story begins when Lucius Modestus ( Hiroshi Abe ) is asked to make a bathhouse to heal the injuries of gladiators from Rome's Colosseum. Lucius finds himself travelling through time again and is inspired after witnessing a sumo wrestling match in modern Japan.

The second live-action film inspired by Mari Yamazaki 's historical comedy manga Thermae Romae will open in theaters across Japan on April 26. The date coincides with "Yoi Furo no Hi" (Good Day to Bathe). Hiroshi Abe is returning as the time-travelling bath architect Lucius Modestus along with Masachika Ichimura as Hadrian, Kazuki Kitamura as Ceionius, Kai, Shishido as Antonius, and Aya Ueto as Mami Yamakoshi.

Source: Comic Natalie