Gladiators of Rome

This story of gladiators in Rome is an Italian animated feature in no way intended for children or youngsters. Though anime, we have all the blood, gore and violence of a live action Roman Gladiator film with the inclusion of some humour. The story is captivating. A young man hasn't the least desire to be a gladiator until the love bug hits him. Director Iginio Straffi builds up his film as if he were shooting some mammoth epic film. There's too much material filmed on gladiators and though this is animation it's all too familiar territory.