Aniplex of America to Screen the Film Doukyusei in Select U.S. Theaters This May

Asumiko Nakamura's Masterpiece to Hit U.S. Theaters Starting May 6th

SANTA MONICA, CA (March 9, 2016) –Aniplex of America announced today their plans to release Doukyusei –Classmates- in select U.S. theaters beginning on May 6th of this year. The official Doukyusei –Classmates- homepage (www.DoukyuseiMovie.com) was updated to include a list of participating theaters and their respective screening times. Aniplex of America also released the second English subtitled trailer. Doukyusei –Classmates- will be distributed by Azoland Pictures in the original Japanese audio with English subtitles.

Doukyusei –Classmates- is an adaptation of author Asumiko Nakamura's very first boys' love manga series with the same name. Nakamura's unique art style beautifully captures the pure romance between two seemingly incompatible high school students. Her work has attracted many fans of the boys' love (a genre focusing on the romantic relationships between male characters) community. The film opened in Japanese theaters last month and has earned more than 100 million yen within the first 11 days.

About Doukyusei -Classmates-:

Licht Sajo is an honor student who got perfect scores in every subject on his high school entrance exam. Hikaru Kusakabe plays guitar in his band that performs at live events and is popular among the girls. These boys would have never crossed paths. But one day Hikaru offers to help Licht prepare for their upcoming chorus festival and the two begin to talk. As the two meet after school, they make a connection through song and begin to harmonize as their hearts beat together.

It starts out slowly but soon their feelings for one another grow and in just one moment they both realize that they are in love. Hikaru's emotions are frivolous, pure and direct causing Licht to hesitate at first, but he gradually opens his heart. The boys learn about each other, as well as themselves, as they support one another during this difficult time in their youth.

As the time to start thinking about their futures approaches, what do these young men find as they try to move forward...

Staff
Original Works: Asumiko Nakamura "Doukyusei" (Akane Shinsha)
Director: Shoko Nakamura
Character Designer: Akemi Hayashi
Art Director: Chieko Nakamura
Color Setting: Ritsuko Utagawa
Director of Photography: Yukiko Nagase
Edit: Shigeru Nishiyama (REAL-T)
Sound Director: Akiko Fujita
Sound Production: HALF H・P STUDIO
Production: A-1 Pictures
Distribution: Aniplex

Cast
Licht Sajo: Kenji Nojima
Hikaru Kusakabe: Hiroshi Kamiya
Manabu Hara: Hideo Ishikawa

For more details on Doukyusei -Classmates-, please visit the official homepage: www.DoukyuseiMovie.com

About Aniplex of America Inc.
Aniplex of America Inc. (Santa Monica, California) is a subsidiary of Aniplex Inc. (headquartered in Tokyo, Japan), a group of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and a leading provider of anime content and music production and distribution in Japan. Aniplex of America has launched fan-favorite Blu-ray and DVD releases including Sword Art Online, KILL la KILL, Bakemonogatari, Fate/Zero, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Blue Exorcist, NISEKOI, OREIMO 2, Magi: The Kingdom of Magic, Expelled From Paradise, The irregular at magic high school, ALDNOAH.ZERO, Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] and DURARARA!!×2. The company's ever-growing line-up of shows includes our most recent titles ERASED, Sword Art Online II, The Asterisk War, OWARIMONOGATARI, Your lie in April, Charlotte, Classroom Crisis, WAGNARIA!!3 and GOD EATER.

www.AniplexUSA.com
www.facebook.com/AniplexUSA
www.Youtube.com/AniplexUS

About Azoland Pictures, LLC.
Azoland Pictures, LLC is a film distribution company that offers Japanese anime and live-action films to the audiences in North America.
The company also organizes movie premieres, anime related film festivals, and J-Pop events in the Los Angeles area. In 2015, Azoland Pictures has theatrically distributed LOVE LIVE! The School Idol Movie and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Part I: Blue Eyed Casval and Part II: Artesia's Sorrow. More information available at www.azolandpictures.com.