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Aniplex Confirms Doukyusei -Classmates- Boys-Love Film's US Theatrical Release

Aniplex of America confirmed on Wednesday that the anime film of Asumiko Nakamura's Doukyusei -Classmates- boys-love manga will open in theaters in the United States on May 6. The website is listing the theaters and theater dates. Screenings will be in Japanese with English subtitles.

Azoland Pictures is distributing the film. Eleven Arts had previously listed the film, but later removed the listing.

Aniplex of America also began streaming a new English-subtitled trailer:

The story begins during music class before the chorus festival, when male student Hikaru Kusakabe notices that the bespectacled honor student Licht Sajō is not singing. Although he thinks that Licht just doesn't like singing, he finds him practicing alone in the classroom after school. Without even thinking, Hikaru calls out to him.

Kenji Nojima (Sailor Moon Crystal, Psycho-Pass) and Hiroshi Kamiya (Shirokuma Café, Durarara!!) are starring in the anime as Licht Sajō and Hikaru Kusakabe, respectively. Hideo Ishikawa is playing Manabu Hara.

Shōko Nakamura (Penguindrum, Kill la Kill episode director) is directing the film at A-1 Pictures with character designs by Akemi Hayashi. Chieko Nakamura is serving as the art director and Ritsuko Utagawa is handling color design. Guitarist Kōtarō Oshio and vocalist Yuki Ozaki from the band Galileo Galilei (anohana, Haikyu!! Second Season) will perform the film's theme song "Dōkyūsei." Oshio is also composing the film's music.

The film opened at #9 in the Japanese box office on February 20. It sold 23,395 tickets for 34,308,700 yen (about US$305,611) on 30 theaters in its first weekend.

Nakamura published the original manga in Japan in 2006 in one compiled volume. The series was followed by the spinoff Sora to Hara and sequels Sotsugyōsei (Graduates) and O.B.. Digital Manga Guild has licensed Dōkyūsei and Sotsugyōsei in English, although the company has not yet released Sotsugyōsei.