Section23 Films Announces June 2020 Release Dates
A very strange love triangle, a trip to Okinawa, and one of the finest slice-of-life dramedies of the last ten years are coming to our shores from Section23 Films! Check out below to see what's on the horizon!
TAMAKO MARKET LOVE STORY COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 385 min.
Street Date: 6/2/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
Growing up in a candy store is just a daydream for most kids, but for Tamako, it's her real life. And, yes, most of the time it's pretty sweet! Tamako gets to create new flavors, hang out with her friends and discover all kinds of ways to have fun. There are difficult parts, though, and one of them is figuring out her relationship with Mochizo, whose family runs a rival shop. Does she really like him or is she just experiencing a candy crush in Tamako Market? Then, get ready for a double scoop of Tamako goodness as Tamako and her friends prepare to finish high school. It's exciting, but sad too, as some of them will be moving away… including Mochizo. Sometimes life is sugary and other times it's bittersweet in Tamako Love Story!
NON NON BIYORI VACATION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 71 min.
Street Date: 6/9/2020
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98
Even when you're fortunate enough to live in a place as beautiful as the country village of Asahigaoka, you should never turn down the chance to explore someplace else. So, when Suguru wins a free trip to Okinawa just as the summer vacation is coming to an end, the town's entire school… all 5 students and 1 teacher, plus the local candy shop owner… can hardly wait for their 3-day trip to begin! Between kayaking, swimming and meeting new people, there's always something fun happening, but the best part of all is that big city girl Hotaru and her new small-town friends all get to explore the wonders of Japan's famous vacation destination together.
DOMESTIC GIRLFRIEND
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 6/16/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
Natsuo Fuji has a serious crush on one of his teachers, Hina Tachibana, but since he knows he has zero chance of ever being in a relationship with her, he lets his friends talk him into going to a party where he meets Rui. One thing leads to another and then, well, neither of them is a virgin anymore. Unfortunately, it wasn't what they expected, but that's fine. They're just ships passing in the night and they'll never have to see each other again, right? Except when Natsuo's father announces that he's getting married again, Natsuo discovers that he's getting two new step-sisters as well. Now there's a problem, because one is his teacher, Hina, and the other is Rui. Yep, the family dinners at Natsuo's house are about to get REALLY awkward! (Check out KBD's review of Domestic Girlfriend, where he says it's the kind of show that will make viewers "both cringe and laugh at its crazy story elements and somewhat steamy romance"!)
MYSTERIA FRIENDS PREMIUM BOX SET
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 150 min.
Street Date: 6/16/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98
Welcome to Mysteria Academy, where the secrets of magic are taught to an eager student body composed of humans, gods and demons. Of course, it takes an unusual degree of tolerance for these groups to mingle freely, but thanks to this unusually diverse and inclusive educational experience, the most unlikely friendships are bound to spring up. Which is how Anne, a human honor student who happens to be a Princess, finds herself growing increasingly close to Grea, a half-human/half-dragon who also happens to be a Princess. Sure, fairy tales would have you believe that relationships between Princesses and Dragons are bound to end up badly, but that doesn't take bonding while shopping and trips to the beach into account, let alone the fact that what they're feeling may be a little more than just friendship!
RE:STAGE! DREAM DAYS
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 6/23/2020
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
When Mana Shikimiya joins her new school's struggling Lyrical Tradition Dance club, she finds herself swept up in a dream shared by thousands of other middle school girls across Japan: To someday compete at the Prism Stage, where teams of young women battle in song and dance for the chance to become the next generation of top idol singers! First, though, she'll have to help save the club from being shut down, and then she and her new friends Sayu, Mizuhua, Kae, Kasumi and Minori will have to up their musical game in order to make it to the first level of competition. Because no matter how badly they want to win, there are hundreds of other girls who want it just as much… and those girls all have a head start!
REAL GIRL PREMIUM BOX SET
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 6/23/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $129.98
Hikari Tsutsui has never been popular, his one real friend is an even worse otaku than he is, and the only girls he's known are the two-dimensional women from his manga and video games. Until, that is, he's sent to help clean the pool as punishment and is partnered with the school's resident "bad girl", the very real, very three-dimensional Iroha Igarashi. Brash, beautiful, and known for her promiscuous behavior, Iroha is loathed by other girls but loved by the guys. And yet, inexplicably, she not only seems to be interested in Hikari, but proposes that they enter into a relationship! Unable to resist, Hikari agrees, but there's one big catch - Iroha's moving away in six months, so no matter what happens between them, in half a year Hikari's guaranteed to lose his real girl!
AFTER THE RAIN
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 6/30/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
Akira Tachibana's life has taken a wrong turn. Sidelined from her high school track team by an injury, she's found herself increasingly distanced from her friends and unsure of what to do next with her life. That's not her biggest worry though. The real problem is that she's found someone that she's interested in, someone who makes her feel like she's never felt before… even though she knows that, by society's standards, it's completely wrong. Because the person at the center of the emotional storm overwhelming her is nearly three times her age and the manager of the restaurant where she's just begun to work. So, what now? Does this runner take the next step and tell him how she feels? Or will she stumble, turn, and flee from the one thing she truly wants? (Check out KBD's reviews of the original After the Rain manga, where he calls it "a beautifully fantastic narrative"!)
RUN WITH THE WIND PREMIUM BOX SET
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 575 min.
Street Date: 6/30/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $129.98
Kakeru Kurahara was a track star in high school, but after losing his money gambling, the only running he's doing is fleeing after shoplifting food. Then Kakeru's escape route crosses paths with Haiji Kiyose, and he gets a chance to change his life's direction. A fourth-year college student, Haiji has dreamed of entering the famous Hakone Ekidan relay marathon, but he's been one runner short of a potential team… until he sees Kakeru blow past him like the wind and knows he's found his critical tenth man. Of course, it won't be easy convincing Kakeru to join, and the rest of the team includes such questionable choices as a chronic smoker and an underweight otaku, but they've all got legs and Haiji will make sure they learn how to use them!
For more information, visit the official Sentai Filmworks site!