We’ve previously featured the work of TV animation producer and director LeSean Thomas, best known for his work on “The Boondocks,” “Black Dynamite: The Animated Series,” “The Legend of Korra,” and, most recently, “Cannon Busters: The Animated Series,” whose crowdfunding campaign was highlighted on this blog in late 2014.

For his next project, Thomas has teamed up with Crunchyroll – an international online community focused on video streaming of various media including anime and music, with over 20 million members worldwide.




Crunchyroll is co-owned by Otter Media (a joint venture between AT&T and The Chernin Group) and TV Tokyo, offering over 200 anime shows, more than 200 Asian drama series to users, as well as 50 manga titles. In the United States, Crunchyroll also releases select anime shows on home video through a partnership with Funimation.

The online distribution company is partnering up with LeSean Thomas on a new series titled “Children of Ether,” which will stream on Crunchyroll’s digital platform once complete.

Crunchyroll describes “Children of Ether” as follows: “Children of Ether” follows Rhonda, a woman with a dark past and a mysterious power, as she is pursued by an unknown assailant after the death of her father. Aided only by her wits and a pair of orphans, Rhonda journeys through a decaying, dystopian metropolis populated by raiders, gangs, and the supernatural. As she struggles to survive in this harsh urban tangle, she meets both friends and enemies, and searches for answers about this power, “The Ether,” awakening within her.

Thomas is helming the project at Yapiko Animation, with Hiroshi Shimizu providing character designs. Other staff members include:

— Storyboard Director: Shingo Natsume
— Animation Director: Yûichi Takahashi
— Animator: Mitsuo Iso
— Concept Designs: Ronald Wimberly
— Music: Mr Hudson

No ETA on “Children of Ether” at this time.

The project was officially unveiled at Crunchyroll’s New York Comic Con panel earlier this month, accompanied by a teaser on what to expect, which you can watch below.

@NY_Comic_Con @Crunchyroll Panel was really nice. Children of Ether looks so promising, I’m excited ? pic.twitter.com/Zklu7JPIDT

— Caroline Espi (@caro_byte) October 6, 2016