North American anime distributor Funimation announced at its Anime Central panel on Saturday that it has acquired the home media rights to the Eureka Seven AO (Astral Ocean) television anime series and the King of Thorn film. Funimation has also acquired the simulcast rights to Eureka Seven AO, and the series will begin streaming on Funimation's website this Thursday.

BONES' television anime sequel to its first Eureka Seven anime series premiered in Japan on April 12. The anime sequel features the return of the original anime's director Tomoki Kyoda, as well as several mechanical designers, art director, color stylist, visual effects director, and director of photography. The first anime's character designer Kenichi Yoshida and main mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori are also credited for "key character designs" and "Nirvash designs," respectively.

Kazuyoshi Katayama and Sunrise's film adaptation of Yuji Iwahara's King of Thorn manga follows Kasumi, a girl who was infected by a pandemic virus along with her twin sister Shizuku. Kasumi — but not Shizuku — was chosen to be among 159 other people who were placed into cryogenic suspension until a cure is found. The 160 wake up in the dark future populated by monsters, and Kasumi must survive while she searches for clues on what happened to the world and her sister.

Funimation presented a preview of the dub at its panel. The film held its world premiere at Spain's Sitges Film Festival in October 2010. Tokyopop published the entire 6-volume original manga before closing its North American publishing division last year.

Images © 2012 Bones/Project Eureka AO, MBS

© 2012 NBGI

© Yuji Iwahara, Enterbrain, Inc./Ibara Committee