The final version is set in 2142 A.D., a century after humanity&rsquo;s carelessness resulted in the collapse of Earth&rsquo;s biosphere. The only survivors are a technological society in a magnificent enclosed scientifically-designed refuge city, Ecoban, and a small horde of refugees in the Wasteland just outside. The leaders of Ecoban have supported the refugees in return for their providing labor to mine the raw materials needed to keep Ecoban operational. <br><br>
After a century, Ecoban&rsquo;s leaders have degenerated into an indolent elite class who have reduced the &ldquo;Diggers&rdquo; to slavery, providing no more than the barest minimum to keep them alive. Meanwhile, the machinery sustaining Ecoban continues to pollute the world outside. The Diggers have finally grown angry enough to strike for better conditions. At the same time Ecoban&rsquo;s machinery is breaking down and repairing it requires endangering the "Diggers" lives with more pollution.<br><br>
(Source: Animation World Magazine)

He is known for playing tough or grouchy men in dubbed anime and video games. His career includes Hotohori in Fushigi Yūgi and Jin in Samurai Champloo. He also played numerous cameos and minor characters in Rurouni Kenshin, in addition to the major character of Hajime Saito. He also does Don Patch in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo as well as Gabumon and other voices in Digimon.  According to Anime News Network, Thornton has the most credits of any male voice actor and he is second in total voice actor credits only next to Wendee Lee. He has been in nearly two hundred voice-over productions for Japanese animation.  Thornton is also well-known for having played many different minor voice roles throughout the Power Rangers franchise (and similar series such as VR Troopers and Masked Rider).  Thornton has also had experience with ADR direction. Currently, he is co-directing the ADR for the popular anime series Bleach alongside Wendee Lee.

Shimon