For millions of anime fans, Mike McFarland’s voice was part of the experience.
Whether they knew him as Master Roshi in Dragon Ball Z, Buggy the Clown in One Piece, or Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, his performances helped bring some of anime’s most memorable characters to life in English.
Now, fans are mourning the loss of the beloved voice actor.
McFarland died September 9 at the age of 56 following a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He had been diagnosed with the disease in 2025 after doctors discovered a brain tumor, according to TMZ.
His death marks the end of a career that stretched across more than three decades — but the characters he helped create will continue to live on.
A voice familiar to generations of anime fans
McFarland was perhaps best known for his work in the Dragon Ball franchise, where he voiced Master Roshi and Yajirobe in the English-language versions.
He also became the English voice of Buggy the Clown in One Piece, a role he performed for many years beginning in 2007.
But those were only a fraction of his work.
His voice could also be heard as Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion films and characters across productions including Lupin III, Tokyo Ghoul, Black Clover, My Hero Academia, Odd Taxi and Trigun Stampede.
For many fans, discovering his full list of credits is almost like realizing how many childhood and favorite characters were connected to the same unmistakable voice.
But McFarland’s contribution to anime went far beyond performing.
He helped shape English-language anime
McFarland was also a writer, director and producer who became one of the important figures in the Texas-based anime industry.
He worked during the Funimation era and later continued his work with Crunchyroll following the companies’ merger. His directing credits included English dubs for major anime productions, helping shape how those stories were experienced by English-speaking audiences.
His colleagues remembered him not only for his talent, but also for the opportunities he gave others.
Voice actor Matt Mercer paid tribute to his longtime friend, remembering McFarland as someone who took chances on him early in his career and helped him land projects that would go on to define his own path in the industry.
A difficult final chapter
McFarland’s health battle began publicly in early 2025, when he underwent surgery after doctors discovered a brain tumor.
He was later diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. He spent the following year battling the disease before his death at a care facility in Dallas, surrounded by loved ones.
News of his passing quickly spread throughout the anime community, with fans mourning someone whose work had quietly been part of their lives for decades.
Crunchyroll also shared a tribute to the actor and director:
“Mike brought so much to all of us who knew him, and to all of the anime fans that knew his work. He was an incredible talent, a good friend to so many of us, and will be sorely, sorely missed.”
And perhaps that is what makes his loss particularly difficult for longtime fans.
Mike McFarland may be gone, but his voice remains.
Every time Master Roshi makes fans laugh, Buggy the Clown appears on screen, or one of the countless other characters he brought to life speaks again, a piece of his extraordinary career lives on.
Rest in peace, Mike McFarland.
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