Mike McFarland, who lent his voice to many classic anime, died Wednesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 56.
McFarland is known to anime fans as the voice actor for “Dragon Ball Z” characters like Master Roshi and Yajirobe and the “One Piece”character Buggy the Clown. His work was impressively robust. He also famously voiced a pair of Jeans – Jean Kirstein in “Attack on Titan” and Jean Havoc in “Fullmetal Alchemist” – along with Teppei Sugo in “Psycho-Pass” and Tecchin Tecchikawahara in “Demon Slayer.”
“Mike brought so much to all of us who knew him, and to all of the anime fans that knew his work,” anime streaming service Crunchyroll said in a statement regarding McFarland’s death. “He was an incredible talent, a good friend to so many of us and will be sorely, sorely missed.”
McFarland had diagnosed with a brain tumor several years ago. Fellow voice actors J. Michael Tatum and Brandon McInnis started a GoFundMe back in August 2025 to help McFarland pay for a live-in medical assistant after he underwent surgery for aggressive glioblastoma.
“Mike McFarland, my dear friend and mentor of over 20 years, is gone,” Tatum posted. “A rarer, more beautiful soul this world will never know. Rest in peace, Salt. The love you created endures, but damned if I know how we’ll get on without you around to share it back with.”
Mike McFarland, my dear friend and mentor of over twenty years, is gone. A rarer, more beautiful soul this world will never know. Rest in peace, Salt. The love you created endures, but damned if I know how we’ll get on without you around to share it back with.
pic.twitter.com/aUr99fsqjX
— J Michael Tatum (@JMichaelTatum) September 10, 2026
McFarland’s voice acting career began back in 1997 when he was hired by Funimation to dub some of its work. Aside from lending his voice to various shows, he also worked as an ADR director and script editor for a number of other Funimation and Crunchyroll programs and films.
“There are so many things I want to say, but I feel like all the words are out of reach,” voice actor Clifford Chapin said on social media once the news broke. “Mike was a great guy, funny, immensely talented. He always tried to improve himself both as an artist and a person. He challenged me greatly as a new actor. I’m so glad we took this picture.”
There are so many things I want to say, but I feel like all the words are out of reach. Mike was a great guy, funny, immensely talented. He always tried to improve himself both as an artist and a person. He challenged me greatly as a new actor. I’m so glad we took this picture. pic.twitter.com/3ko9Rb2sif
— Clifford Chapin (@CliffordChapin) September 10, 2026
The post Mike McFarland, ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and ‘One Piece’ Voice Actor, Dies at 56 appeared first on TheWrap.
