Mike McFarland voice actor, the performer behind Master Roshi in Dragon Ball, Buggy the Clown in One Piece and Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, has died aged 56.
News of Mike McFarland’s death was reported on September 10, with TMZ citing his friend and fellow voice actor Brina Palencia. He died at a care facility in Dallas, surrounded by friends and family, after a battle with brain cancer. IGN reported on his death, while TMZ reported details from Palencia.
Mike McFarland voice actor: his anime career
Mike McFarland voice actor McFarland began working in anime dubbing in the late 1990s and built a career across acting, ADR direction, script writing and line production. His voice roles included Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Buggy and Helmeppo in One Piece, Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist and Ritsu Soma in Fruits Basket.
He also directed English dubs for series including Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Attack on Titan, Barakamon and Noragami. Crunchyroll said his career spanned nearly 30 years and included music direction on Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad.
McFarland’s health became public in January 2025, when he withdrew from Central Florida Comic Con because of an illness later identified as a brain tumour. He underwent surgery, and was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in August 2025.
Crunchyroll remembers Mike McFarland
Crunchyroll said McFarland had made a lasting contribution to anime and to the people who worked on its English versions.
“Mike McFarland brought so much to all of us who knew him, and to all of the anime fans who knew his work. He was an incredible talent, a good friend to so many of us, and will be sorely, sorely missed.”
Crunchyroll
Fellow voice actors and fans also shared tributes after the news. J. Michael Tatum, who described McFarland as a friend and mentor of more than 20 years, said the love he created would endure.
McFarland’s work remains available through the anime series and games he helped bring to English-speaking audiences, including One Piece coverage on Netflix UAE and Dragon Ball Super coverage.
How old was Mike McFarland when he died?
Mike McFarland was 56 years old.
Which characters did Mike McFarland voice?
He was known for Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Buggy and Helmeppo in One Piece, and Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan.
What was Mike McFarland’s cause of death?
McFarland died after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
