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Voice Actor Mike McFarland Dies at 56 After Battle with Brain Cancer
Confirmed
In Short: Mike McFarland, the voice actor behind iconic characters like Master Roshi in Dragon Ball, passed away at 56 after a prolonged battle with glioblastoma.
Voice actor Mike McFarland, known for his roles in Dragon Ball and other anime series, died at the age of 56 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. According to reports, McFarland was diagnosed with glioblastoma in August 2025 following surgeries for a brain tumor earlier that year.
McFarland's voice acting credits include Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion film series, and numerous other roles in popular anime series. His work spanned nearly three decades, shaping how English-speaking audiences experienced some of anime's most important series.
In January 2025, McFarland underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor, and a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help him hire a live-in medical assistant. As of August 2025, the campaign had surpassed its initial goal of US$65,000 and was updated to US$350,000 to cover his treatment costs.
McFarland's contributions to the voice acting industry were celebrated by his peers and fans alike, with voice actress Colleen Clinkenbeard noting that he found out about the tumor when visiting the doctor for an inner ear infection, later discovering it was a brain tumor.
What's confirmed
- Voice actor Mike McFarland, known for his roles in Dragon Ball and other anime series, died at the age of 56 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. According to reports, McFarland was diagnosed with glioblastoma in August 2025 following surgeries for a brain tumor earlier that year.
- McFarland's voice acting credits include Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion film series, and numerous other roles in popular anime series. His work spanned nearly three decades, shaping how English-speaking audiences experienced some of anime's most important series.
- In January 2025, McFarland underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor, and a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help him hire a live-in medical assistant. As of August 2025, the campaign had surpassed its initial goal of US$65,000 and was updated to US$350,000 to cover his treatment costs.
- McFarland's contributions to the voice acting industry were celebrated by his peers and fans alike, with voice actress Colleen Clinkenbeard noting that he found out about the tumor when visiting the doctor for an inner ear infection, later discovering it was a brain tumor.
What's still developing
- As of writing, McFarland's GoFundMe has reached US$301,786 of its US$350,000 goal, but donations have been currently paused.
- His voice acting credits include Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball and its sequels, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion film series, Sky Master in Heaven's Lost Property, Goemon Ishikawa in Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and many Lupin III films, Jean in Attack on Titan, George in Case Closed, and Buggy in One Piece.
- After attempting assisted living, McFarland was again in the hospital and was moved to a skilled nursing facility to continue treatment.
- McFarland worked as line producer, ADR Director, and ADR script adapter for many ADV and later Funimation series including Case Closed, Dragon Ball Z, Eden of the East, Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, One Piece, and the Evangelion film series.
- McFarland began voicing the legendary Dragon Ball character in the late 1990s and continued playing him across television series, movies, and video games.
- Those two roles alone made McFarland one of the most recognizable voices in anime.