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Voice Actor Mike McFarland Dies at 56 After Battle with Brain Cancer
Confirmed
In Short: Mike McFarland, a renowned voice actor known for his roles in Dragon Ball and Evangelion, has passed away after a long battle with glioblastoma.
Voice actor Mike McFarland, best known for his roles as Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, has died at the age of 56 after a prolonged fight with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
McFarland was diagnosed with a brain tumor in January 2025 and underwent brain surgery to remove it. However, he was later diagnosed with glioblastoma in August of the same year, which required further medical intervention.
In January 2025, Michael Tatum and Brandon McInnis launched a GoFundMe campaign to help McFarland hire a live-in medical assistant, raising over $300,000 as of writing, though donations have since been paused.
McFarland's career spanned nearly three decades, during which he voiced numerous iconic characters in anime, including Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion film series, and Jean in Attack on Titan.
Despite his diagnosis, McFarland continued to work in the industry, serving as a line producer, ADR director, and ADR script adapter for series like Case Closed, Dragon Ball Z, and Fullmetal Alchemist.
Colleen Clinkenbeard, a fellow voice actress, shared that McFarland initially visited the doctor for an inner ear infection, only to discover the presence of a brain tumor.
McFarland's contributions to the anime industry were significant, and his voice will be remembered by millions of fans who experienced these series through his performances.
What's confirmed
- Voice actor Mike McFarland, best known for his roles as Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, has died at the age of 56 after a prolonged fight with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
- McFarland was diagnosed with a brain tumor in January 2025 and underwent brain surgery to remove it. However, he was later diagnosed with glioblastoma in August of the same year, which required further medical intervention.
- In January 2025, Michael Tatum and Brandon McInnis launched a GoFundMe campaign to help McFarland hire a live-in medical assistant, raising over $300,000 as of writing, though donations have since been paused.
- McFarland's career spanned nearly three decades, during which he voiced numerous iconic characters in anime, including Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Dragon Ball, Makoto Hyuga in the Evangelion film series, and Jean in Attack on Titan.
- Despite his diagnosis, McFarland continued to work in the industry, serving as a line producer, ADR director, and ADR script adapter for series like Case Closed, Dragon Ball Z, and Fullmetal Alchemist.
- Colleen Clinkenbeard, a fellow voice actress, shared that McFarland initially visited the doctor for an inner ear infection, only to discover the presence of a brain tumor.
- McFarland's contributions to the anime industry were significant, and his voice will be remembered by millions of fans who experienced these series through his performances.
What's still developing
- After attempting assisted living, McFarland was again in the hospital and was moved to a skilled nursing facility to continue treatment.
- 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.
- McFarland began his career in the anime industry in the late 1990s, eventually becoming one of the most influential figures in Texas-based anime production, first through Funimation and later through Crunchyroll following the companies’ merger.