09/10/2026
I had heard rumblings last night hoping it wasn't true...like many have already said, Mike is the reason I'm in the industry to this day. I met him at my very first voice over workshop ever in 2004 with the late great Bob Magruder (Fairy Tale narrator, One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist) as a fellow student. He came up to me at the lunch break to chat, and generously took my contact info. Two weeks later he VERY patiently directed me in my first dub on Case Closed, where I tried to convince him to never hire me again because I was terrible at it. But he did cast me many times after that, and when I inquired about possibly directing, he became my first guide in that as well. I was never as close to him as many others were lucky enough to be, but I always considered him a friend as well as peer. Such a loss for this industry that will be felt for a long time. RIP Mike, there are not enough thanks I can give for you kindness and generosity you always shared with me and the career you have given me.
We say goodbye to another legend today ποΈ
Mike McFarland, the veteran voice actor, ADR director, scriptwriter and producer, has passed away at 56. For generations of anime fans, he was especially known as the original Funimation English voice of Master Roshi in Dragon Ball, alongside major roles in Attack on Titan, One Piece, Tokyo Ghoul and Fullmetal Alchemist.
Some of his most memorable characters included:
β’ Master Roshi β Dragon Ball
β’ Jean Kirstein β Attack on Titan
β’ Buggy the Clown β One Piece
β’ Koutarou Amon β Tokyo Ghoul
β’ Jean Havoc β Fullmetal Alchemist / Brotherhood
β’ Gordon Agrippa β Black Clover
β’ Mashirao Ojiro β My Hero Academia
β’ Carnage Kabuto β One-Punch Man
β’ Teppei Sugo β Psycho-Pass
β’ Yajirobe β Dragon Ball
β’ Ectoplasm β My Hero Academia
β’ Ryoji βRankaβ Fujioka β Ouran High School Host Club
β’ Cain Nightroad β Trinity Blood
His influence also extended far beyond the microphone. McFarland directed English dubs for major productions including Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragon Ball, the Rebuild of Evangelion films, Summer Wars and Wolf Children, helping shape how an entire generation experienced anime in English.
Rest in peace, Mike McFarland. From Master Roshi and Buggy to Jean Kirstein, his voice and work behind the scenes became part of countless anime memories. ποΈ