VETERAN voice actor and anime pioneer Mike McFarland has died at the age of 56 following a battle with cancer.
Best known for voicing Master Roshi in Dragon Ball Z, McFarland passed away surrounded by friends and family after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer last year.
He died at a Dallas care facility on Wednesday, TMZ reports.
McFarland’s illustrious career began in the late 1990s when he was cast in Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in the Devil’s Castle as the iconic martial arts master.
He voiced Master Roshi for the next 28 years featuring across multiple series, films and video games.
In the hit series Fullmetal Alchemist, McFarland lent his voice to supporting character Jean Havoc before landing the role of Buggy the Clown in One Piece.
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His other notiable roles included Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, Mashirao Ojiro in My Hero Academia and Koutarou Amon in Tokyo Ghoul, among others.
McFarland was a foundational figure in the English-language anime industry, often credited with helping shape the modern genre.
Aside from voice acting McFarland proved himself to be a successful director, scriptwriter and producer within the animated genre.
He directed English dubs for major productions including Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragon Ball, and the Rebuild of Evangelion films.
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He received several awards and nominations for his work on Dragon Ball Z, including the prestigious “Best Director” award at the 2013 Anime Awards.
His dedication to his craft also earned him a spot on the prestigious Funimation Awards Committee, where he served as a respected and influential judge.
McFarland had been facing significant health challenges since early 2025 when a “tennis-ball-sized” tumour was removed from his brain.
He was diagnosed with glioblastoma – A fast-moving and difficult-to-treat brain tumor – in August 2025.
His friends from the voice over community gathered at the Dallas medical facility recently to sing songs and share stories with him, according to TMZ.
Tributes are pouring in from heartbroken fans, who call his death a devastating blow to the industry.
One Reddit user said: “It is not an exaggeration to say he was the GOAT of ADR Directors when it came to dubbing anime and dubbing as we know it would almost certainly not be what it is today if it wasn’t for the work of Mike McFarland.”
Another said he was a “legend” in the American anime scene.
An Instagram user said: “”Thank you for everything you taught us, Master Roshi. Rest now.”
Fellow voice actor, Steve Blum, said: ” This beautiful, wickedly talented, kind, decent, brilliant man. Another massive loss for our community and for the world.
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“I was incredibly lucky to call him my friend.
“Safe travels, Mike McFarland. I love you, brother.”