Voice Actor Mike McFarland Dies at 56
McFarland's death closes out a public two-year medical fight that the anime dubbing community funded directly, and leaves one of the people who built the English-language production pipeline for Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Fullmetal Alchemist off the credits.
Reporting from 1 source: Anime News Network.
Mike McFarland, a voice actor who also worked as a line producer, ADR director, and ADR script adapter on ADV and Funimation series, died Wednesday at 56. He had brain surgery in January 2025 and was diagnosed with glioblastoma that August. His GoFundMe, launched by J. Michael Tatum and Brandon McInnis, has reached US$301,786 of a US$350,000 goal, with donations paused.
Brina Palencia, who co-organized the crowdfunding effort for McFarland, relayed the news of his death to TMZ. A representative confirmed it to Express.
Colleen Clinkenbeard said McFarland learned of the tumor after visiting a doctor for what he believed was an inner ear infection. He had brain surgery in January 2025, a second surgery that April to find an unknown infection, and was later moved to a skilled nursing facility. The GoFundMe opened that January, passed its US$65,000 goal, and has since raised US$301,786 toward US$350,000, with donations paused.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network News Voice Actor Mike McFarland Dies at 56