Losing a voice actor feels weirdly personal. You never met Mike, but you know him. You’ve laughed at Roshi’s bad pickup lines. You’ve shouted “Buggy is the Pirate King!” in your living room, knowing full well he isn’t—but you wanted him to be. That’s the magic of voice acting: it turns sound into friendship.
Glioblastoma is a villain that doesn’t get defeated. But Mike didn’t let it steal his voice until the very end. He kept working, kept connecting, kept being a light. That’s not just brave; that’s inspirational. It’s like Buggy surviving an explosion by literally falling apart and then yelling, “I’m fine! That’s my plan!”
So, how do we honor Mike? Easy. Watch an episode of Dragon Ball and laugh at Roshi’s antics. Binge a few minutes of One Piece and smile at Buggy’s ridiculous schemes. Share a quote, a meme, or just a “Shishishi!” with a friend. Keep his voice alive in your day-to-day.
Mike McFarland AKA Master Roshi Talks Anime Voice Acting - YouTube
An Uplifting Finale (Because Mike Deserves One)
Here’s the thing: Mike McFarland didn’t just pass away; he passed the torch. Every voice actor he directed, every fan he inspired, every laugh he caused—that’s his legacy. And it’s huge. Like, Mega Sized. Like, “Roshi throwing a planet” huge.
So, let’s raise a glass (or a senzu bean) to Mike. He gave us a voice for our favorite weirdos. He turned cartoon screams into art. And he faced a terrible disease with the same goofy courage as Buggy facing off against Luffy—knowing he’d lose, but having a blast doing it.
Rest easy, Mike. Your voice is still echoing through the anime universe, and we’re all better for it. And hey, if there’s an afterlife, I know you’re already in a recording booth, giving God a funnier voice. Kamehameha! ✨