J Michael Tatum Pays Tribute To Late Friend And Mentor Mike Mcfarland

So, J. Michael Tatum just dropped a tribute to his late friend and mentor, Mike McFarland. And honestly? It’s the kind of heartfelt, slightly nerdy love letter that makes you want to hug your own pals. You know that voice? The one that purrs, “I am Sebastian Michaelis” in Black Butler? That’s Tatum. The guy who made a demon butler absolutely iconic.

McFarland wasn’t just a mentor. He was the guy who taught Tatum how to scream without sounding like a dying walrus. True story. McFarland directed Tatum in One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and a dozen other shows where characters get blown up. He was the calm, caffeinated genius behind the microphone.

The Man, The Myth, The Mike

Mike McFarland wasn’t just a voice actor. He was a director, a writer, and a guy who could make you laugh so hard you’d forget your lines. He voiced Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist. You know, the chain-smoking lieutenant with the tragic love life. He also voiced Buggy the Clown in One Piece. The guy with the giant red nose and exploding hands. That guy.

Tatum’s tribute dropped during a recent convention panel. It wasn’t a sad, weepy thing. It was a celebration full of inside jokes and dumb impressions. He shared how McFarland once recorded an entire episode of Dragon Ball Z while wearing a sombrero. Because why not? The man was a goofball who took voice acting juuust seriously enough to be brilliant.

Fun Fact: The “Scream-Off”

One of the quirkiest stories Tatum told? A “scream-off” between cast members during a One Piece session. McFarland turned it into a full-blown game. Winner got a free pizza. Tatum lost every time, but he says McFarland bought everyone pizza anyway. That’s the kind of mentor who builds careers, not egos.

J Michael Tatum Voice Actor

McFarland also had a weird obsession with pink erasers. No, really. He’d collect them from every con he attended. Tatum once found a bag of 200 pink erasers in his studio. McFarland’s note read: “For when you mess up. You will. A lot.” It’s the most passive-aggressive, affectionate advice you’ll ever see.

Why This Matters

You might think, “Cool, two dudes who do cartoon voices. Why should I care?” Because this duo proves that mentorship is wildly underrated. Tatum went from a nervous rookie to the voice of a dark, elegant butler. McFarland took a shy kid from Texas and said, “Your voice can change lives.” And he was right.

The voice acting world is tiny. It’s full of people who eat ramen in recording booths and argue about the correct way to grunt. McFarland was the guy who made sure everyone felt like a star, even when they were doing a three-line role. Tatum’s tribute isn’t just a goodbye. It’s a masterclass in how to lift others up.

J Michael Tatum Voices

The Weirdest Part

Here’s the kicker. McFarland’s favorite voice role was a character that only spoke in grunts. A giant, mute warrior in Attack on Titan. He spent two hours recording three different grunts. Tatum says McFarland argued that “a grunt can carry a scene’s entire emotional weight.” The director agreed. The grunt stayed.

Tatum ended his tribute by playing a recording from 2008. It was McFarland, laughing, saying, “You sound like a dying cat. Perfect.” That single line taught Tatum more about voice acting than any textbook ever could. It’s about finding the weird, imperfect, human sound inside a script.

J Michael Tatum INTERVIEW: Returning To Black Butler With Brina

The Takeaway

So, what’s the big deal? It’s that every time you hear Sebastian Michaelis purr, “Yes, my lord,” you’re hearing a little bit of Mike McFarland. His mentorship is baked into every line Tatum delivers. That’s the kind of invisible, crackling energy that makes anime so dang addictive.

Go watch a clip of Black Butler or Fullmetal Alchemist. Listen for the tiny pauses, the sharp breaths, the goofy comments. That’s Tatum showing respect. That’s McFarland’s ghost grinning from behind the mic. And if you ever meet Tatum at a convention, ask him about the pink erasers. He’ll laugh. Then he’ll probably offer you one.

Because that’s what mentors do. They teach you the craft, the weird rituals, and how to share a little ridiculous joy with the world. Mike McFarland did all that, and J. Michael Tatum made sure we never forget it.