In the original Japanese version of Dr. Slump, Gatchan is voiced by Seiko Nakano. In English-language Dragon Ball-related releases featuring the character, Gatchan has been voiced by performers including Mike McFarland and Jeannie Tirado, but Nakano is the voice most closely associated with Gatchan’s classic Dr. Slump appearances.

Seiko Nakano is a retired Japanese voice actress best known for voicing Gatchan in the 1981 Dr. Slump Arale-chan series and its related films. Public reference sources also note that after her retirement, the role was later succeeded by another performer in later material, which reinforces how strongly Nakano is tied to the original version of the character.

Japanese Voice Actor: Seiko Nakano

Date of Birth

Seiko Nakano’s birth date is publicly listed as August 2, 1952.

About Seiko

Seiko Nakano is a former Japanese voice actress whose career was most active from the mid-1970s into the early 1990s. Japanese biographical sources say she became interested in voice work after joining a children’s broadcasting theater group in elementary school, later trained in Toei’s audio talent school, worked with Aoni Production and then 81 Produce, and moved to the United States in 1991, after which she retired from voice acting.

For anime fans, Nakano is especially relevant because she voiced Gatchan across the classic Dr. Slump TV series and several theatrical entries. That makes her the most search-relevant answer to “Gatchan voice actor” when the question is about Akira Toriyama’s original Dr. Slump character.

Hometown

Her publicly documented hometown is Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.

Career Highlights

Nakano’s best-known credit is Gatchan in Dr. Slump Arale-chan and its related films. Beyond that role, publicly documented credits include Mimi-sensei in Anpanman (later-generation credit), Pino Pino in Magical Angel Creamy Mami, Tetsubai in Ikkyū-san, and a wide range of supporting roles across series such as Dragon Ball, GeGeGe no Kitarō, Hello! Sandybell, and Nils no Fushigi na Tabi.

Because much of her career involved recurring child characters, mascot-like characters, and supporting cast parts, Nakano’s filmography reflects the working profile of many veteran anime performers of the era rather than a handful of blockbuster star vehicles. Still, Gatchan stands out as her most enduring legacy role in fan-facing voice-actor databases.

Full Current Filmography

The list below reflects documented public credits from Japanese biographical/reference sources and voice-actor databases. Since no official agency profile appears to be active now and some databases differ in completeness, this should be treated as a documented credit list from cited sources and may not be exhaustive.

Television Anime

  • Konchū Monogatari Shin Minashigo Hutch — Kamuri no Haha (1974)

  • Ikkyū-san — Tetsubai (1975)

  • Candy Candy — Dorothy (1976)

  • Queen Millennia / related 1977 titles — supporting roles including Frank in listed credits (1977)

  • Captain Harlock — supporting roles including Ikaru and others (1978–1979)

  • Galaxy Express 999 — child and supporting roles (1978–1981)

  • Ashita no Joe 2 — supporting roles (1980–1981)

  • Space Battleship Yamato III — Kyōzuka Miyako (1980)

  • Nils no Fushigi na Tabi — multiple supporting roles (1980–1981)

  • Magical Girl Lalabel — supporting role(s) (1980)

  • Tiger Mask II — supporting roles (1981)

  • Tsurikichi Sanpei — supporting roles (1981)

  • Dr. Slump Arale-chan — Gatchan, plus additional minor roles (1981–1986)

  • Hello! Sandybell — supporting roles (1981)

  • Fūsen no Doratarō — Ishi (1981)

  • Mechakko Dotakon — Danchi Michiru (1981)

  • Asari-chan — multiple roles (1982)

  • Tokimeki Tonight — supporting role(s) (1982)

  • Minky Momo — Prince, Pepe, Sid, Mimia and others (1982)

  • Ai Shite Knight — multiple roles (1983)

  • Alps Monogatari Watashi no Annette — Marian (1983)

  • Stop!! Hibari-kun! — Kaori Hanazono, Panther Yokobata (1983)

  • Creamy Mami — Pino Pino (second voice), plus others (1983–1984)

  • Kinnikuman — Laura (1984)

  • GeGeGe no Kitarō (third series) — multiple roles (1985–1987)

  • Little Princess Sara — Jessie (first voice) (1985)

  • Dragon Ball — mother / aunt / supporting roles (1986)

  • Maple Town Monogatari — Jenny Lismond, Mariano Pavlo (1986)

  • Saint Seiya — Young Ōko (1987)

  • Anpanman — Mimi-sensei (fourth voice), plus other mother roles (1988)

  • Oishinbo — Mayumi Asuka (1990)

  • Kaettekita Dr. Slump Arale-chan — Gatchan (1990)

Theatrical Anime Films

  • Dr. Slump Arale-chan: Hello! Fushigi Shima — Gatchan (1981)

  • Dr. Slump “Hoyoyo!” Uchū Daibōken — Gatchan (1982)

  • Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Sekai Ichi no Dai Race — Gatchan (1983)

  • Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Nanaba-jō no Hihō — Gatchanzu (1984)

  • Dr. Slump Arale-chan Hoyoyo! Yume no Miyako Mechapolis — Gatchanzu (1985)

  • Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure — Gatchan (1988, Japanese version)

Original Video Animation

  • Creamy Mami: Eien no Once More — Pino Pino (1984)

  • Minky Momo: Yume no Naka no Rondo — Pepe (1985)

  • I, City — S (1986)

  • Delpower X Bakuhatsu Miracle Genki! — Yumie Hanegi (1986)

  • Yōjū Toshi — supporting role (1987)

  • Ginga Eiyū Densetsu — announcer / female officer (1989)

Video Games

  • Cosmic Fantasy: Bōken Shōnen Yū — Nyan, Rosa (1990)

  • Cosmic Fantasy 2: Bōken Shōnen Ban — Nyan, Pick (1991)

Dubbing / Live Action

  • Watership Down — Pipkin (Japanese dub)

  • Batman — soft-version dub credit listed in Japanese source

  • Hagure Keiji Junjōha Season 1, Episode 6 — live-action TV appearance (1988)

Critical Reception

There is not a large body of English-language critical writing focused specifically on Seiko Nakano, which is common for supporting-era anime voice actors whose careers peaked before today’s international anime press ecosystem. What is clear from public databases and Japanese biographical listings is that she is most remembered for Gatchan, and that role remains the one most prominently attached to her name in fan-facing reference sources.

Useful source links:

English Voice Actor: Mike McFarland

Date of Birth

Mike McFarland was born on July 14, 1970.

About Mike

Mike McFarland is an American voice actor, ADR director, script writer, and line producer best known for long-running English-dub work in anime. His official website describes him as an actor, director, writer, voice actor, improv comedian, and musician, while major public bios note his extensive work across Funimation-era anime dubbing.

For Gatchan specifically, McFarland is the documented English credit attached to Gatchan 2 in Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure on public voice-actor databases. That makes him one of the key English answers for searches about Gatchan’s dub actor, even though the character is primarily associated with the original Japanese Dr. Slump performance.

Hometown

Mike McFarland’s publicly documented birthplace is Texas City, Texas, United States. A more specific hometown was not consistently documented in the sources I verified.

Career Highlights

McFarland is especially known as the original English voice of Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Funimation’s Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z dubs. Other major roles and credits commonly highlighted in public bios include Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan, Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist, Buggy the Clown in One Piece, and extensive behind-the-scenes ADR and script work on major anime releases.

Full Current Filmography

The list below reflects documented public credits from Mike McFarland’s official site and major public reference sources available in search results. Because no single public source here provides a full role-by-role master list, this should be treated as a documented credit list from cited sources and may not be exhaustive.

Anime / Dub Acting

  • Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure — Gatchan 2

  • Dragon Ball — assistant voice/ADR director for episodes 1–75; voice/ADR director for episodes 76–154

  • Dragon Ball Z — assistant voice/ADR director and dub script writer

  • Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge — assistant voice/ADR director

  • Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan — assistant voice/ADR director

  • One Piece — Buggy the Clown, Helmeppo, Richie, Eyelashes, and others listed in public databases

  • Fullmetal Alchemist — Jean Havoc; also English-version writing credits are publicly documented

  • Attack on Titan — Jean Kirstein

  • Psycho-Pass — Teppei Sugo

ADR / Writing / Production Work

  • Case Closed — voice/ADR director

  • Fullmetal Alchemist — writer (English version)

  • Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad — writer (English version)

  • Mushi-Shi — adaptation writer

  • Mob Psycho 100 — ADR script

  • Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World — ADR script

  • One Punch Man and related specials — ADR script credits

  • Cyborg 009: Call of Justice — ADR script

  • Megalo Box — ADR script

Critical Reception

McFarland is widely regarded as one of the core behind-the-scenes architects of the English anime-dubbing boom associated with Funimation. Public biographies emphasize both his on-mic performances and his substantial ADR direction and script work, especially on Dragon Ball and other major franchise dubs.

Useful source links:

English Voice Actor: Jeannie Tirado

Date of Birth

Jeannie Tirado was born on July 19, 1990.

About Jeannie

Jeannie Tirado is an American voice actress and musician. Her official biography describes her as an actor and musician raised in Orlando, Florida, who began studio recording work in 2009, shifted into commercial voice-over in 2012, and was recording animation voice work by 2014.

For Gatchan, Tirado is the documented English credit for Gatchan 2 in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. That makes her the most current widely indexed English performer attached to the character in a modern game release.

Hometown

Her official biography says she was raised in Orlando, Florida, United States.

Career Highlights

Tirado’s official site highlights major roles including Female Byleth in Fire Emblem, Android 21 in Dragon Ball, Kujou Sara in Genshin Impact, Rose Winters in Resident Evil Village, and Vex in League of Legends. Her credits page also lists roles in One Piece, Fairy Tail Zero, The Promised Neverland, Sword Art Online: Alicization, and My Life as a Villainess.

Full Current Filmography

The list below reflects documented public credits from Jeannie Tirado’s official website, resume, and major public reference sources. Because these sources are selective and not presented as a complete master database, this should be treated as a documented current credit list and may not be exhaustive.

Animation / Anime / Games

  • Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot — Gatchan 2

  • Dragon Ball FighterZ / public official bio wording: Dragon Ball Z — Android 21

  • Dragon Ball Super — Pan

  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses — Female Byleth

  • Genshin Impact — Kujou Sara

  • Resident Evil Village — Rose Winters

  • League of Legends — Vex

  • Harley Quinn — Volcana

  • Arcane — Felicia

  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — Ana Flores

  • The Promised Neverland — Norman

  • One Piece — Koala

  • Fairy Tail Zero — Zera

  • Sword Art Online: Alicization — Sortiliena Serlut

  • Tower of God — Endorsi Jahad

  • Kiss Him, Not Me — Kae Serinuma

  • Carmen Sandiego — Sonia

  • Black Clover — Fana

  • Street Fighter V — Lucia Morgan

  • Final Fantasy VII Remake — Claudia Strife

  • Code Geass: Akito the Exiled — Leila Malcal

  • Love Live! Sunshine!! — Riko Sakurauchi

Critical Reception

Tirado is generally discussed as a versatile modern dub and game performer whose résumé spans anime, AAA games, and Western animation. The strongest public through-line in her bios is range: she moves between major franchise roles such as Byleth, Android 21, Kujou Sara, and Rose Winters while also maintaining steady anime and promo work.

Useful source links:

Social Media

I’m omitting this section for accuracy because I could not reliably verify official public handles and direct profile URLs from the sources I checked.

Published by Limarc Ambalina

Limarc Ambalina is the founder of Japan Bound, a website covering all things Japan — from travel and culture to anime, manga, and pop culture. He is also the Director of Content at ISNation and the former VP of Editorial at HackerNoon. Based in Japan, he has been writing about Japanese life and entertainment since 2019, growing the site to over 2.4 million views.

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