We are saddened to report that Kirby Morrow, the voice of Armada/Energon Rad and Cybertron Hot Shot has died at the age of 47. An article on Gateworld.net has just confirmed it.
Kirby Morrow became part of the Transformers franchise as the voice of Rad White, the young Autobot human friend in Transformers Armada and Energon. After that, he became Hot Shot’s voice in the Transformers Cybertron cartoon. Besides Transformers he also worked in several other animated productions like Cyclops in X-Men: Evolution, Goku in Dragon Ball Z, and Michaelangelo in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, Cole in Lego Ninjago among other roles. Additionally, Mr. Morrow also participated in live action series. He was well remembered as Captain Dave Kleinman, weapons officer on the bridge of the U.S.S. Daedalus, in a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Flash1087
Kirby was my dude growing up. I started with his Canadian dub of DBZ and loved his version of Goku, as well as hearing him voice Trowa in Gundam Wing. This would be a shame no matter how old he was, but dying at 47 is a goddamn tragedy no matter who you are.
QLRformer
Dragon Ball: Vegeta Actor Remembers Goku's Late Actor Kirby Morrow in Poignant Post
"Such an amazing voice actor gone far far too soon. Over 20yrs working together on so many wonderful projects.I always envied Kirby's cool af hero voice & it will always be the #DragonBallZ Goku I hear. Such great memories. Tremendous travels to you my friend. Rest in Peace Kirby."
Brian Drummond.
Hotshotprime43
RIP to a talent that voiced so many characters. He had a great distinct voice and was great as Rad, Hot Shot, Cyclops, and more. As someone who grew up in the 2000s his voice was a part of my childhood.
Hot head prime
Rest in peace Cole, master of earth
Vector Oracle
Lloyd’s first voice actor got replaced after season 7.
Jillian Michaels
Road2Earth2
Page in my autograph book (vol. 2) and a photo of Hot Shot (though it depicted the Armada look–ah, well…)
turbobluestreak
What did you get him to autograph? Glad you got to meet him!
tbs
RKStrikerJK5
47, my god. Rest in peace, good sir.
Eurobeatking
So sad,I mostly remember him from Animes and most of all from GundamW "Those who have laid eyes on a Gundam shall not live to tell about it".
RIP
Sovietbot
We have recently died a famous actor and record holder fit roles and voice actor Armen Dzhigarkhanyan (1935 – 2020). But not because of the coronavirus.
His famous voice acting as a wolf from the cartoon "Zhil byl pos" (Once upon a time there was a dog).
Wolf: You come in, if that.
GAUGE
only 47 wow. sad.
R.I.P.
NemiMonkey
View attachment 28853891
Good lord all those characters he voiced from my childhood………..just FUCK……..son of an onion. My deepest condolences to his family.
mx-01 archon
The Canadian dub is where the "Over 9000!!!" meme originated, with Brian Drummond's Vegeta.
Insecticon
Oh yeah, the Ocean/Pioneer dub. That was the first dub to hit the states before Funimation took over. The voice of Cheetor (forgot his name) initially voiced Goku. I didn't know the Ocean cast continued for the Canadian release. Interesting how all of that works.
Metalwario64
Yep. That's the version I first saw as a kid. I got into Dragon Ball probably by the second rerun of Z on Toonami. Back when Moltar hosted it. It was about a year of reruns until the in-house FUNimation cast took over, but as a kid, it felt like years!
That voice cast continued around the time Trunks showed up in Canada and the UK under the company called Westwood Media. Kirby Morrow took over the role sometime in the Cell arc there.
I didn't grow up with the latter, living in the United States, but it's something that I've always had lots of interest in, because when I was young I always wondered what the in-house cast episodes would be like if they were handled the same as the Ocean cast episodes I saw first, so when I saw a random clip on some fansite back in 2001 with the Canadian cast, I was very confused and intrigued at the same time.
Megastar
I grew up with him as Trowa Barton in Gundam Wing and Miroku in Inuyasha, my he R.I.P.
Insecticon
TIL there's a Canadian dub of Dragonball Z. Different voice actors. Scott Mcneil as Piccolo and Buu.
RIP Kirby, you were the Raddest Hot Shot in the galaxy. 47 is way too young to go.
PoweredConvoy
Loved him as Cyclops. He will be missed.
IDWDrift
Man, he did a good job voicing Rad, even though that character sucked.
Robogeek28
47….
Sheesh….I'm 47….
RIP dude.