Chris Ayres, 'Dragon Ball' voice actor, dead at 56

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Chris Ayres, a voice actor best known for portraying Frieza in the English-dub of the Dragon Ball series, has died at the age of 56.

Ayres' girlfriend, fellow voice actor Krystal Laporte, confirmed his death on Twitter. Laporte said Ayres died on Monday peacefully while being surrounded by family.

"I have never been alive in a world where Chris wasn't. I am scared of it. So much of humanity's kindness, compassion, gentleness, bravery, generosity and integrity were concentrated in one man. Everything feels so much colder," Laporte said.

"I know a lot of people reading this will ask 'is there anything I can do?' Please be more like Chris. Please, if you learned anything from him, put it in this world. It needs him. Please fill it with love and laughter, always," she continued.

Ayres was diagnosed with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2017.

Ayres voiced Frieza, one of the top villains in the Dragon Ball series, starting with Dragon Ball Z Kai.

He reprised the role in 2015 film Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, sequel series Dragon Ball Super, and 2019 film Dragon Ball Super: Broly, along with video game Dragon Ball: Xenoverse.

He provided voices for other anime such as Gantz, Tamako Market, Phi-Brain - Puzzle of God, Gintama: The Movie, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Sengoku Basara, Initial D, Tears to Tiara and more.

"I can't stop crying about the loss of my dear friend and colleague, Chris Ayers. I never thought I'd say this because I used to tease him about it all the time, but thank you Chris, for the Love and Laughter, Always...I'll see you in Otherworld bro, and we'll spar again, Frieza..," Sean Schemmel, the English voice actor for Goku in the Dragon Ball series said on Twitter.

"The anime industry lost a living angel today. It's impossible to describe how pure Chris Ayres was, and his dedication to his craft was unmatched. Knowing Chris, he's still at the gates of Other World, explaining something clever to the maître d'. #RIP, Frieza," Chrtisopher Sabat, the English voice actor for Vegeta and Piccolo in the Dragon Ball series said on Twitter.