Highlights
- The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved holiday tradition in the US, featuring large balloons, floats, and performances.
- Luffy from One Piece, a popular anime character, will be making his debut in the parade, which is a significant milestone for the franchise.
- One Piece initially faced struggles in gaining popularity in the US due to poor adaptations, but its inclusion in the parade showcases its newfound success and vindication.
This Thanksgiving, families across the nation will be cooking a big meal, calling family members on the phone, and watching the live broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This yearly broadcast is a holiday tradition for millions, as people tune in to see who will be performing in the parade and to see their favorite characters as giant balloons floating down the street.
This year there will be two anime characters making their parade debut: Goku from Dragon Ball and Luffy from One Piece. While this is cool for anime fans to get two new characters in a year, Luffy's inclusion is especially noteworthy.
Pokemon Balloons Will Appear in Macy's 2023 Thanksgiving Parade
The popular Pokemon balloon is returning to the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, with Pikachu and Eevee flying high in their sleigh.
What is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (often referred to as the Macy's Parade) is an annual event held in New York City on Thanksgiving Day. It is one of the most iconic and widely recognized parades in the United States. The parade is organized by Macy's department store and has been a tradition since its inception in 1924. In 1947, it was embedded in pop culture history when it was featured in the Oscar-winning Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade features a procession of large helium balloons in the shape of various popular characters, including beloved cartoon characters, as well as themed floats, marching bands, musical performances, and celebrity appearances. It marks the unofficial start of the holiday season and is known for its festive and colorful displays, making it a joyful and family-friendly event that captures the spirit of Thanksgiving.
Who is Luffy from One Piece?
Although known by most anime fans, for those who have yet to catch up with One Piece, Monkey D. Luffy (commonly referred to as Luffy) is the main protagonist of the popular manga and anime series. Luffy is a young and adventurous pirate who is on a quest to find the legendary treasure known as the "One Piece." He possesses a unique ability after eating a mystical food called the "Gum Gum" Devil Fruit, which gives him the power to stretch his body like rubber.
Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, a diverse and loyal crew of pirates who join him in his quest for the One Piece. He is known for his strong sense of justice, his unwavering determination to achieve his goals, and his love for adventure. Luffy's ultimate goal is to become the Pirate King by finding the One Piece treasure, which is said to be located at the end of the Grand Line, in the legendary Pirate Island of Laugh Tale. He has been one of anime's most popular protagonists since the manga premiered in 1997.
The History of Anime Balloons in the Parade
Considering how successful One Piece is, some may be wondering why Luffy's inclusion in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a big deal in the first place. To understand we need to understand why Macy's Parade balloons are a big deal in the first place. For starters, there is the fact that the parade has been an American tradition since 1924, and millions of Americans watch it every year. It is one of the many ways you can be viewed as having "made it" in America. If you are asked to perform at the parade, then you are one of the lucky few to get your act displayed to millions of Americans.
A balloon brings awareness to your brand and property in ways that few events can. What's more, since placement in the parade can not be bought (unless you are a sponsor of the TV broadcast), any character that is included in the parade is considered by Macy's to be a character of significant importance in pop culture. Recently it was a big deal when Bluey was announced to be part of the parade, as it meant that the character was no longer a mere pre-school show for kids; she is an iconic character that the average American recognizes and loves. When it comes to anime, you can count the number of characters included in the parade on one hand:
- Pikachu
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Naruto
- Goku
Now, there are a couple of things to mention about that list. One, Pikachu and Sonic are primarily video game characters, and are only on this list because they also starred in hit anime series. Two, Goku will be making his debut along with Luffy, so he's technically new as well. It may even surprise anime fans to find that many popular anime characters like Sailor Moon, Ichigo, Vash the Stampede, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Detective Conan have never been included. Such is the niche nature of anime and the mainstream popularity of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Why Luffy's Inclusion is Such a Big Deal
Yet while it is strange that it took so long for Goku to make it into the parade, the fact that Luffy has been included is a huge vindication for One Piece. Though you may have forgotten, One Piece was initially considered a huge flop in America. While the story is a long and complicated one (which we have written about in detail), the abridged version is that when One Piece first came to America in Viz Media's Shonen Jump magazine it had started to develop a following in the anime scene. Unfortunately, mainstream success was stilted when the anime was acquired by 4Kids Entertainment.
Not understanding what they had on their hands, 4Kids took this show that was more appropriate for teens and young adults and censored it to make it more appropriate for children. This resulted in a show that was incoherent and sloppy, and the public's perception of the property was not good. In fact, the reception to the anime had been so bad that many feared that this first impression meant the series reputation would never recover. Those fears seemed to be validated when Cartoon Network picked up the series and aired a much more faithful dub that ended up being pulled from the schedule after less than one season.
Yet new rights holder Funimation chugged along, selling DVD's to fans directly and continuing to nurture the property. After several years movies started appearing theaters. Simulcasts helped keep the show active for American audiences. The manga continued to sell well, and the anime even returned to Cartoon Network when Adult Swim decided to re-leunch Toonami (where it made perfect sense to be in the first place). Recently the series was adapted into a live-action series from Netflix, and despite all odds the show has received rave reviews and has been renewed for a second season.
While this is a stunning turn around regardless how you spin it, the fact that One Piece is now one of only five balloons based on anime that is included in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade not only represents how popular the franchise is now, the inclusion is vindication that Americans would have always loved One Piece had the franchise been handled correctly from the start. It may be a little late, but it is great to see One Piece getting the love and attention it deserved after the disastrous launch it suffered in 2004.
