This Thanksgiving, anime’s favorite pirate Monkey D. Luffy will embark on his newest adventure. However, this time, the beloved captain of the Straw Hats isn’t setting sail across the sea. Instead, he’ll be venturing down the streets of New York City — as part of the 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
On November 23, 2023, Monkey D. Luffy from the smash hit global franchise One Piece will debut as one of the iconic featured character balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. As one of the most popular and recognizable stars of One Piece, Luffy will thrill parade watchers with his signature grin and high energy. Luffy has been entertaining anime fans for more than 24 years, and is one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, whether he appears in manga, anime, or live action. Now, the series’ creator Eiichiro Oda will get to add “giant balloon” to his growing list of Luffy versions.
Measuring a massive 43-feet long, 39-feet wide and 50-feet tall, Luffy will be impossible to miss during his inaugural flight from Central Park West to Herald Square, home to Macy’s famed flagship store. He will be led the entire way by his own pirate crew of skilled marchers — all honorary Straw Hats for the day — to the cheers of the millions of spectators lining the parade route and the millions more watching from home.
“We’re thrilled to have the celebrated anime franchise One Piece join the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with our Monkey D. Luffy giant character balloon. Over the past 24 years, One Piece has built a huge global audience and today, the franchise is now more popular than ever before — both in the U.S. and around the world. We’re excited to introduce One Piece to the tens of millions of people that watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year – especially the friends and families of current One Piece fans!”
Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation Inc.
Produced by Toei Animation and based on the top-selling manga title of all time by creator Eiichiro Oda, the iconic TV series One Piece first debuted on Japanese TV in October 1999 and features pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew on their epic quest to find the One Piece, the legendary treasure of the former King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger. Now more than 24 years later, the One Piece franchise encompasses 15 feature films (including last year’s One Piece Film Red), home videos, video games, home videos, and an ever-growing catalog of licensed merchandise that includes accessories, toys, games, novelties, furniture, housewares, apparel, and more.
“Our balloon lineup includes some of the most iconic characters from around the world and spans all genres of entertainment, including anime, which continues to captivate our audience. We’re excited to welcome such a beloved fan-favorite to the Parade this year. For decades, Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have delighted fans of all ages, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to see him sail the skies of New York City this Thanksgiving.”
Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
To celebrate the announcement, Toei Animation will be showcasing an exclusive 3D scale model of the Luffy character balloon at next week’s New York Comic Con. The showcase is located at Toei Animation’s One Piece Booth (#2821) and will be on display daily during normal show floor hours.
Fans are encouraged to participate in all the excitement from now through parade day by following Toei Animation on social media along with the hashtag #ThanksLuffy for all the latest news and information,
The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air nationwide in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock, on Thursday, November 23, 2023. For more information visit macys.com/parade. To follow and participate in the excitement, check out @macys on various social platforms and follow #MacysParade.
