One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy Sets Sail Over Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is almost here, providing viewers with a once-a-year opportunity to revel in a lot of pop culture spectacle. A number of new balloons will be added to the 2023 festivities — including one for the beloved anime and manga franchise One Piece. On Tuesday, Macy's revealed the first look at the official Monkey D. Luffy balloon, which you can check out below.

"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," said Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation Inc. "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!"

How Big Is the Luffy Macy's Parade Balloon?

Measuring a massive 43-feet long, 39-feet wide and 50-feet tall, Monkey D. 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.

"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," said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "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."

Is One Piece Renewed For Season 2?

Earlier this year, One Piece branched out into a whole new medium, with a live-action series debuting to great acclaim on Netflix. Soon after, Netflix confirmed that One Piece has been renewed for a sophomore season, which will make its debut at a later date.

In One Piece, as a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world...

What do you think of the first look at One Piece's balloon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!