The official Twitter account of Toei Animation had a thrilling announcement in store for all the One Piece fans, as they revealed that an iconic character from the series will be a part of the 97th Macy’s Day Parade.

The character is none other than Monkey D. Luffy, who is is set to soar high over the streets of New York City as a balloon float in the parade.

“Luffy is set to soar over the streets of New York City when he makes his debut at the 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!,” Toei tweeted.

Toei also revealed a visual of the Luffy balloon to commemorate the announcement, offering fans the preview of the spectacle they will witness.

Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation Inc., expressed his excitement on the inclusion of Luffy in the parade this year. Endo also highlighted the franchise’s global growth over the past 24 years, emphasizing its increasing popularity, not only in the U.S. but also worldwide.

“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!”

Jordan Dabby, the producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade also expressed his enthusiasm in welcoming the fan-favourite charater, Luffy, to the parade.

“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.”

The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will broadcast in the U.S. on NBC and streamed on Peacock, on Nov 23, 2023, from 9:00 a.m.

This isn’t the first time an anime character made their debut at the Macy’s Day Parade. Goku was a part of the parade in 2018.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy’s. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit.

The three-hour parade is held in Manhattan, ending outside Macy’s Herald Square, takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST on Thanksgiving Day, and has been televised nationally on NBC since 1953. The Parade’s workforce is made up of Macy’s employees and their friends and family, all of whom work as volunteers.

Source: Twitter, ANN