Luffy’s hat on the ‘ONE PIECE’ balloon got ripped at the Thanksgiving Parade.
There’s nothing quite like seeing one of your favorite characters finally get a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
It’s a true rite of passage for every iconic character that enters the zeitgeist. You know a character has made it to the top of pop culture when they’re floating through the middle of New York City. It’s a huge moment for fans of that character, too.
That’s why it was so cool to see One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy getting a float this year as one of the seven new additions to the parade.
@JennaAnderson similarly turned to a movie GIF for her reaction, with Marlon Brando’s Don Corleone from The Godfather remarking “Look how they massacred my boy.”
All of my anime nerds out there know, man. It’s been a long time coming. One Piece has been running since 1999. We’re over 1,000 episodes in, folks. One Piece isn’t just a show — it’s a way of life. It takes commitment.
Luffy is an absolute icon. He deserves this. That’s why fans were so devastated to see my boy out there with his iconic straw hat deflating and turning into a bucket hat. And by fans I mean me.
@JazzyTyFighter compared the deflating balloon to the infamous 1997 Barney balloon incident in which the particular windy day saw it get away from its handlers, hitting a nearby flag pole and tearing.