One Piece fandom goes berserk as Luffy shows up at Macy's Thanksgiving parade in NYC

The impact of One Piece on popular culture is undeniably immense, and its recent presence in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade serves as a testament to its global influence. The parade showcased a balloon of the beloved Monkey D. Luffy, complete with his iconic straw hat, which, unfortunately, met an unexpected fate at the hands of a tree. However, the fandom's response to Luffy's debut was overwhelmingly positive and heartfelt.

Surprisingly, the deflation of Luffy's hat became an unexpected highlight of the event, demonstrating the One Piece community's ability to find humor and joy even in unforeseen circumstances.

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One Piece: Luffy's deflating hat creates an onslaught of memes

Luffy's deflating hat might've been Greenbull's doing (Image via Twitter@kenvkon)

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade saw the debut of One Piece's Straw Hat Luffy, Sparking Frenzy, in the fandom. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City witnessed a historic moment as, for the first time, a float inspired by this iconic anime graced the procession.

This addition, reportedly spurred by the success of the Netflix live-action show, introduced the beloved character Monkey D. Luffy to the grand event. However, the debut encountered a few unforeseen obstacles, setting the stage for a series of unexpected fan reactions.

Fans reactions to Luffy's appearance (Image via Twitter)

Despite a dedicated team of handlers guiding the Monkey D. Luffy float through the parade route, it encountered difficulties, colliding with trees and sustaining damage. The symbolic straw hat worn by Luffy, a central element in the anime, suffered a significant blow, resulting in its deflation during the procession.

Fan reactions to Luffy's hat deflating (Image via Twitter @Kareemmpie)

Fan reactions to the incident (Image via Twitter @Shintonty)

The fandom promptly reacted to the mishap with humor. Social media platforms were flooded with memes, showcasing the fandom's ability to find amusement even in unexpected situations.

Fan-generated phrases like "Bucket Hat Luffy" and "Hat D. Flated" circulated on Reddit and Twitter, amplifying the lighthearted and well-received response to the parade incident.

Fan reactions to Luffy and Goku's appearance in the parade (Image via Twitter @Kareemmpie)

Dragon Ball and One Piece are the faces of anime (Image via Twitter@GlideGrass91899)

Many fans have even gone on to mention how One Piece and Dragon Ball's appearances in the parade almost solidified their status as the faces of anime and manga. This might also be true considering their impact and the legacy these series have created.

Toei Animation, the studio behind the series, expressed their excitement on Twitter about Luffy's debut in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, emphasizing the global impact of the series.

Despite the hat deflation, many fans expressed their joy at seeing Luffy in the parade and enthusiastically anticipated the possibility of his return in the coming years.

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Final thoughts

Luffy's debut at Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, marred by the deflation of his iconic straw hat, sparked a wave of humor and creativity within the fandom.

The presence of Luffy and Goku reinforced the position of Dragon Ball and One Piece as anime and manga icons.