One Piece's Luffy to 'Split the Sky' in Toei's Major Inflatable Balloon Tour
In a different manner to his recent battle with Kaido, One Piece's Luffy will again 'split the sky,' with Toei Animation launching the character as a massive inflatable balloon across multiple European cities for his upcoming birthday.
Via a press release, Toei Animation is celebrating Luffy's birthday on May 5, 2024, with a series of giant inflatable Luffy balloons across some of Europe's most major cities. The balloons will be launched simultaneously from Piazza Gae Aulenti (Milan, Italy), Alexa Mall (Berlin, Germany), Outernet, Now Trending (London, United Kingdom), Principe Pio (Madrid, Spain) and Hôtel de la Marine (Paris, France). Readers can check out the Luffy birthday visual and balloon teaser video below.
One Piece Fans Across the Globe Are Encouraged to Participate in Luffy's Birthday Festivities
The release adds that "there will be many exclusive surprises to discover in each city, such as a pop-up store in Milan, an immersive video experience in London, a highly symbolic location in Paris, and many goodies to find in Berlin and Madrid." Fans can send their selfies on May 5 to Luffy's official 2024 birthday site and post to Instagram using the hashtag #LuffyBirthday2024, where their photo will be displayed alongside other One Piece fans across Europe. Non-European fans are still encouraged to head to the site as the celebrations take place simultaneously across the continent.
One Piece fans are already familiar with an inflatable version of Luffy after Toei launched the character for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade last year. The move was touted by many as an example of anime's growing international appeal, while even Luffy's straw hat popping turned into a cultural moment.