The first Pikachu balloon also made several appearances at the now-defunct Balloonopolis exhibit at Universal Orlando Resort, which featured an array of Macy's Parade balloons tethered to the ground and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. This event featured the Flying Pikachu balloon soaring over the heads of guests, and was one of many experiences the event had to offer such as the finale of the Pokémon National Championships. The balloon appeared once again at Bryant Park on August 8th, 2006, for the "Party of the Decade" event. Of note, this is the only time a test flight has taken place on the streets of New York City. At this trial flight, Macy's Parade Studio members measured the crosswinds and wind, stress on the lines, reaction times, correction times, and the time it would take the pilots (the people who traditionally direct the balloon handlers) to get information about wind changes and adjust accordingly. This test flight was held after an incident that took place at the previous year's Parade, involving the M&M's balloon veering into a streetlight and injuring two spectators. The original Pikachu balloon made subsequent appearances in the 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 Parades, and was retired after the latter.ĭespite the original balloon's retirement, it was used as a test subject on May 22nd, 2006, in Times Square. This Pikachu balloon appeared on the Parade's annual commemorative snow globe in 2002, flying alongside Big Bird, Kermit the Frog and Jimmy Neutron. ![]() A walk-around version of Pikachu also appeared on the Toon Balloon-Abration float, which celebrated the Parade's 75th Anniversary and featured costumed characters of balloons that graced the skies of New York City, including both past and present. In addition to a Pikachu balloon appearing in the Parade, a customized Volkswagen Beetle, known as the Pokémobile, followed the balloon through the route to 34th Street. The balloon's short stature makes it one of the smallest giant balloons in modern Parade history (in terms of height) behind the first version of Happy Dragon, which is only 20 feet tall. The balloon measured in at 65 feet long, 30 feet tall and 30.8 feet wide, with 13,200 cubic feet of helium required to fill the pudgy Pikachu's body. The Pikachu was reminiscent of the video game, Pokémon Yellow's opening sequence, which featured Pikachu being lifted into the air by an array of blue balloons (which are absent in the balloon's design). Pikachu made his Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2001 in the form of a giant helium balloon, celebrating the Pokémon franchise's fifth anniversary milestone. “Hopefully, Pokémon will be with us in the future.” Ībout two years later, Pokémon would make its Parade debut with an inflatable version of its flagship character, Pikachu. "By the time Pokémon hit, we were already committed,” McFaddin stated. Former Parade Director Jean McFaddin mentioned the exclusion of Pikachu in the 1999 event despite the character's massive popularity. In the 2019 feature film, Detective Pikachu, Pikachu is voiced by Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds.Ĭoncepts of a Pikachu balloon in the Parade have dated back to the initial height of Pokémon's popularity throughout early-mid 1999. In the Pokémon anime series, Pikachu is the loyal companion of Pokémon trainer, Ash Ketchum, and is voiced primarily by Ikue Ōtani. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, Pikachu has become a part of Japanese pop-culture in recent years and has also become an official mascot of the Nintendo brand. Pikachus are small, rodent-like creatures with powerful electrical abilities.
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