Today marks Pikachu’s 17th consecutive appearance in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! And although seventeen isn’t an especially exciting or important number, I thought we could take a look back at the parade and Pikachu’s multiple appearances! also because #newsdrought
The Parade: A Brief History
The roarin’ twenties were a rather glamorous time in America’s history: flappers were a plenty, speakeasies were open for business, and Macy’s was beginning to become the house hold name it is today with all time high profits. It was 1924 when Macy’s president Herbert Straus realized how big the department store had become, and how it deserved an even larger event to celebrate it. You see, at this point, Macy’s had officially taken over an entire New York City block becoming the biggest store in the world, so Straus’ promise of a “holiday event like nothing the city had seen before” didn’t seem that Farfetch’d. Planned and executed only two weeks before the holiday, the first ever Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was born! Over the years the parade has evolved and undergone several changes: TV gained interest, broadcasting the annual celebration to millions every year, and massive character balloons slowly became the focus. Watch it or not, you can’t deny the parade has become an American institution and tradition; and reaching close to it’s 100th anniversary, it doesn’t look like it’ll be stopping anytime soon. Fast forward to 2001, and we see Pikachu’s first appearance in the parade…
Flying Pikachu, 2001-2005
Fresh off the “Pokémania” craze of thd late 90’s and early 2000’s, Pikachu made it’s debut at Macy’s 75th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade! Preceded by a Pokémon themed Volkswagen Beetle, the balloon’s design had the TV audience more in mind with it’s belly down and friendly face shooting straight to the city’s horizon. In the balloon’s first year, due to Pokémon’s crazy popularity, Pikachu had the honor of having a walk-around style mascot costume appearance on the 75th Parade SuperStars float – one usually reserved to showcase characters and properties from retired balloons of parade’s past. The Pokémon themed VW Bug was moved to follow the Flying Pikachu balloon from 2002-2004 until it’s sudden disappearance in 2005 to make room for…
Pikachu & the Pokéball, 2006-2013
Come 2006 a new design of the Pikachu balloon was unveiled! This new balloon featured a more spectator-friendly design (with it facing slightly downwards in a more bipedal position) with light-up cheeks, and an additional Pokéball balloon. Although the Pokéball almost always came before Pikachu, this era had the most “variations” among the three: To celebrate 10 consecutive years in the parade and the upcoming release of Pokémon Black & White in 2010, floats carrying larger-than-life size statues of game mascots Zekrom and Reshiram guided the main balloons along the parade route. And although it’s more of a mistake, Pikachu’s ears weren’t inflated properly in 2012, causing it’s ears to be deflated for most of the parade.
Holiday Pikachu, 2014-Present
Inspired by the facelift Generation VI gave to the main series games, the balloon got another re-design in 2014 bringing Pikachu to its current iteration. This new balloon features a much more cartoon-y style, and is explicitly holiday with its scarf and little Pikachu snowman in hand. With 17 consecutive parades under its belt Pikachu rounds out the the top 5 most appearances by a single balloon character in the last 40 years of the parade – only behind much older brand and character juggernauts like Ronald McDonald (McDonalds), Snoopy (Peanuts), Big Bird (Sesame Street), and Spider-Man (Marvel).
As time has gone on I’m admittedly less and less interested in the parade; What started as me watching godzilla-size versions of all my favorite characters fly by on TV as my parents prepared a turkey turned into the parade passively being on in the background as I checked social media on my phone. Nowadays I tend to just specifically look up the Pikachu balloon up every year to keep my nostalgia in check. Either way, I see our favorite yellow mascot being a parade regular for the past two decades (and the changes it’s undergone) as a testament of Pokémon’s permanent stamp on the past, it’s current influence, and it’s continued evolution as a brand that will forever withstand the test of time.
Anybody else have memories of watching the parade? Which iteration of the balloon is your favorite?
Why does the Totem have a Wacan Berry!?
Utter BS as it and it’s ally are hitting me hard left and right
Because it’s meant to be challenging? All totems in SuMo and USUM have items
So none of them guzzlin’ Electric types beat it down immediately. It uses it as a rubber shield you can say.
4 consecutive loses no because Breakneck blitz missed the faint by a few small points
Ooo I know how about I add the Focus Band to Dusty to continue its attacks at first
What levels are your Pokémon?
Torracat level 22
Rockruff and Lopunny level 21
Seel level 18
You might wanna work on Seel, try to get it to at least 20-22.
You are a bit under-leveled. Funny thing to say when 3 of the 4 Pokemon are of a higher level than the Totem.
I have come close to winning
That last time I would have had it, but Lola’s Breakneck Blitz fell flat by a few small points
I wish I could out smart it by forcing it to only Bubble with Seel’s Encore, but Seel can’t out speed it and Quick Claw could be risky to use as Seel only knows Ice Type moves
And sadly my DS died and I can’t find my charger
I suggest getting a Pichu and evolving it to a Pikachu.
Oh I have a Pichu I was just saving it for something
“Waterium Z, Waterium Z. One for you, one for me. Ah, yeah so good.” Guess who said that!
Lana?
Nah, it was this Youtube I like to watch their Poke videos as bg music while playing Pokemon UM, AbdallahSmash.
Oh I know him, he does lots of playthroughs
Yeah, he’s fun to watch.
Wow, it’s pretty empty here.
So I know I was hating on the animal crossing amiibos, but I went to ToysRus today and they had a buy one get 3 free deal on the animal crossing ones. That’s just too insane of a deal to pass up…so I bought four of them for $6 total lol. I thought they might do something helpful whenever the Switch version comes out.
Whelp I’ve discovered my teams fatal weakness. Basically a fighting type that has access to a dark type move. I was able to beat it, but my team got rocked by a guy with a Hariyama Knock off. I suppose my team had to have at least one major weakness, but I didn’t expect a normal npc to give me that much trouble haha
WHY ARE THE WEATHER TMS 50k?!?!?!
Had over 450k this morning and I’m hunting TMs….now it shrank to 35k
Amazed how we still dont have a troll Pokemon after 20 years in lol
It’s called Magikarp in Ubers
I feel it would be Fairy/Poison, Fairy/Rock or Fairy/Dark
Primary typing definitely Fairy, but trolls are so versatile they can have anything for a secondary typing
Ok because of my Amino poll I shall draw my starters
Amiibo?
No, the app Amino it’s an online community where you can join just about any time type of community out there
OH.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b9a64abc6435553e2189cc0b8bf21699835da862983b9aca84f8e7c4381ab121.png
How rude of Hau.
Well? Is anyone else gointa comment?
Yes how rude of him
No, I’ll pass.
Darn.
Fully evolved team at last! Antheia finally got Moonblast so I could give her the shiny stone 😀
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/74d78afe1592c782d304b221695b7bf97de7094e031b64ad88568e8446e33277.jpg
“Make me your Aphrodite. Make me your one and only.”
Ugh! Vapir’s nose is so weird to draw and look good
Shapes, my dude! break it down into simple geometric shapes
It is difficult to draw its odd trunk shape, but this is what I got https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab35bdf0103fa43c9f5b8772938fa262afa18dc91a03ca9ef13e8b02db9296dc.jpg
Drowsees 2nd evolution?
Nope my Tapir starter, Vapir
Ah, you should make Tapir Koko.
Well Womberry might not be the best, but for a base start its a pretty good imo https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b5719658e72ac26d32fbdc1fbf79cb8e816259b04feb9fad7b0f9465c69d3381.jpg
And the fire starter Pyborn https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1bffd257a560a0f9e56105fe480bfd1f284cbeb40c6ae10c15027905e5620556.jpg
Aww, it’s made after a llama!
Oh… that’s a goat…
Oh lol sorry, I thought it was a goat because of the extending fur.
It’s alright
Uh, what is the nose based on or supposed to look like?
A vapir nose.
The same thing as a Tapir’s
Oh, but maybe it looks weird because its mouth doesn’t look like anything from a tapir really
Look at Horseas’ mouth and do similar for the nose.
That’s actually not a bad idea thanks bud!
YFW Piplup falls. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/65d0fb3aa055ede38104ae91d9bc77b87b58b6b6d05ed9c01b57238bc72d6069.png
Incineroar’s dex entry in Ultra Sun is quite interesting in regards to Ash’ Litten:
”Although it’s rough mannered and egotistical, it finds beating down unworthy opponents boring. It gets motivated for stronger opponents.”
Ash has a Pokédex entry?
Lol no but the ”it gets motivated by stronger opponents” part is a characteristic of basically all of Ash’s pokemon
TIL I learned that Ash is motivated by stronger humans.
https://78.media.tumblr.com/3c6456fe029a27ad8f023d113bc41467/tumblr_owaafaVHGb1usv7xpo1_400.jpg
Happy Black Friday
MM mm mm, a delicious treat while you wait for your injured limb to be treated at the hospital after being trampled by black friday crowds.
Looks like something I’d write
OMG I GOT A SHINY ALTARIA
SWAGOLD
MEGA-SWAGOLD
Welp. I find the second one to be the best, the first is kinda creepy and the third is just blergh. But I like the snowman on the third tho
i can’t take it anymore! they keep letting legends in the lowest of tiers and my team can’t deal with them!!!!!!!
Did you lose to Regice or something?
it keeps spamming curse and the only thing i got is Lycan midnight and hitmonchan
and it’s all the regis, the lake guardians and now the birds
Hitmonchan deals with them pretty well. Just don’t let them set up too much. Their only recovery is Rest, so surely you do enough to chip them down.
not when your hitmonchan is a special wall/spinner….
Change it to Offensive LO, Or Offensive with AV
Just use a False Swipe Tapu Koko lvl. 100 max affection or something. Sure, it’s a Fairy-Electric, but we all make sacrifices, rite?
Showdown you dullard
I thought you meant catching a Regice. My bad!
Change your team
I hate changing my team once i got a strategy
Stall with Pyuky
Set up with Lycanroc
and sweep with Crustle or Beheeyem
Well, you’re not gonna get any better if you don’t
I’m disgusted by your use of the sea cucumber…
i keep it as a special wall
and i like to let it die so innards out can kill them off but eversince the legends hit PU my rating sunk like a rock….
if i can’t even survive in PU i feel like a low pathetic loser
Because they’re too weak for higher tiers 🙂
Just try to make a team that could counter or something, doubt they’re that bad lol
but they have legend bulk to stay annoying, without a doubt the regis die in one blow or mesprit doesn’t cause annoyance
Here’s a Poketeam I Pokesuggest:
– Level 48 Prinplup
Moves: Feint Attack, Moonblast, Tackle, Leer
– Lvl 56 Lugia
Moves: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Aqua Jet
– Lvl 20 Arceus
Moves: Splash, Copycat, Sketch, Growl
Holy crap, I’ve filled up like 6 boxes of Rockruffs, and I still haven’t hatched a Shiny
Magikarp Method it.
Too complicated. Besides, I prefer the Masuda Method
It really isn’t.
It honestly is
It saves a lot of time and it’s worth it tho
What is Magikarp Method exactly anyways? You just breed it with a Magikarp?
Something about breeding with a Magikarp and how you can guarantee a Shiny on the 13th egg or something. I honestly don’t get it
Did you read it?
Better explain with a picture
https://archive-media-0.nyafuu.org/vp/image/1481/79/1481795196811.png
Ah, thanks.
Ok so… you start out by breeding a magikarp. The Rockruff isn’t being bred yet. Save, get 5 eggs, hatch them. If you don’t have a shiny yet, repeat. Keep track of the eggs. When you get a shiny magikarp, reset and breed the Pokémon you want instead of Magikarp. Then count the eggs. Certain kinds of Pokémon have stipulations like you have to skip an egg sometimes.
I’d look up a guide for it.
I thought it was 30 eggs
The number of eggs doesn’t really matter. I like 5 or 10 because it keeps the egg count low but 30 is probably more efficient
I do 30 otherwise it costs alot more and my luck isn’t good so it usually takes long enough that 30 is far easier.
Would you save AFTER getting the 5 eggs or right before?
Before you collect a single one
Oh, ok.
Save before
It’s actually not if you just follow a guide. It’s way faster
Threaten the Rockruffians who are making the eggs with a banishment to Water Archipelago.
…..somebody scarfs a freaking midnight……i just can’t catch a break anymore
and back to the 1k……..i feel like hitting my head until i black out
Take a quick 5-15 minute break
what’s the point i freaking lose every freaking time i try,
every freaking loss burns hard and i got nothing to lighten the blow
If you’re losing maybe you need to rework your strategy. Maybe your team has certain weaknesses or flaws that you have noticed in all these battles.
Adapt. It’s the best way as a battler!
THAT MEAN NOTHING WHEN HAX IS ALWAYS SCREWING ME
Guy has a Togedemaru, Incineroar and Cyrogonal
I could just use DDance with scrafty to beef up and drain punch them
Zing zap flinches me
I LOSE
Well yeah hax is a b i t ch.
It’s been annoying me lately on showdown.
Best thing is a break although when you lose last thing ya wanna do is stop battling!
I’ve been there plenty of times!
NOT WHEN YOU NEED TO WIN TO FEEL GOOD
NOW I LOST AGAIN BECAUSE I GOT GREEDY AND DDANCED ON SHUCKLE INSTEAD OF TAUNTING LETTING TYPHLOSION ERUPTION ME TO DEATH
Dang you seem to be having hard luck and looks like ur on a rampage lool
You need to get ur composure back!
That way you will battle better
I DON’T HAVE COMPOSURE ITS EITHER FIGHT UNTIL I HAVE AN ANGINA ATTACK OR FEEL LIKE A FAILURE
Go for it kick some ass!
I LOST AT LEAST 14 MATCHES TODAY ALL FROM EITHER LEGENDS OR HAX
You probably should watch this instructional video on how to play Pokemon tournaments before playing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDCbNN6ct9A
i’m blocking you
Alright alright sorry.
I find it really stupid how shiny Hippowdon ain’t the female version and female Hippowdon ain’t the shiny, I find it really weird and think that having the shiny being black would help make it more obvious.
I just don’t like the different colors. It confused me for the longest time
Same, at first I thought that black Hippowdon was shiny and ended up catching three of them blissfully unaware that they were just female before finally figuring it out. It’s a pretty famous misconception as when you search “Shiny hippowdon” both the actual and the black one would show up.
Female Hippowdon is the best one though.
I agree, curse the stupid shiny rules for it.
That reminds me, shiny Female Hippowdon is something I might try to breed at some point, I think in a Safari Ball.
Yeah, it’s one of the weirdest female version of a Pkm ever with that colour palette, like I never knew there has been a female version of Hipowdon for the longest time 😮
Same here!
ARE YOU SERIOUS I LOSE TO A TOGEDEMARU FLINCH I”M SO SICK OF MY BAD LUCK
That pretty much sums up competitive Pkm as a whole
The life of a Pokemon competitor is never easy.
Unless you use legends and BS strategies ?
Yeah but usually using them makes the other player rage.
People that use those don’t really care if the other player rages, they only care about winning -_-
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/N1ZUzvyA0T4/maxresdefault.jpg
OMG are you kidding me, a 4th/5th shiny Barbaracle?! Lol I can use these to my advantage and get a dusk lycanroc or a shiny Blacephalon.
The ultra worm holes?
Legends and UBS aren’t shiny boosted and only a small selection of Pokémon are available
Ohhh, so there’s no the same amount of chance of getting a say, shiny Nihilego than a shiny normal Pokemon?
Do you have the Shiny Charm? Chance becomes around 1/4000 ish.
I have no shiny charm and have gotten so many shinies, plus some of the Pokemon needed for maxing it are useless, I don’t want to go through complicated adventures for a dusk Lycanroc.
OK, but are your shinies by the Ultra Wormholes? Because the non-Legend and non-UB ones are meant to be fairly easy to get as long as you go far enough in anyway.
Oh yah, I got them all from there. It’s honestly pretty easy, especially with the fact you don’t have to get a certain amount of Poke-econters in a row from a certain region and that it’s also fairly common, like what, 7-17% chance?
OK but with the charm you’re more likely to get shiny legends if you soft reset enough.
I wish I could transfer my shiny charm from the previous game.
They should link your ‘dex with your PGL account, then you’d only have to get new ‘mon if you’ve already completed it before.
I agree! It’s so not fair to have to begrudgingly get all them new ones.
No I mean you only have to get the new ones, not every single thing you’ve probably caught many times before again.
Gen 8 changes to the battle system I would like to see
– Remove Critical Hits. It is totally random. Super effective moves do the same thing but it’s actually player controlled and fair. Think of how many people have accidentally liked a Pokémon they were trying to catch because of a critical hit.
– IVS the fact that some Pokémon can just be completely worse because of invisible stars you can’t change is ridiculous. They should either be removed or made extremely easy to see and change
Other changes I’d like to see:
– Removal of accuracy-affecting moves.
– Electric Pokemon being immune to all Electric moves.
– No more ability to call SOS.
Better yet:
Remove the accuracy altogether or don’t make it as relevant, it’s one of the most annoying things in the franchise I swear..
I agree. Also:
– Retain the Pokemon Amie/Refresh max-affection boosts as it’s quite useful.
Sleep clause should also be a default rule
What’s a sleep clause?
Electric one would be OP
Eh, it’s just a minor issue I had with Xurxitree getting huge damage on my lvl. 100 Tapu Koko.
– Critical hits have been a staple in JRPGs for years because they add a lot of tension and unprecadibility in Battles, but having their effects reduced would be nice cuz crits in Pkm are some of the most devastating i’ve seen in videogames.
– Eh, you can just make them easier to see and change, but only to a later point would be ideal imo
l disagree with crits because from a competitive stand point it encourages stall as well as making it harder to beat.
Also gen 7 nerfed the crit damage to I believe 1.5 as oppose to 2 so it’s not as devastating.
It also adds to the unpredictability of the battle :]
IV’s should be simplified and all mons wild or not should have higher chance to have 31 IVS.
But crits in comp is pretty bad because it can ruin a whole strategic because of pure randonmess
I know what you mean sometimes they can be so annoying and game changing but that’s part of pokemon. It would make the game less predictable and flat imo
Plus crits have been nerfed this gen not as big as an issue
Eh, I prefer leaving the unpredictability to main game and not in comp because it has no place there, but that’s just my opinio
Oh yeah I can totally understand where you’re coming from :]
I want a Mystic type character that can change your Pokemons’ Hidden Power and a Shady character that decreases IVs, if for instance you want 0 Attack but couldn’t catch that on a Legend.
-IV correction systems (ala bottle caps) transfer with breeding
IVs need to stay. They allow for interesting things like tweaking Stakatakas defence IVs to ensure you get an attack boost.
Or tweaking speed on weather setters to win weather wars.
And 0ivs in speed on TR and gyro ball users.
I’m sure there are other examples where IVs are good…
Crits can go but I fear it will make stall worse to deal with…