17 Times Anime Filler Was Actually Really Good
It's universally acknowledged that most anime fillers suck. In fact, some people hate them so much that they skip whole arcs of long series like Bleach, One Piece, and Naruto. While there's plenty skippable filler out there, people who avoid it entirely might be missing out on some good anime filler.
Yes, it might seem unbelievable, but there's actually some genuinely good anime filler arcs and good anime filler episodes out there. While some studios are just filling time until the next chapter of the manga drops, others use the opportunity to further develop characters, fill plot holes, or just have fun. Vote up the filler episodes you love, and if you skipped some of the episodes on the list, go back and watch them – you'll be glad you did.
- 12,309 VOTESPhoto: Toei Animation
For an 800+ episode series, One Piece actually has a surprisingly small amount of filler. Instead, they usually stretch manga plots so far you'd think the series itself ate a gum-gum fruit. When they do create original content, however, sometimes audiences are treated to an excellent collection of episodes like the G-8 Arc.
Why is this arc so great? First of all, it manages to develop all of the straw hats characters in only eleven episodes. Whether it's Sanji showing off his exceptional cooking skills and devotion to not wasting food, Nami proving her strategy prowess, or Luffy having to deal with a different antagonist than the physically powerful ones he typically faces, this arc has something for every character. Also, the new characters are engaging and well developed, especially the antagonist Captain Jonathan. - 23,399 VOTESPhoto: Studio Bones
My Hero Academia has only one filler episode, and some would argue that it's the best episode in the whole series. Everyone's Internships fills audiences in on what was going on with the rest of the UA students while Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida were facing Stain.
This is great, not only because it's something that viewers are legitimately curious about, but because it focuses on everyone's favorite frog, Tsuyu Asui, and her adventures at sea. Also, you get to witness Best Jeanist forcing Bakugo to straighten his hair. Who doesn't want to see that?
- 31,404 VOTESPhoto: Sunrise
Cowboy Bebop has more filler than one might expect from a 26-episode anime but said filler is actually pretty enjoyable. One of the best episodes is Toys In The Attic. In this episode, the Bebop crew is being terrorized by an unknown "creature" that turns out to be have been attracted by a fridge full of moldy food.
The actual fear viewers feel for the crew's safety provides a great contrast with the moment that they hurl the fridge out of the space station. The part where Ed eats the creature that everyone was so worried about also makes for a perfect ending.
- 41,514 VOTESPhoto: Studio Bones
Surprising as it may sound, the last few episodes of the first season of Noragami are, in fact, filler. That's totally okay, though, because it fits seamlessly into the rest of the show, and it actually helped explore some concepts that were otherwise only alluded to.
Rabō, a god of calamity who used to work with Yato, shows up to try and convince Yato to give into his own calamitous nature. The drama is high and we get to see Yato's convictions be truly tested. It might be filler, but it's an excellent end to the first season.
- 51,284 VOTES
Changeling - 'Fairy Tail'
Photo: SatelightWhat do you get when you make the Fairy Tail Guild swap bodies with each other? A hilarious episode that will have you laughing your head off. In the anime's 19th episode, Natsu accepts a strange quest that causes the guild members to switch bodies. Seeing characters like Gray being stuck in Lucy's body made for amusing scenes. But Happy being in Erza's body takes the cake for the most ridiculous and funny event to occur in the series. It's moments like these that remind us why we love the characters.
- 61,344 VOTESPhoto: Sunrise
About half of Gintama is filler, but it's so funny that you don't really notice unless you've read the manga. Almost all of the filler is great, but one episode, in particular, stands out: Two Is Better Than One. Two People Are Better Than One – AKA the handcuff episode.
Here's what happens: for a variety of convoluted reasons, Gintoki and Hijikata get handcuffed together, making this episode great for Death Note fans who thought that the handcuff arc didn't use the concept to its full potential.
Not only do they have to manage a stake-out together, they also have to negotiate going to the bathroom together. This leads to a lengthy scene where they try to figure out exactly how they're going to use a public restroom without obliging the other person to look at them. Of course, they choose the most ridiculous solution possible.
- 72,355 VOTESPhoto: Studio Pierrot
Like most long series, Bleach has a lot of filler... and it can be hit or miss. The Zanpakutō Rebellion is frequently cited as one of the best, as it focuses on the Zanpakutō – living swords that form intimate bonds with shinigami.
In the Zanpakutō Rebellion arc, the sentient swords stop obeying their shinigami's commands. It's a great arc because it explores the concept of their agency, and it's also great because of the bad-ass fight scenes.
- 82,461 VOTESPhoto: OLM
Because Pokémon is based on a video game, not a manga, it can be kind of hard to tell which parts qualify as filler. For a series like this, the best definition of filler is episodes that don't advance the plot. Go West Young Meowth! might not advance the plot, but it's one of the most emotionally wrenching episodes of the whole series.
Meowth is rejected by his crush because he lives on the streets, so he tries to impress her by learning how to walk and speak like a human. She rejects him again, calling him a freak. This episode not only explains why Meowth can talk but also explains how he came to be with Team Rocket in the first place, showcasing his deep bond with them. Filler or not, it's one of the most memorable episodes of Pokémon.
- Photo: Studio Pierrot
Despite its poor reputation, Naruto actually has some really great filler episodes – so many that it's hard to choose just one. There's the cinematic masterpiece that is the Chikara arc, there's that one arc where Mizuki drinks a potion that turns him into anime Tony the Tiger, an episode where Kotetsu decides he'd rather let himself be destroyed by an ostrich than be separated from Izumo for more than ten minutes... and so much more.
It's hard to choose just one, but let's zero in on "Gotta See! Gotta Know! Kakashi-Sensei's True Face!" – the episode where Team 7 tries to figure out what Kakashi is hiding under his mask. Their guesses include huge, swollen lips, a devastatingly handsome face, and massive buck teeth. After several failed attempts at tricking him into removing the mask, Naruto finally asks outright. Kakashi peels off his mask to reveal... another mask. The comedic timing is perfect, and it's refreshing seeing Team 7 focused on something childish for a change.
- 101,595 VOTESPhoto: Toei Animation
Goku's power level might be over 9000, but that doesn't mean jack to Chichi, who needs him to help out around the house – and that means being able to drive, damn it. That's what this hilarious filler episode of Dragon Ball Z is focused on – Goku and Piccolo trying (and failing) to get driver's licenses.
It's great on multiple levels. It humanizes Goku by showing that he has obligations outside of being a powerful fighter. It's also just fun seeing him fail in such extreme ways, as it's one of the most chaotic, property damaging driving tests in anime history.
- 111,298 VOTESPhoto: Studio Bones
Some anime fans would argue that all of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist is filler, since so much of it deviates from the manga. That said, it does have its own internal plot line with a pretty tight structure, so really only some of it qualifies.
One particularly good episode that does qualify as filler is The Phantom Thief. What makes it so good? Well, the detective work in the episode is an homage to both Detective Zenigata of Lupin III, and (surprisingly) Inspector Gadget from the Canadian show by the same name. It's pretty cool, and definitely worth watching if you like the shows it references.
- 121,037 VOTESPhoto: Manglobe
Samurai Champloo isn't based on a manga, so filler here doesn't mean that isn't anime original, it means that it has nothing to do with the main storyline. Baseball Blues is one of those episodes. While some viewers might be frustrated by the way it interrupts the narrative, others love this episode. Why? Because the anachronisms are hilarious.
Baseball was invented in 1839, while Samurai Champloo takes place during the Edo period. While there's a little bit of overlap, it's unlikely that baseball would even have existed in that period. In fact, there are so many anachronisms in the episode, you could probably make a great drinking game out of it. Also, it's just great seeing Mugen and company do something other than sword fighting.
- 131,835 VOTESPhoto: Studio Gallop
Let's be honest – Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters did a pretty poor job at adapting the manga. There are massive plot holes, duels that last ten episodes for no reason, random changes that occur mid-arc... the list goes on. If you're interested in anything related to the main plot (especially Ancient Egypt), you should really just read the manga.
That said, the anime is still worth watching. Why? Because while Yu-Gi-Oh!'s creators dropped the ball on adaption, they rock at creating their own content.
Particularly noteworthy is the Virtual World Arc, where we find out that Gozaburo Kaiba – one of the worst parents in the whole franchise – has imprisoned his comatose son in a virtual world, where he is slowly going insane. Yugi and company have to duel their way out of said world. The duels are okay, but what's really great is the insight we get into the kind of man who raised the Seto and Mokuba, and the reason he adopted them in the first place. It's an arc that's action-packed while also being emotionally satisfying.
- 1462 VOTESPhoto: Spy x Family / Wit Studio, CloverWorks
Episode 5 of Spy x Family mixes canon and filler, but it definitely doesn't feel like it. This episode fits in naturally with the rest of the series, and contains one of its most memorable scenes. In order to encourage his adopted Anya and reward her for her hard work so far, Loid Forger offers to do something fun with her.
But what Anya wants is both complicated and expensive to pull off - she wants a real life spy adventure. Reluctantly, Loid has Franky and some of his other co-workers orchestrate a scenario where Anya is a princess and Loid is “Loidman” - a take on her favorite character Bondman - and has come to rescue her. Yor plays Yorticia, the most powerful witch in the world - but she's just a little too drunk and takes the role seriously, using her fighting prowess in the process.
Overall, it's a wholesome and adorable episode that helps develop the bonds between the Forger family.
- 151,542 VOTESPhoto: Studio Bones
Depending on who you ask, Excalibur is either the best or the worst part of Soul Eater. Either way, you're in for an interesting time when dealing with a legendary blade otherwise known as the "Elder God of Madness Born From Rage" – a being so annoying that no one can actually wield him.
While Excalibur does appear in the manga, most of his backstory actually comes from the anime. If you like Excalibur (as many fans do), watching him fight with King Arthur, mess with Sherlock Holmes, walk the streets of New York, sleep around, and even have children is... well, let's just say it's worth watching.
- 16284 VOTES
The Offline Meeting Arc – 'Welcome To The NHK'
Photo: GonzoThe anime version of Welcome to the NHK is actually markedly different from the original, meaning there's a lot of filler. That's okay, because some of it really helps emphasize the themes of the show. One of the most effective examples of this is the offline meeting arc.
During the arc, Satou ends up embroiled in a group suicide pact, and he has to figure out how to extract himself, and maybe help the other people involved not kill themselves. This is an interesting arc on its own, but it's made more so by the fact that Satou himself is constantly on the brink of despair. Suicide is a very real possibility for him, but his reaction to the group's decision shows that there's hope for him yet.
- Photo: J.C.Staff
Revolutionary Girl Utena came out in the late 90's, which means they were legally obligated to do at least one Freaky Friday-inspired episode. With this filler episode, they delivered, and oh god, was it bizarre.
Anthy and Utena switch bodies because they ate outlandishly spicy curry. It's a strange episode, but it's a lot of fun, and it contrasts well with the, at times, serious nature the series.
