Anime That Have Too Many Filler Episodes

Summary

• Some anime adaptations resort to filler episodes to keep up with source material, risking fan dissatisfaction.
• Series like Naruto, Bleach, Boruto, and One Piece have faced backlash for excessive filler content.
• Despite mixed opinions, filler episodes in popular anime like Pokemon and Sailor Moon cater to different audiences.

While manga fans love staying up-to-date as they witness the creator’s vision in its purest form, most people prefer watching anime adaptations that add motion and color to the proceedings. It does a great job of keeping fans engaged as everything happening on-screen is easier to digest.

However, given that a weekly anime episode covers more content than a weekly manga chapter, it’s only a matter of time before these adaptations run the risk of catching up to the source material. Instead of taking a break between seasons, some shows decide to keep the weekly content churn going with filler episodes, with some shows featuring way too much filler for most fans’ liking.

8

Naruto

Filler Count: 90 Episodes

Naruto is the poster child for what should not be done when caught up to the source material. After reaching the events right before a major time skip, the original run of Naruto decided to pad things out with endless filler episodes.

This was a source of great dismay for many fans, who hoped that Shippuden would arrive sooner rather than later. The endless filler content has left a permanent stain on Naruto‘s reputation, but it’s one fans can ignore as long as they focus on the canon content.

7

Bleach

Filler Count: 163 Episodes

Bleach has made some very puzzling decisions when it comes to filler content. Given that story arcs in Bleach take place directly after certain events, the anime has found it challenging to integrate additional content whenever the show starts catching up to the manga.

This led to awkward moments where canon storylines were halted out of nowhere to start a filler arc or cram in some additional non-canon episodes. It’s a clumsy approach that has led to Bleach featuring way more filler than necessary.

6

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Filler Count: 102 Episodes

The mere mention of Boruto enrages many Naruto fans, who felt that the series should’ve ended for good after the final fight between Naruto and Sasuke. The titular character in this series hasn’t faced too many struggles and isn’t all that compelling as a protagonist, especially when compared to his father who moved heaven and earth in a bit to be acknowledged by the people of his village.

To make things worse, Boruto adds a ton of episodes that are technically filler even though they’re considered to be anime canon. This term scares many fans, who can’t bear the thought of witnessing several meandering arcs that add nothing to the table.

5

One Piece

Filler Count: 95 Episodes

One Piece is a special mention here, especially since most people would assume that 95 filler episodes in a series that spans more than a thousand episodes aren’t that big a deal. However, fans of this show know just how egregious and unavoidable the filler is.

The anime has a bad habit of adding filler scenes in canon arcs, making it impossible to just skip ahead and enjoy Oda’s work. Fans must bear endless scenes of walking, forced comedy, and meandering side adventures that lead to nothing, hampering the pacing of arcs that are otherwise a treat to witness.

4

Case Closed (Detective Conan)

Filler Count: 533 Episodes

Detective Conan is one of the most legendary anime of all time, documenting the adventures of a genius teen detective who is transformed into a child after ingesting a mysterious drug. However, this doesn’t stop him from solving a myriad of interesting cases.

It’s impressive just how much filler content is packed into the anime. Some fans don’t mind checking out additional cases, while others would prefer to just stick to manga storylines and not expose themselves to non-canon content that doesn’t have any long-term ramifications.

3

Pokemon

Filler Count: 234 Episodes

Pokemon is one of the most beloved IPs around, with its anime adaptation whisking children away on a grand adventure as they check out Ash’s adventures across a myriad of regions. Each season of Pokemon is rife with battles, hilarious moments, and a fair bit of filler as well.

While some people appreciate the light-hearted nature of this filler and how it gives certain Pokemon more time to shine, others can’t be bothered with checking out episodes that have no role to play in the long-term storytelling. Everyone’s mileage will vary with Pokemon‘s filler, but most people agree that the amount of non-canon episodes is pretty high.

2

Sailor Moon

Filler Count: 98 Episodes

Sailor Moon is one of the most iconic aspects of Japanese pop culture that many people are familiar with. It’s one of the most recognizable pieces of media with a focus on the magical girl trope, where normal students transform into powerful Sailor Moons who can use their powers to fight against evil.

Almost half of this anime’s runtime is dominated by filler, although most people don’t necessarily consider it to be a bad thing. However, fans who want to stick to the manga’s storyline may find the amount of filler to be a bit too much for their liking.

1

The Prince Of Tennis

Filler Count: 79 Episodes

From the very first episode of The Prince of Tennis, Ryoma Echizen’s left-handed capabilities in tennis are something that left fans spellbound. They couldn’t get enough of a sports anime full of wild shots and impossible serves.

A large part of this anime is dominated by filler content that can bog down the pacing considerably. Most people are better off skipping this content so that they can get into the meat of the action as soon as possible.