Anime Fillers

[Naltic]

I have been watching a couple of anime, and I started wondering why fillers can't just be episodes where like every character hangs around. I mean, something like that, like a filler episode is already an episode that is not canon so what's the point of having it follow the same plot but making it shittier? seems more fun to have the filler episode be an episode where the gang does fun stuff or like an episode where even the main villain hangs with the main cast. It's just an idea I have been thinking about. Thoughts?

 

[PrismRed]

It could technically.
If I have to explain what a filler is, it would be 'a way to present a story to viewers, without changing the status-quo or narrative of the main plot' whether an episode could be considered a filler depends on it's capability at affecting the direction of the main story, it may be canon, it may not.

I'd borrow your case for example, OG Gundam did have an episode where most of the major character hangs around, that would be when Amuro met Lalah and Char for the first time, while it is more lighthearted compared to the other episodes, it does serve a purpose later on when

Spoiler

Amuro accidentally killed Lalah, which justifies Char's reason on fighting Amuro.

Now Imagine same situation from that episode without all the stakes and tension, you got Mobile Suit Gundam-san.

So yeah, it pretty much depends on a lot of factor, the most important thing is whether the filler serve a purpose to how the story works in general. It doesn't always have to be unentertaining, I mean it cease to be a filler when done right, no?

 

[Naltic]

It could technically.
If I have to explain what a filler is, it would be 'a way to present a story to viewers, without changing the status-quo or narrative of the main plot' whether an episode could be considered a filler depends on it's capability at affecting the direction of the main story, it may be canon, it may not.

I'd borrow your case for example, OG Gundam did have an episode where most of the major character hangs around, that would be when Amuro met Lalah and Char for the first time, while it is more lighthearted compared to the other episodes, it does serve a purpose later on when

Spoiler

Amuro accidentally killed Lalah, which justifies Char's reason on fighting Amuro.

Now Imagine same situation from that episode without all the stakes and tension, you got Mobile Suit Gundam-san.

So yeah, it pretty much depends on a lot of factor, the most important thing is whether the filler serve a purpose to how the story works in general. It doesn't always have to be unentertaining, I mean it cease to be a filler when done right, no?

Exactly, like take bleach, for example. Most fillers there are horrendous cause they are boring and add no entertainment. I mean, as viewers, we aren't asking for much when we want a filler to be at least the same level of work that canon episodes get. It just seems that studios don't really try to create a good storyline for the fillers. Another example is Trigun, there almost the entire anime was filler but this was due to the manga having only started when the show was being made which incentivised the studio to make good episodes which later influenced the manga by inspiring the author to make the same episodes into chapters. So I think it's all about the studio.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

and I started wondering why fillers can't just be episodes where like every character hangs around.

I do like slice of life episodes but sadly you'll lose most of the shonen fans that loves battles.

Recap episodes are nice but made for an era before bingewatching.

 

[Zerpina]

That's normally the Pool/Beach/School Festival Episode

 

[DunkeyKong]

Many decisions can be made Inside the Studio. Some of these fillers are really good despite not being canon. Like most of the episodes in big anime like Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece and Bleach all have it's own fillers

Some of them are actually great and can count as the actual lore in the story, but of course…again, it's their decision to either make it canon or not

 

[goregoregoregoregoregore]

Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo are kinda just that. Whole anime being majorly "filler" episodes with pieces of story scattered here and there until the last ep, and they are absolutely masterpieces that did this just right

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Goku and Piccolo going at driving school was a fun one.

Asgard's arc in Saint Seiya was also pretty good.

There was one FMA episode from the point of view of Mustang as well (the flame alchemist the bachelor lieutenant & the mystery of warehouse 13).

 

[Yousef]

Kakashi mask filler is really cool

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Kakashi mask filler is really cool

I'll check this.

By the way, is the Orichalcos saga of Yugioh good?


Also Excel Saga as a whole is a giant filler of the original manga.

 

[Yousef]

I'll check this.

By the way, is the Orichalcos saga of Yugioh good?

No. Skip to GX and 5Ds. They’re better than DM.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

No. Skip to GX and 5Ds. They’re better than DM.

I'm a pretty old school YGO fan so I'll stick with the manga.

My favourite part is still the early one.

 

[Yousef]

I'm a pretty old school YGO fan so I'll stick with the manga.

My favourite part is still the early one.

That’s fair.
DM is so bad, even DM (manga) is better than DM (anime)

 

[fake-kun]

Fillers largely exist to stop anime from overtaking manga original.

 

[MasterEn]

I have been watching a couple of anime, and I started wondering why fillers can't just be episodes where like every character hangs around. I mean, something like that, like a filler episode is already an episode that is not canon so what's the point of having it follow the same plot but making it shittier? seems more fun to have the filler episode be an episode where the gang does fun stuff or like an episode where even the main villain hangs with the main cast. It's just an idea I have been thinking about. Thoughts?

when filler episodes are used properly, they can definitely add to a show. Paranoia Agent is a great example of having excellent filler. 13 episodes, about 3-4 episodes are filler, but they expand on the effects of the plot as it unfolds.
dragon ball is known for filler, but a few episodes do help it out, mainly for character development. gohan learns about how cruel life can be during his training with piccolo, the space orphans help give an idea of how horrible of a being freeza is going to be. the episode where goku and piccolo learn to drive is awesome for showing off piccolo's sense of style.

Fillers largely exist to stop anime from overtaking manga original.

this is also a good reason to have filler episodes. the sailor moon anime actually caught up to the manga for the final story arc. the two versions branch off significantly. there are some minor characters in the comic who appear for one panel that are main characters in the show.
another thing filler episodes help do is actually showing the main cast hanging out and being friends, or showing off how they act in short instances. like goku and piccolo helping save some people during the driving episode.
quite a few shows and movies just tell us stuff without showing it or even contradicting what they say. in shark tale, you are told oscar and angie are friends. nothing in the movie shows us that they are friends, except maybe on angie's end; where she sells a precious item to help oscar out of debt. other than that, not much else.
but that is still better than theCW's batwoman show. you're told kate kane is a good person [you are shown the opposite the entire time] but they could have started episodes with her doing stuff if there was no room for filler episodes.
there's more examples that i could list and discuss, but i think this post is long enough.

 

[Trainer Red]

I always viewed filler arcs in a few ways ... like how there's those funny side adventures ( seems people really enjoy the Piccolo and Goku driving school episode haha ) ... what if situations ( that shouldn't affect the overall canon story ... Naruto kinda did that yeah no? ) ... or better in-depth of particular characters in the series

Though filler arcs in hindsight give content creators like Team Four Star and LittleKuriboh something to have fun with since I like their comical take on those filler arcs hahaha

 

[MasterEn]

I always viewed filler arcs in a few ways ... like how there's those funny side adventures ( seems people really enjoy the Piccolo and Goku driving school episode haha ) ... what if situations ( that shouldn't affect the overall canon story ... Naruto kinda did that yeah no? ) ... or better in-depth of particular characters in the series

Though filler arcs in hindsight give content creators like Team Four Star and LittleKuriboh something to have fun with since I like their comical take on those filler arcs hahaha

piccolo was styling in his outfit.
the best outcome for filler episodes is to expand on the character relationships and the effects of the plot on the world overall. it also helps with the pacing, giving the viewer a moment to breathe after an exciting battle or tension filled escape.

 

[Yukyon]

the best outcome for filler episodes is to expand on the character relationships and the effects of the plot on the world overall. it also helps with the pacing, giving the viewer a moment to breathe after an exciting battle or tension filled escape.

One Piece's Navarone/G-8 filler arc excells in this, as it really helps develop usopp a bit more towards his pivotal moment in the Water 7 arc
And it's also full of the cast just being silly

 

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

What I don't understand is why filler doesn't borrow ideas from the creator more often. Some filler for One Piece, for example, is just based on cover stories and stuff Oda did that are technically canon but just not fleshed out... but so many OP fillers are just completely original content for some reason.

I wonder how many fillers are based on ideas the creator had that they just never used. Like "Oh I had this idea for a plotline" or "I have this character I just don't know how to use in the main story", etc.

That said... I usually just skip filler and forget about it. What's awful is when it's blended into canon content in hard to avoid or even completely unavoidable ways.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

It's quite interesting that City Hunter got fillers yet can be interesting (especially Episodes 49 and 50 of the second season with Sarah but I won't spoil).

It's rare but if the author is consulting maybe it can still be good.

 

[Deleted member 884]

When I was a kid and didn't know what a filler was I usually watched every episode on TV, good or garbage. But in the last 10/15 years I stopped watching episodes or movie not related to the anime story. I don't wanna waste my time with something that doesn't add nothing to the plot.

Asgard's arc in Saint Seiya was also pretty good.

Saint Seiya's Asgard is one of the worst story arcs ever. It's totally nonsense, I did never understand why the struggle to beat the asgardian knights after having defeated the gold saints, the world's strongest there are. Nor why they're a menace to the world when any gold saint could kill them all with asnap of their fingers.