Best filler arc in Anime

[ohtori_akio]

I don't know if a thread like this has been attempted before, it seems some filler arcs from some titles are amazing (sometimes surpassing those from the official manga). Here are my top 3:

Saint Seiya Asgard Series - Amazing characterisation (the filler characters are actually more interesting than the main cast through the whole Arc), great soundtrack, animation really picks up from the previous Santuary Arc, the story's pace is also improved upon.

Revolutionary Girl Utena Black Rose Saga - A side story about this Arc does exist in the manga series, however it is not nearly as developed as it is in the anime. Has some great characterisation (especially for secondary characters), amazing music, good animation and an amazing character in Mikage! Takes Utena to a darker place.

Sailor Moon (Rainbow Crystals Arc) - Though not exactly what one would describe as a full 'Arc', it was a great way for the manga to catch up to the anime - by giving some great characters, and one of the series' funniest episodes (Loved and Chased! Luna's Worst Day Ever), and also one of the most dramatic (The Sparkling Silver Crystal! The Moon Princess Appears).

What is your top 3?

[pluvia33]

I don't really watch many long running anime that require filler arcs, but I'm actually really enjoying the current filler arc in Bleach. I find the concept of their swords rebelling to be very interesting. I'm actually a fan of Bleach filler in general. It's usually well executed and has some really funny random episodes (especially when it involves Ikkaku). Although it is kind of annoying how they've been placing the filler arcs just right in the middle of the canon arcs lately. It's just really awkward.

Aside from that, I don't really have any favorite full-on filler arcs in anime. However, in Azumanga Daioh, the anime only episode (#19, the Cherry-Blossom Viewing episode) was one of my favorites in the series. I also loved the second Cardcaptor Sakura movie even though it wasn't based on the manga at all. That's the best I'm going to get at picking three. :sweat:

[Buckeye]

Most fillers are not a good thing, but out of the fillers I have watched, here are the three that I think stand out more than others. First up is the Bount Arc in Bleach. While not relevant to the overall storyline, it had a solid story behind it. Not to mention we are introduced to three modsouls who become relevant later on in the TV series. While most of the Naruto filler was awful, the Seimei arc (final 5 episodes) did not feel like filler material at all. It broke away from the random missions with randomly constructed teams mentality that plagued the filler arc. The only other filler that I watched and like was the Getbackers filler after the first infiltration of the Limitless Fortress. Some of it was pointless, but others were hillarious. The one that stands out is the episode where Ginji is hospitalized.

[Doom85]

I'm not sure if it counts as "filler", but the first FMA anime starting from the introduction of Wrath/Dante to the end of the series would easily be the best filler arc for me, even slightly surpassing the original manga IMHO (runs away from the furious manga fans in hot pursuit. I said "slightly"! :sweat:).

In terms of more traditional filler arcs, I always liked the DBZ ones somewhat (and of course, Goku and Piccolo trying to get driver's licenses is always classic!). I hated the Part 1 Naruto filler, but the first Shippuden arc was actually quite good (especially for developing Asuma more before he died in the following canon arc) minus the last three episodes where they stalled too much with Naruto screaming at Sora for 45 minutes. Haven't watched the second filler arc yet, I need to catch up soon (halted watching after the end of the Hidan/Kakuza arc).

The Bount filler arc started okay but dragged on too long (and just had too much mood-whiplash from the canon. Urahara: "The battle isn't over, the war with Aizen is just beginning.........but first let's deal with a bunch of vampires!!"), the following filler arc was just awful, and Kon filler makes a part of me inside die. The first Bleach movie was actually pretty good and the main girl (I forget her name) was even more likable than some of the canon characters, it's a shame the filler arcs in the regular anime couldn't be as good.

One Piece filler is usually good, especially certain movies like 4 and 6.

Tsubasa filler.............ugh, let's not even touch those. Same with Gantz' "what just happened?" filler ending (episodes 23-25 weren't that bad filler-wise, but still, knowing we'd never see the future moments where the manga far surpasses what the anime adapted was really disappointing) :depressed:

[pathos]

Unless I'm actually collecting the manga and anime, i generally don't know when a show is showing filler or not. Of course, i can tell when an episode sucks or not, but I can only guess if its filler or not.

But, generally, One Piece, although it does have episodes that are quite obviously filler (using characters from the show 1 shot episodes as different people), or flashback episodes, I generally don't notice filler to much. In fact, there is at least 1 arc someone said was filler, but I would have guessed canon. And, if I don't notice it being filler, then its good filler.

[Mateo_home]

May not be the best, but I'll just take the easy way out. So in Shugo Chara, I enjoyed the Lulu/?-egg episodes for what they were worth. Seeing a character develop their outside character of being an ojou-sama to just being a regular girl with a Nagoya accent. That and realizing she didn't have to pursue her mother's dream for her.

Sadly, I don't have two other favorites

[Consignia]

I don't really watch many long running anime that require filler arcs, but I'm actually really enjoying the current filler arc in Bleach. I find the concept of their swords rebelling to be very interesting. I'm actually a fan of Bleach filler in general. It's usually well executed and has some really funny random episodes (especially when it involves Ikkaku). Although it is kind of annoying how they've been placing the filler arcs just right in the middle of the canon arcs lately. It's just really awkward.



Yeah, I like the current filler arc in Bleach myself. I'm not quite so enamored on anything that came before it though, especially the one offs. The one-offs based off manga side stories and sketches aren't so bad either.

[Gishra]

The Homura story arc in Saiyuki gets my vote... best part of the anime series actually IMO.

[zangetsu22]

Most fillers are not a good thing, but out of the fillers I have watched, here are the three that I think stand out more than others. First up is the Bount Arc in Bleach. While not relevant to the overall storyline, it had a solid story behind it. Not to mention we are introduced to three modsouls who become relevant later on in the TV series. While most of the Naruto filler was awful, the Seimei arc (final 5 episodes) did not feel like filler material at all. It broke away from the random missions with randomly constructed teams mentality that plagued the filler arc. The only other filler that I watched and like was the Getbackers filler after the first infiltration of the Limitless Fortress. Some of it was pointless, but others were hillarious. The one that stands out is the episode where Ginji is hospitalized.


The Bounts were terrible. i couldn't stand it. This new Bleach arc is the best one. Why? Cause it's keeping consistent with the Bleach saga while staying in it's own rules, not like how the Bounts did it.

[AVPen]

The Bount filler arc started okay but dragged on too long (and just had too much mood-whiplash from the canon. Urahara: "The battle isn't over, the war with Aizen is just beginning.........but first let's deal with a bunch of vampires!!"), the following filler arc was just awful, and Kon filler makes a part of me inside die. The first Bleach movie was actually pretty good and the main girl (I forget her name) was even more likable than some of the canon characters, it's a shame the filler arcs in the regular anime couldn't be as good.
Haven't started the Bount Arc yet (I'm taking a break from Bleach at the moment), but I'll agree that the Memories of Nobody movie was pretty great (the concept of Blanks and a soul losing its memories fit well into the Bleach universe) and that the new girl Senna truly was so engaging, likable, and such a great match to Ichigo (moreso than Rukia or Orihime, in my opinion) that it was a damn shame that she died/disappeared at the movie's conclusion and Ichigo's memories of her will eventually fade away.

Until someone told me they were filler, I never would have imagined that the some of the episodes/arcs of One Piece (the Loguetown episodes, the entire Apis arc) were non-canon, because those new stories and characters were so good and fit so well into the OP universe.

Rumiko Takahashi's fans may crucify me for this, but I thought that Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer was the definitive (and in some ways conclusive) UY story.

Ah! My Goddess: The Movie was an excellent and beautiful film which futher expanded the main characters and their relationships, histories, etc. (I'm pretty sure that wasn't based from any previous manga story, so I guess that would constitute it as being filler)

I tried to like the Naruto fillers since some of the concepts were interesting (Sakura realizing how powerless she is, Hinata trying to better herself, etc), but the actual execution left A LOT to be desired (plus they always felt the need to turn Naruto into a retarded monkey...). The Naruto Shippuden fillers weren't that much better (Sora was like the main character of a bad fanfiction given animated life), but the two Shippuden movies... damn, man, those were two of the worse animes I've ever seen. :angry:

[Thomas Alan]

Pretty much 85% of Full Moon o Sagashite. Some of my favorite episodes were 2-3 episode arcs where they went into detail about recording a new song, or putting together a concert which would be explained in the space of a panel or two in the manga.

Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu is utter filler, and the best of the Full Metal Panic franchise.

The entire Maya storyline of Ultra Maniac made for some nice filler that fit well within that little anime's themes.

[nakimushi]

Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu is utter filler, and the best of the Full Metal Panic franchise.




Well, except it wasn't actually filler. :sweat: It was based on the short stories instead of the novels, but they were also written by Shoji Gatoh, so it cannot really be considered filler.

[Leon_Belmont]

I like some of the examples but I'll go with the second half of the original FMA. It just slaughtered the first half, and though the manga picked up the pace, I still prefer the original anime. Hate the movie though so that kinda leveled it out.

The current arc of Bleach is promising, but they'll blow it. And non canon in shonen means anyone recurring is impervious to death, which kinda takes the fun out of it.

[Consignia]

The current arc of Bleach is promising, but they'll blow it. And non canon in shonen means anyone recurring is impervious to death, which kinda takes the fun out of it.

Not to mention the bad guys are impossible to kill in the case as well. But it's still an entertaining what if story.

[Doom85]

The current arc of Bleach is promising, but they'll blow it. And non canon in shonen means anyone recurring is impervious to death, which kinda takes the fun out of it.

This is Bleach we're talking about though, NONE of the good guys die even in the canon arcs. Oda of One Piece is more likely to off a good guy at this rate (he did burn down the Going Merry) since Kubo is starting to make his characters survive the most over-the-top wounds imaginable. It's really getting annoying, especially since Naruto lately hasn't been afraid to off a few recurring good guys (half of them come back to life, but at least some stay dead) so it makes Bleach look kinda ridiculous in comparison.

[untoldsorrow]

The current arc of Bleach is promising, but they'll blow it. And non canon in shonen means anyone recurring is impervious to death, which kinda takes the fun out of it.

Not to mention the bad guys are impossible to kill in the case as well. But it's still an entertaining what if story.

I believe they will blow it also but so far good start. I like how Rukia fought her sword, someone FINALLY realize they can do other things besides swing their swords.

Naruto had some good deaths. It progress the story and important character development and made it clear that the next generation will always surpass the previous.

[Thomas Alan]

Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu is utter filler, and the best of the Full Metal Panic franchise.




Well, except it wasn't actually filler. :sweat: It was based on the short stories instead of the novels, but they were also written by Shoji Gatoh, so it cannot really be considered filler.

Y'know I half thought that might be true. There's so much Full Metal Panic stuff floating around it's tough to tell. But I put it up there anyway. My bad.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

I've always enjoyed the "Time and Space Adventures" trilogy of episodes in the middle of Tenchi Muyo! TV. That's a filler that I think stands well enough on its own that it could even be a three episode spinoff OVA. (Like Tenchi Muyo doesn't have enough spinoffs already. ;) )

[untoldsorrow]

(Like Tenchi Muyo doesn't have enough spinoffs already. ;) )

There is never enough Tenchi to go around.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

(Like Tenchi Muyo doesn't have enough spinoffs already. ;) )

There is never enough Tenchi to go around.

All I'm missing in R1-land is GXP. As franchises go, Tenchi Muyo is one of my favorite. I'm glad I discovered it nearly a decade ago and was able to add all of the spinoffs to my collection as they were released over here. Except, inexplicably, GXP. :sd: