10 Filler Arcs From Anime That Redditors Think Are Good

Most anime fans think filler arcs are the worst. But there are some, like Yu-Gi-Oh! And Bleach, which many people think is actually pretty good.

As feature-length anime like Boruto continue to hit full steam ahead for the winter airing season, fans love the original content and remember, that's sometimes a rare treat with shows like this, as most of their runtime can contain Filler episodes of pure animation without enough manga content to fit in.

Fans tend to look down on filler episodes, or worse, complete filler arcs, because they're usually irrelevant to the main plot. But when filler arcs are done well enough, like Bleachor Yu-Gi-Oh!, fans not only love them, but often forget they're fillers at all.

Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc (Bleach)

Almost half of Bleach's 300+ episode runtime consists of filler, and while it's mostly average, one filler arc that stands out from the rest is the Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc, which, as its name suggests, is inhabited by Zanpakuto souls In it, the Soul Reaper's weapon comes to life, rebelling against its wielder's control.

"People talk [garbage] about how much filler Bleach has," asserted one Redditor whose account was deleted, "but Zanpakuto Rebellion is awesome." Fans had a lot of fun with this arc, as it introduced several new interesting characters and top notch Animate the battle scene.

Rabo Arc (Noragami)

As noted by Redditors such as Vaxivop, "Noragami's last few episodes have done really well, even with the filler." After Yukine's successful cleanse, Yato still has to deal with his past demons in the form of the anime's only villain, Rabo , his episode completed the first season, replacing then-incomplete next storyline in the comics.

In addition to raising the emotional stakes for Yato and Yukine by erasing Hiyori's memories of them and forcing them to fight to get them back, Rabo reflects on how much Yato would have become if he hadn't had a connection to his friends who supported him. What it looks like and enhances his desire to do good: a brutal god of war and disaster who can do nothing but shed blood.

Other World Saga (Dragon Ball Z)

Dragon Ball's filler arc isn't usually widely talked about, although the filler episode where Goku and Piccolo learn to drive is a fan favorite! However, Stranger Things was considered so good that some fans (such as Redditor Grafical_One) thought it was "better than the actual ending".

After the Cell Games, viewers can see the late Goku's exploits into the afterlife, where he Help King Kai subdue a few past villains who have been causing trouble in Hell, then eagerly join the other deceased fighters for another match and earn the Grand Kai's personal training prize.

G-8 Arc (One Piece)

Despite being one of the longest-running anime ever, One Piece surprisingly doesn't have much filler content in its hundreds of episodes. Fans were so impressed by what it did that Redditor jtyti15 "didn't realize it was filler until I looked into it later."

This action-packed story takes the Straw Hat Pirates to the Marine Corps base at the center of the game, forcing them to outwit and defeat their most fearsome foes, including Jonathan, a student of Admiral Akainu, one of One Piece's most powerful villains. Fans love all the tactics the actors employ to evade capture, especially Shepherd's brief portrayal as Condoriano.

Battleship Phase (Hunter x Hunter 1999)

The first adaptation of the original manga added another stage to the Hunter Exam arc. Before candidates reach Zevil Island, they need a boat strong enough to weather the approaching storm. Friends and foes work together to put an ancient warship into service and sail across treacherous seas together.

Redditor FlameDragoon933 explains that the arc also "feels like an adventure game premise" and "its vibes are perfect for HxH's fantasy/kinda weird world. Exams don't feel out of place either, as co-op is a useful Skills in the real world.” Here’s another example of filler that works well with comic content.

Waking The Dragons Arc (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Takes up most of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! The fourth season of the Duel Monsters series is the fan-favorite arc. New villain Dartz and his loyal followers believe the world is an inherently evil place and use the Orichalcos seal card to steal the soul of anyone they defeat in a duel in an attempt to destroy it once and for all.

Redditors like Tumor159 have called Waking the Dragons "the best arc of them all", with consistently great duels featuring flashy new cards and higher emotional stakes. "The Fate of the Pharaohs, Part 3" where Yugi sacrifices himself to prevent Orichalcos' seal from stealing Atem's soul (only because Atem plays cards himself to win) is the saddest Yu-Gi-oh! episodes.

Key Of Starry Sky Arc (Fairy Tail)

Redditor Aniboy43 picked this arc as their favorite because "it's Just creepy and weird in terms of direction and storytelling", which is a departure from Fairy Tail's usually upbeat and adventure-oriented tone and more in keeping with its shounen anime. ^When Lucy gets a clock hand from a strange young girl When she and the rest of Fairy Tail were embroiled in a conflict with a sect of the Church of Zentopia, who were at odds with them over the rest of the clock. The guild raced to collect all the parts before Zentopia, but met when the clock was finally put together A nightmarish shock when together.

Naruto and Naruto Shippuden is probably the most famous anime because of its huge amount of filler content. While some arcs and episodes are particularly maligned, many others are fan favourites. Love, contains some of the best villains in Naruto. A particularly popular one is the arc that focuses on Kakashi's past exploits in Habamura's Anbu Black Ops.

Kakashi ANBU Arc (Naruto Shippuden)

Even stands out among Redditors like IISuperSlothII, who say They "usually go out the way I skip filler," and this arc sees a young Kakashi trying to overcome trauma by dedicating himself to the deaths of Obito and Rin Anbu Mission: Investigate Orochimaru's crimes, clash with the organization Root, and fight alongside Itachi Uchiha before he defected.

Adapted from one of the most expensive out-of-print manga, Saint Seiya was also highly regarded for its pure anime content. Asgard Arc has Redditors like jorgesama99 still praising it as "very well written, characters with real motivations and personal development, even better than in classic saga."

Saga of Asgard Arc (Saint Seiya)

Asgard Arc is one of the oldest filler arcs in anime history , from a show that aired from 1986 to 1989, was a natural introduction to the harsh and terrifying land of Asgard. Driven by the gods, Hilda, the priestess of the kingdom, summoned god warriors with the same power as the saints, and continued Asgard's old ambition of conquering the world.

Famous or notorious, depending on who you're talking to, the entire final arc of the 2003 adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist was original content because it ended long before the manga was finished. The main villain in his father's place is Hohenheim's ex-lover Dante, and in order to thwart her plans, Edward ends up restoring his brother's body, only to trap himself on a World War II-era Earth.

Final Arc (Fullmetal Alchemist 2003)

Redditors like taximan230 and this deleted account insist that The show as a whole is one of the best filler episodes ever, and while filler episodes have been dotted throughout 2003, this finale is the main filler arc. Some fans found it ridiculous and unsatisfying, especially because it separated the Elric brothers, but others loved its intensity, creativity and emotional weight.

Next: 10 Most Tragic Backstories in Anime