Think Naruto’s Filler is Bad? These 7 Anime Are Way Worse

by

Many anime fans immediately think of Naruto when discussing filler episodes. The story of Naruto Uzumaki becoming a powerful ninja is well-known, but it was frequently broken up by filler content that felt unnecessary and wasn’t very well done. Although these filler episodes added to the world of Naruto, they often made it hard to enjoy the main storyline.

Many anime series, not just Naruto, are known for having too much filler content. Some shows have fillers so bad they actually make Naruto‘s seem reasonable. This is especially common with long-running action anime, which often use filler episodes to extend the story and wait for new material from the original source.

The Prince of Tennis

No list of great sports anime would be complete without The Prince of Tennis. It’s a long-running series about Ryoma Echizen, an incredibly talented tennis player who consistently wins against his rivals using amazing and powerful moves. Some of the techniques are so over-the-top now that the show almost feels like a fantasy anime!

Watching The Prince of Tennis reminded me of a lot of other long-running action shows. It often felt like they were drawing things out – a tennis match, a training session, anything really – by repeating scenes and using a lot of slow-motion and talking. There were a few filler episodes that were actually enjoyable, but too many times it felt like a quick five-minute point was stretched into a ridiculously long event.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

The anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya appears on this list due to the well-known “Endless Eight” arc. While many fans see it as unnecessary filler, it actually subtly advances the overall story, just in a very repetitive and extended manner.

The “Endless Eight” arc is notorious for its repetitive nature. The episodes are almost exactly the same, with only minor changes, and the cycle repeats for eight episodes. Many viewers find it incredibly difficult to watch, feeling like a deliberately frustrating experience.

Detective Conan (Case Closed)

Compared to Naruto, Detective Conan has a much larger number of filler episodes. With over 500 episodes that don’t follow the main storyline, the show often detours into self-contained mysteries, funny everyday situations, and stories focusing on individual characters.

The show has its moments, but many viewers find the side stories feel drawn-out and don’t add much to the central mystery surrounding the Black Organization and Shinichi Kudo. With 500 filler episodes, it’s a big time commitment, especially if you’re not already a fan of detective fiction.

One Piece

As someone who’s watched a lot of One Piece, I’ve come to expect filler episodes – they just seem to happen. Some of them are actually pretty good and fun to watch, but honestly, they can’t hide the fact that there are long periods where not much happens with the core story. It’s just part of the deal with the show, I guess.

Many episodes of One Piece only cover about half of the story they should, because they include filler content. This filler, like recaps and opening/ending sequences, interrupts the main storyline and slows down the pace.

Fortunately, One Piece is moving to a seasonal release schedule, which should mean fewer filler episodes, better pacing, and improved animation quality. If Naruto had done the same, it likely would have had fewer unnecessary filler episodes as well.

Dragon Ball Z

While Dragon Ball Z is beloved for characters like Son Goku, it includes filler episodes that are hard to skip. These often appear between battles, with characters like Goku and Vegeta having long, drawn-out confrontations with their opponents. Plus, the series frequently extends fights by making the characters take a long time to charge up their most powerful attacks.

Unlike most of the filler episodes in Naruto, which usually introduce new content, filler arcs in Dragon Ball Z rarely add anything meaningful to the story. While a few comedic episodes, such as the driving lesson with Goku and Piccolo, are enjoyable, fans often end up watching Goku train for extended periods without much happening in terms of plot progression.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Following the huge popularity of Naruto, Boruto had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, the series included many filler episodes that frustrated dedicated fans. Many viewers felt like they were waiting a very long time for anything important to happen in the Boruto anime, as these extra, original scenes were more annoying than enjoyable.

Luckily, fans wanting to avoid unnecessary content can read the Boruto manga instead of the anime. The manga stays focused on the main story, allowing readers to quickly catch up without getting bogged down in filler episodes or weak storylines. Unlike the anime, which sometimes includes repetitive or unimportant content, the manga delivers the story as the creator intended.

Bleach

Similar to Naruto, Bleach is known for having filler episodes that often disrupt the flow of the main storyline, particularly during its most exciting moments. Right when Ichigo Kurosaki seemed on the verge of a major development, an episode would sometimes shift to a lighthearted beach scene completely unrelated to the ongoing plot.

With 163 filler episodes, Bleach has almost twice as many as Naruto. A major problem area is the Bount Arc, which dragged on for 28 episodes and featured unmemorable villains who don’t impact the rest of the story.

Read More

2026-01-30 02:35