"Filler" Episodes

[Yami_Wheeler]

What exactly is a "filler" episode defined as?
Ok, currently, I see it in definition as an episode of an anime show which has no real influence to the main storyline and also doesn't reveal anything about a character's past or backstory.
But what is the real definition of it? I'm guessing that some people think that, as long as it doesn't influence the storyline, it's a filler whether something about the character is revealed or not.
Referring to InuYasha, tell me, are these 3 episodes fillers or not, please:
Episode 75. The Plot of the Panther Devas
Episode 76. Target: Sesshomaru and Inuyasha
Episode 77. The Panther Tribe and the Two Swords of the Fang

Thank you.

 

[son_gokan]

yep. all 3 of 'em. Anyway it's gonna take forever to list all the fillers in DB/Z, Inuyasha, and especially Pokemon. Those are all over 85 % filler. (Pokemon is 99%...)

 

[Chris]

yep. all 3 of 'em. Anyway it's gonna take forever to list all the fillers in DB/Z, Inuyasha, and especially Pokemon. Those are all over 85 % filler. (Pokemon is 99%...)

Funny how you left GT entirely out of the picture since that's the complete filler series. Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are oddballs. They have not only filler episodes, but filler scenes during episodes canon with the manga.

Pokémon, however, isn't "99%" filler. e_e

The definition of filler is as its name suggests. It's something used to fill up time on entertainment broadcasts. This is especially important for anime adaptions of manga. Sometimes it's difficult to bring in a perfect transition from manga to anime due to amount of pages and how far along each are into the series. Sometimes, anime companies will have to use filler scenes to fill up a 20+ minute episode. Or they'll have to make filler episodes so as not to catch up to the manga storyline so they can let the creators of the manga advance their story further along.

 

[Shigaiko]

The reason anime has so many fillers is because most producers aspire for the episodes to reach a length parallel with the rest of the series (e.g. with Fate/Stay Night, each episode is exactly 23 mins and 54 secs long), and because a smaller, but still large amount of producers aspire for their anime to branch over a common amount of episodes (13 (3 months), 26 (6 months), etc.). Sometimes, though, they cram in fillers when they can't come up with any ideas that relate to the plot, so that they can keep their series running and keep ratings.

 

[MugenKeiji]

As far as I know, long running anime has filler episodes because the anime has the mistake of catching up FAST with its manga counterpart.

On shorter series, fillers would be "downtime" episodes such as the infamous "bath" or "swimsuit" episodes that serve as fanservice.

On both, there are times when a filler is entertaining to watch. It may take an in-depth look at characters that the series would otherwise NOT focus on. Or characters who would otherwise be in serious situations would have moments of comedy.

Are filler episodes bad? Not always. While the writers may make things superficial for our favorite characters and MIGHT do some OOC things that the biggest fan CLAIMS the creator would call "blasphemy" on, they do give us a chance to see our favorite characters that might have OTHERWISE been forgotten altogether and sometimes they may even play into fan speculation/fan pairings if you give them the chance.

However fans of its corresponding manga series would heavily enforce that most, if not all fillers should not be considered canon because they weren't penned in the respective manga or other original work.

Examples of filler
Orange Islands in the Pokemon Series (Ash wins the cup too...all too convenient)
Naruto in its current state
Garlic Jr. in Dragon Ball Z
Doom Tree/Makaijuu in Sailor Moon R

 

[Kasaioni]

hey, those aren't fillers!, those are the ones that revealed the war sesshomiru had with the panther tribe along time ago and they had to settle a score!a filler is like....well i know there was a show around the begining of the 5th season with a pig demon that wanted kagome as his wife, thats a filler! (and yes pokemon is like 99% filler <_<)

 

[Ralts Master]

hey, those aren't fillers!, those are the ones that revealed the war sesshomiru had with the panther tribe along time ago and they had to settle a score!

It's filler, entirely created for the anime (it IS pretty damn good for filler, though)...

 

[Chris]

hey, those aren't fillers!, those are the ones that revealed the war sesshomiru had with the panther tribe along time ago and they had to settle a score!a filler is like....well i know there was a show around the begining of the 5th season with a pig demon that wanted kagome as his wife, thats a filler! (and yes pokemon is like 99% filler <_<)

Someone can't read what the definition of filler means. Filler doesn't mean stories that don't advance the plot. Anything canon can do that as well. Quit trying to defend the "honor" of InuYasha. It IS composed of filler episodes to fill up time. Why do you think they haven't actually kill Naraku in the anime? Because they're not going to jump ahead of the manga creator.

 

[Yami_Wheeler]

Meh, well, I think It'd be boring and seem rushed if EVERY ep influenced the story. Think about it. InuYasha is like, what?.. 168 episodes long. If there weren't fillers, it WOULD be rather short and rushed. Like a 26-episode anime. Not that they're bad. I just often feel sad when they end because they were good but ended too soon.

 

[MugenKeiji]

I'd say Pokemon is 55, 65% tops when it comes to filler.

 

[HK]

Fillers are basically just there purely for entertainment, although there is some occasional plot and/or character development in them, as others have noted before me. It is also important to remember that filler type of material are just restricted to anime series since manga series can have them as well.

Meh, well, I think It'd be boring and seem rushed if EVERY ep influenced the story. Think about it. InuYasha is like, what?.. 168 episodes long. If there weren't fillers, it WOULD be rather short and rushed. Like a 26-episode anime. Not that they're bad. I just often feel sad when they end because they were good but ended too soon.

... I need a bit of clarification here. You say that twenty-six episode anime series are shorter, obviously. However, what I don't quite understand is if you are stating that you are sad that series when those type of series end, or else short anime series end too soon and have bad endings in comparison to longer anime series, which more than not are dragged out with fillers and lack much plot and character development, with a few exceptions.

If you imply the former, then it is just up to different tastes because frankly, I can't devote myself to watching that many series longer than thirteen or twenty-six episodes in one go. In fact, when it comes to anime series, a lot of the more classical and amazing ones are in fact the shorter ones, be they six episode OVA's, thirteen or twenty-six episodes, or else a movie. While I've yet to see it, from what I have heard of the underrated series Now and Then, Here and There that is in fact thirteen episodes is that it is one of the most realistically potrayed tale of the tragedies of war which can be inflicted upon anyone at any point in time. I can't really imagine having something like Paranoia Agent or Neon Genesis Evangleion longer than their lengths already.

 

[son_gokan]

Funny how you left GT entirely out of the picture since that's the complete filler series. Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are oddballs. They have not only filler episodes, but filler scenes during episodes canon with the manga.
Pokémon, however, isn't "99%" filler. e_e
The definition of filler is as its name suggests. It's something used to fill up time on entertainment broadcasts. This is especially important for anime adaptions of manga. Sometimes it's difficult to bring in a perfect transition from manga to anime due to amount of pages and how far along each are into the series. Sometimes, anime companies will have to use filler scenes to fill up a 20+ minute episode. Or they'll have to make filler episodes so as not to catch up to the manga storyline so they can let the creators of the manga advance their story further along.

1. I don't even consider GT a series.
2. yeah, I know.
3. the whole 99% thing was a joke.

 

[MugenKeiji]

3. the whole 99% thing was a joke.

And we can tell this ... how?

In my personal experience, people claim the facts they pull out out their arses are jokes once they can no longer back up what they say.

It's just ridiculous.

 

[gs135790]

the whole 99% thing was a joke.

It might have been meant as a joke, but it is true. The only Pokemon episodes that are not filler are the ones where the is a Gym battle, poke contest, someone catches a pokemon, or a pokemon evolves(which really usually isnt all that important)

 

[Yami_Wheeler]

Fillers are basically just there purely for entertainment, although there is some occasional plot and/or character development in them, as others have noted before me. It is also important to remember that filler type of material are just restricted to anime series since manga series can have them as well.



... I need a bit of clarification here. You say that twenty-six episode anime series are shorter, obviously. However, what I don't quite understand is if you are stating that you are sad that series when those type of series end, or else short anime series end too soon and have bad endings in comparison to longer anime series, which more than not are dragged out with fillers and lack much plot and character development, with a few exceptions.

If you imply the former, then it is just up to different tastes because frankly, I can't devote myself to watching that many series longer than thirteen or twenty-six episodes in one go. In fact, when it comes to anime series, a lot of the more classical and amazing ones are in fact the shorter ones, be they six episode OVA's, thirteen or twenty-six episodes, or else a movie. While I've yet to see it, from what I have heard of the underrated series Now and Then, Here and There that is in fact thirteen episodes is that it is one of the most realistically potrayed tale of the tragedies of war which can be inflicted upon anyone at any point in time. I can't really imagine having something like Paranoia Agent or Neon Genesis Evangleion longer than their lengths already.

I don't mean that the endings are better for dragged out series', I'm just saying that if a series is short, I often don't like the fact that it ends so soon. I'm the type of person who gets into anime VERY quickly. If I watch something and then it really appeals to me, I never want it to end. The endings of many shorter series' that I've seen are still pretty darn amazing, but sometimes I just wish It'd continue for a bit longer.

 

[son_gokan]

It might have been meant as a joke, but it is true. The only Pokemon episodes that are not filler are the ones where the is a Gym battle, poke contest, someone catches a pokemon, or a pokemon evolves(which really usually isnt all that important)

that almost never happens, ever. and besides it still counts as a filler if it's in a location not in the games.

 

[Seiryu]

that almost never happens, ever. and besides it still counts as a filler if it's in a location not in the games.

Not entirely true. The way I see it, Pokémon actually has three or four different major sets of canon: one each for the anime, the games, the Special manga, and possibly the Dengeki Pikachu manga.

I believe that many of the made-up locations in the anime should not be classified as filler. Or are half of May's contests filler as well, as their locations don't technically exist in any other canon?

Also, catching, evolving, or getting rid of pokémon isn't filler either unless it's a one-shot trainer who does the catching/evolving/whatever. Most if not all filler is never referenced again in the series once it's passed, which is not the case when a main character does something major with one of their pokémon. Anything else in the anime that doesn't directly relate to a major plot, however, is fair game when it comes to being called "filler."

 

[son_gokan]

Not entirely true. The way I see it, Pokémon actually has three or four different major sets of canon: one each for the anime, the games, the Special manga, and possibly the Dengeki Pikachu manga.

I believe that many of the made-up locations in the anime should not be classified as filler. Or are half of May's contests filler as well, as their locations don't technically exist in any other canon?

Also, catching, evolving, or getting rid of pokémon isn't filler either unless it's a one-shot trainer who does the catching/evolving/whatever. Most if not all filler is never referenced again in the series once it's passed, which is not the case when a main character does something major with one of their pokémon. Anything else in the anime that doesn't directly relate to a major plot, however, is fair game when it comes to being called "filler."

1. only the games(and possibly Special, since it is not only closer to the games, and it doesn't suck like the anime..) count as canon.

2. I don't give a crap about May's contests. In fact I don't give a crap about the Pokemon anime at all! 'nuff said.

 

[Yamato-san]

1. only the games(and possibly Special, since it is not only closer to the games, and it doesn't suck like the anime..) count as canon.

Oh, then I guess you're overlooking some of the events from the anime that later went on to influence the games and manga. Let's see, first of all, there's Pikachu Version (Yellow Version), a game in which you start out with Pikachu and encounter Musashi and Kojirou. Then there's Lugia, who's associated with the legendary birds in the 2nd movie. Though this association isn't apparent in Gold/Silver/Crystal, it is there in XD, as well as the Mysterious Dungeon games (hell, the legendary birds' friend area even resembles the islands from Revelation: Lugia... though, something tells me you wouldn't regard Mysterious Dungeon as canon anyway). Speaking of Lugia, it's one of several preview Pokemon who were first showcased and established through the anime. And how about Deoxys's cloning technique? In the games, it couldn't dream of doing what it does in the 2nd AG movie. In spite of this, its ability is not only showcased in Mysterious Dungeon, but even the Special manga.

 

[son_gokan]

Oh, then I guess you're overlooking some of the events from the anime that later went on to influence the games and manga. Let's see, first of all, there's Pikachu Version (Yellow Version), a game in which you start out with Pikachu and encounter Musashi and Kojirou. Then there's Lugia, who's associated with the legendary birds in the 2nd movie. Though this association isn't apparent in Gold/Silver/Crystal, it is there in XD, as well as the Mysterious Dungeon games (hell, the legendary birds' friend area even resembles the islands from Revelation: Lugia... though, something tells me you wouldn't regard Mysterious Dungeon as canon anyway). Speaking of Lugia, it's one of several preview Pokemon who were first showcased and established through the anime. And how about Deoxys's cloning technique? In the games, it couldn't dream of doing what it does in the 2nd AG movie. In spite of this, its ability is not only showcased in Mysterious Dungeon, but even the Special manga.

1. too many japanese names.. can't understand you..
2. I haven't seen any Pokemon movies except the first one which i saw way back in the day..
3. the special manga is getting a little anime-ish with its talking Mew2 and such.. people are whining about it in the manga section..