Are fillers in anime a good thing?

[Wakarimashta!]

There seems to be a notion that people hate fillers simply because it doesn't move the story along. Is that really a bad thing? I like fillers, simply because it gives us a break from the continuing action and allows us to explore some of the "extra" or side stories of a series. Now a show that is nothing but fillers and a few plot elements is not a good thing, but a one or two episode break is acceptable.

[Arnobius]

Depends on what you consider filler. The Island arc of Nadia dragged on quite a bit. Then there's the episodes that tell you "What happened so far." TenchiUniverse had 10 episodes that were a waste of time.

[Nate]

Eh, as long as there aren't too many fillers and they aren't too boring, I don't mind them TOO much...but sometimes, series drag out too many fillers.

[ShiroiHikari]

Anime tends to go way overboard with fillers, but sometimes a little deviation from the main plot can be fun. I'm okay with fillers so long as there aren't too many of them.

[Tenshi no Ai]

I'm voting for neither, because it really depends what kinda filler it is. Some can be fun, and some are just pointless and/or boring :/

If anyone here's seen Rune Soldier, oh man most of that show WAS a filler! The only plot seemed to come from the first few eps and the last ones (my friend was right...) But I guess when it comes to such adventure series, fillers are almost needed.

The only kind of fillers I REALLY can't stand are recap eps >_< I mean look at Wolf's Rain! At least in live-action englishy shows like Simpsons, Friends etc. they have a fair amoutn of new footage, and using comedy makes it all that much better ^^

[mitsuki lover]

I voted yes because I believe that there does need to be a break every now and then between storylines.I especially appreciate it when there is a comedy episode or two between two more serious storylines as it helps to lighten the mood.

[Debitt]

I voted yes - too many fillers is definitely a bad thing, but a lot of my favorite anime episodes happen to be very appropriately placed fillers.

[Myoti]

I'm voting for neither, because it really depends what kinda filler it is. Some can be fun, and some are just pointless and/or boring :/

Yeah. I haven't seen the OP fillers yet (except the Gaimon one, but that was in the manga), but alot of fans tend to complain that most of the fillers aren't that good, save the G8 and "Memories" ones.

The only kind of fillers I REALLY can't stand are recap eps >_<

Ditto. I recall one episode on .hack//sign that was just previous footage. On a longer series, I can understand doing that, but what the heck? The thing is only like 26 eps. long.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Ditto. I recall one episode on .hack//sign that was just previous footage. On a longer series, I can understand doing that, but what the heck? The thing is only like 26 eps. long.

Well as I noted Wolf's Rain above, I mean, c'mon 4 recaps IN A ROW for a 26 ep series? No wonder they needed the extra eps (27-30) to make up for it! Well, the ONLY good thing about it is that they placed all of them on one DVD, so you can choose to buy it or not.

Kinda like the Chobits DVD with 2 recap eps that were in the series (which is why I used to get confused why they said it was 24 eps and not 26 :/) but it does come with the Chibits special for a small temptation... if I see it (AFTER I get my final volume 6 FINALLY) I MIGHT pick it up :/

[KhakiBlueSocks]

I think fillers are like the little extra comics in the back of a manga book. It doesn't really add to the story, but it can be really funny and nice to have a break from the on going action. Fullmetal Alchemist and Inuyasha use their fillers pretty well. I say yes!

[Wakarimashta!]

I'm voting for neither, because it really depends what kinda filler it is. Some can be fun, and some are just pointless and/or boring :/

I was mostly aiming for the classic "character deserves a break, so they go take a vacation" kind of a thing. Something that you wouldn't necessarily see in the continium of the plot. A holiday episode can be considered a filler if it doesn't connect with the overall story (like the Love Hina Spring and Christmas specials).

[DragonSlayer]

Well theres shows like Ranma that arent really about anything, you could say that show is a complete filler, but its hilarious! So Im tihnking if its a comedy then sometimes it can be complete filler!

[That Dude]

As for complaining about recap episodes it seems like none of you who've complianed have yet to see Kare Kano...Which probably has the most recap episodes for a 26 episode series ever. But anyway there are some good recap episodes such as the one in Nadesico.

[Wakarimashta!]

So Im tihnking if its a comedy then sometimes it can be complete filler!

I guess if it's a series like Azumanga Daioh, you can easily say the show itself is one big filler.

[uc pseudonym]

Overall, filler material tends to be derivative, poorly written, and fail miserably at being humorous. If a series is episodic, it can't really have filler, because there is no overarching plot. But if the author is actually trying to create a cohesive story worth viewing, then I'd much rather that it be done well.

[Gypsy]

I usually don't mind fillers unless they're ridiculously stupid or in between regular plot cliff hangers.

[Yeshua-Knight]

i think that filler should consist of something that helps further explain the situation in an ongoing story, rather than reiterating things that have been noted previously,
i remember hearing about an episode of outlaw star that was never shown on cartoon network 'cus it was complete fanservice and filler, now the ep that was skipped was really close to the end, but really i never noticed that it was missing until i went back and heard some of the dialogue in the beginning of the following ep., the thing that gets me is that they could have used that episode to further explain how things worked in the outlaw star universe, rather than just getting it all from the intro voiceover, or perhaps further explain the technology of the caster weaponry, but alas, they did not

i think that filler is a necessity to any series, however i also think that like the regular plot, it is the writer's responsibility to produce quality work, and that goes for the fillers too

[Sephiroth]

i voted no, becasuse i've been subjected to the horrors of about 4 months of naruto filler thats all been absolute crap, except for a little bit of character development with hinata. then i found out there doing a whole ohter season of filler before getting back to the proper plot. (aka the manga stuff).

[Blitzkrieg1701]

Once again, it all boils down to whetehr or not it's actually a good episode. Sometimes filler shows can be dull, poorly written, and a total waste of time, but so can "real" episodes that are written poorly.

One thing that really amuses me, though, is when a show has to slip in a whole chunk of filler in order to avoid getting ahead of the manga it's based on. But that's more of a rant on how anime needs to develop more original concepts and rely less on adaptations than an actual comment of filler episodes, so I'll let that be.

In any case, I prefer stories that aren't completely and totally devoted to a single sequence of events. It's just not as realistic to me.

[Hitokiri]

I like fillers in general. For instance in Rurouni Kenshin, Sanosuke's Treasure Hunting Dog episode is one of my favorite episodes in the series.

I do not mind recap (I love the recap episodes in Eva) but sometimes, they can get dry and such.

[uc pseudonym]

One thing that really amuses me, though, is when a show has to slip in a whole chunk of filler in order to avoid getting ahead of the manga it's based on. But that's more of a rant on how anime needs to develop more original concepts and rely less on adaptations than an actual comment of filler episodes, so I'll let that be.

I don't see why they cannot merely return to the beginning of the series. By the time they reach the point where they had previously stopped, the manga will have progressed far enough for them to create numerous new episodes. It is a ratings game, I suppose.

Of course, I support not beginning an anime until the manga is complete over that. What if the later portions of the story change how the beginning should be done? An example of this is Fullmetal Alchemist, where the anime took off in a completely different direction and finished before the manga.

In any case, I prefer stories that aren't completely and totally devoted to a single sequence of events. It's just not as realistic to me.

You may not be saying this, but I would point out that there is a big difference between filler events and events that are not part of the rising action. The latter I have no problem with (though I wish more directors would keep in mind the basic rules of good writing). It is when things are added for the sake of filling space that I dislike them categorically.

[shadowblade]

A few fillers are fine, definitely need a break every now and then. ^^

[K. Ayato]

There was a section of Heat Guy J that had fillers. It made the episode it was in really boring.

[Maledicte]

There was a section of Heat Guy J that had fillers. It made the episode it was in really boring.

That episode was important to the plot--they had to go to Echigo's hideout. It was the filler moments that made it boring.

On the whole, Heat Guy J is fairly full with fillers, but most flesh out the characters, and the minor episode characters find their way into the main plot in due time.

Back on topic, I don't mind any episode as long as it's well written, filler or not.

[mitsuki lover]

The thing is that a lot of anime series are only around 26 episodes in length which means that there is no way of inserting any type of filler into them.

[rocklobster]

I HATE RECAP EPISODES with a passion! The worst of these was Serial Experiment Lain's "Infornography" episode. The thing was only 13 "layers" long, folks! It didn't need a recap!

[Kisa]

depends.... if it give us a new look into the characters, then good, if its just to 'fill' and its stupid, then NO!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

fillers are bad only in naruto

Generally I like some fillers (FMA, Full Moon wo Sagashite, etc)

Naruto's fillers......... MEGA-BAD!

[agasfas]

I don't think so... I would rather focus on the plot and buy less dvd's. Though I don't have a problem with one or two here and there after a long saga.

And I agree w/ MSP, the naruto fillers are bit frustrating at times...