The 10 Greatest Filler Arcs in Anime, Ranked

Published Sep 17, 2026, 4:05 PM EDT

Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. 

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Anime is more popular than ever, and new shows nowadays, like Jujutsu Kaisen, waste no time with the plot, adapting as many chapters as possible and moving on to the next important story event. However, it used to be a different story, with arcs called filler padding out the episode counts of the best shows. When the anime got caught up to the manga, they would release these unimportant side stories to earn more time.

For the most part, filler is looked down upon as it interrupts the main narrative and is usually poorly written. While it is an era of the past that fans are glad is gone, there are a few outliers. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest filler arcs in anime based on aspects such as popularity, writing, animation, intrigue, originality, and how well it represents the anime.

10 Goku's Ordeal - 'Dragon Ball Z' (1989-1998)

Image via Toei Animation

One of the most classic anime series that popularized fillers was Dragon Ball Z, and while it may be largely polarizing, it does contain some incredible ones, such as Goku's Ordeal. Outside all the fighting, Goku and friends have normal lives, which is why this episode sees Goku and Piccolo go out into the real world and get their driver's licenses.

Right off the bat, this pick may be a controversial entry because, on one hand, it is one of the most beloved filler episodes, but on the other hand, it isn't an arc. However, this list will make an exception just this once and place Goku's Ordeal at the bottom, largely because it is one of the funniest and most enjoyable episodes of Dragon Ball Z, proving the best fillers are ones that are unserious and purely entertaining.

9 Anything in 'Gintama' - 'Gintama' (2006-2021)

This list promised to feature the best filler arcs, but the first two aren't even arcs, with the next entry representing all the filler episodes in Gintama. This anime is known for its blend of serious and comedy arcs, some of which fans aren't sure are filler and which are canon. Since this doesn't represent one select story, each episode is some new adventure bound to make fans laugh.

Following Goku's Ordeal, this is another controversial choice on this list mainly because it isn't an arc, but a collection of episodes that are all flawless. Believe it or not, Gintama has fillers. Fans may be surprised because there is no dip in quality, with the comedic writing being on par with everything else in the series. This is an anime with brilliant characters, and each filler highlights a new one with hilarious moments.

8 Paradise Life on a Boat - 'Naruto Shippuden' (2007-2017)

Image via Pierrot

One of the most infamous examples of fillers comes from Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, mainly because there are too many, but these shows also have the most number of genuinely good fillers. "Paradise Life on a Boat" follows Naruto, Rock Lee, Guy, and others as they travel by sea to the Land of Lightning before the Fourth Great Ninja War in order to hide Naruto from the Akatsuki.

Naruto fillers can go on longer than needed, and while "Paradise Life on a Boat" is 20 episodes, it is the one time Naruto fans are fine with it. Before plunging into the long, action-packed, and dreary war arc, the series focused on an extensive filler arc that is light-hearted and fun. It was a much-needed blast from start to finish that had some of the most hilarious moments in the series.

7 Key of the Starry Sky - 'Fairy Tail' (2009-2019)

Image via A-1 Pictures

Fairy Tail is one of the most polarizing anime series of all time, but it contains many good arcs, including one filler arc, "Key of the Starry Sky." When Lucy's cousin comes to visit her with a strange clock in hand, she and the guild are thrust into a race against the clock in order to stop the Zentopia Church from assembling a doomsday weapon that will end the world.

It may not be one of the best Fairy Tail arcs, but as a filler, it is still on the entertaining side. "Key of the Starry Sky" expands on Lucy's backstory while bringing back some old characters and introducing some new ones to create a well-balanced adventure that is entertaining, emotional, and epic. It was so good that Fairy Tail canon would incorporate elements from the filler arc.

6 King of Despair - 'Blood Blockade Battlefront' (2015-2017)

Image via Bones

As mentioned, filler arcs are usually a thing of the past, going extinct around the mid-2010s, with anime like Blood Blockade Battlefront. When two siblings known as White and Black get involved with the main cast of characters, they enter a fight that threatens to destroy Hellsalem's Lot since one of them shares a body with the King of Despair.

Blood Blockade Battlefront is one of the most underrated anime series, with not many being able to appreciate this filler arc. This anime is episodic, so the filler didn't get in the way of much. What is more, the "King of Despair" arc also maintained the style of the manga while adding some more comedic touches and a devastating emotional climax that stands out above even the more story-driven arcs.

5 Asgard Arc - 'Saint Seiya' (1986-1989)

Image via Toei Animation

Dragon Ball Z is old, but it isn't the oldest on this list, with that title going to Saint Seiya. Asgard is the frozen land of the Norse gods ruled by their leader, Hilda. However, when the land and the ruler are corrupted by the Nibelung Ring, the Bronze Saints must travel to the kingdom and defeat the God Warriors and save the land from the evil plaguing it.

Saint Seiya is an incredible classic anime series with some nostalgic storylines, and most of them are great, including the Asgard arc. The new setting is instantly captivating, but the best part is the tragic villains who are compelling and imposing. The orchestra creates some of the best music in the franchise, which makes the worldbuilding, storytelling, and action even more engaging.

4 Kakashi's Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives in the Darkness - 'Naruto Shippuden' (2007-2017)

Image via Pierrot

This list has already mentioned how Naruto has some of the best filler in anime, and another noteworthy filler arc is "Kakashi's Anbu Arc: The Shinobi That Lives in the Darkness." Kakashi's teenage years were covered in canon arcs, but this one introduces more elements and things fans didn't see, including his time in the Anbu after the deaths of Obito, Rin, and Minato.

Fans have gotten a good bit of his backstory, but this arc introduces an even more complex look at Kakashi and his past. Kakashi's Anbu Arc takes place after his formative years with his team and introduces a darker, bleaker, and badass take on his youth. It bridges gaps in the past, explores his dynamics, and explains the grim history, making it one of the best arcs in Naruto in general.

3 Waking the Dragons - 'Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters' (2000-2004)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Some storylines were so popular in the West that fans didn't even realize they were fillers, including Yu-Gi-Oh! The sequel, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters specifically has one of the best filler arcs with "Waking the Dragons." When Dartz and his cult use a seal to steal the souls of defeated duelists, Yugi and Kaiba must team up with the legendary dragons to defeat them.

"Waking the Dragons" arc isn't just one of the best filler arcs; it is one of the best arcs in Yu-Gi-Oh in general. The stakes are higher than ever, creating a rare filler arc that dares to introduce a dire situation instead of simple entertainment. But the stakes aren't just high for show, because the "Waking the Dragons" filler arc ends in a shocking moment that changes the course of the anime.

2 Zanpakuto Unknown Tales - 'Bleach' (2004-present)

Image via Pierrot

After many years, Bleach finally returned in 2022, and in 2026, the anime is finally coming to an end, meaning no more filler, for better or worse. "Zanpakuto Unknown Tales," also known as the Zanpakuto Rebellion, has the Soul Reapers fighting against their own swords after a rogue spirit turns them against their masters by giving them physical forms.

Bleach has some infamously horrible filler arcs—cough cough Bount arc—but it also excels in others, like this one. Tite Kubo, the author, designed the Zanpakuto himself, meaning the arc had a visual consistency that added a bunch of new badass characters. Bleach is all about the fights, but the "Zanpakuto Rebellion" also featured some much-needed humor alongside the outstanding fight scenes.

1 G8 - 'One Piece' (1999-present)

Image via Toei Animation

At over a thousand episodes long, it was impossible for One Piece not to have any fillers, and while they have been hit or miss, one home run was "G8." After Skypiea, the Straw Hat Pirates fall from the sky right into a Marine base. The Going Merry is seized, but the crew has managed to infiltrate the base on their own, now needing to reconvene and escape before being found out by the genius commander.

The best two filler arcs in anime are usually between Bleach's "Zanpakuto Rebellion" and One Piece's "G8," but the latter barely wins out for its merger into anime canon. "G8" represents One Piece perfectly, mixing goofy comedy, silly moments, heartfelt scenes, and a general sense of enjoyability. One Piece is an anime masterpiece from the 1990s, and "G8" proves why with its tactical espionage, character dynamics, and hilarious plot that established itself as the greatest anime filler of all time.

One Piece