Instead of keeping up with the original story, production studios often insert filler episodes or anime-only content between the canonical events once the adaptation catches up with the source material. Filler is especially common in long-running anime with more than 50 episodes, such as: one piece, bleachand naruto.

10 Best Anime With 100+ Episodes It Will Take A Year To Complete
There are plenty of amazing anime series with over 100 episodes to keep your attention for the rest of 2026.
Some anime only contain a few standalone filler episodes, while others contain entire filler arcs spanning over 20 episodes. Over the years, certain anime series have seen incredibly long filler arcs, many of which fans have chosen to enjoy or skip entirely due to their length.
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Check out the silhouette before time runs out.
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10
Bleach's new captain Shusuke Amagai arc is a 22-episode filler worth rewatching
To this day, the new captain, Shusuke Amagai Ark. bleach's most divisive filler storyline. While some fans find it worth adding, others choose to skip it entirely and continue with the Arrancar series. One of my biggest complaints about this filler arc is that it follows the typical “protect the princess” formula, making the story feel generic despite its unique premise.
Despite its shortcomings, the New Captain Shusuke Amagai arc is worth experiencing at least once. Between the well-written fights, political intrigue, and exploration of Shuusuke Amagai's character, this arc offers more than just standard filler. Fans of Izuru Kira and the 3rd Division will appreciate this issue because it puts the squad and its members at the center of the story.
9
Boruto's Great Sea Battle Kirigakure episode is a filler in episode 23 full of wasted potential.
The Battle of the Sea in the Kirigakure Arc remains one of the following. boruto's most polarizing storyline. Many fans criticized it for the villain's obvious plot armor, inconsistent power scaling, controversial character deaths, and numerous twists that stretched the story longer than necessary.
The concept of this filler arc, featuring a powerful pirate fleet backed by a ninja clan, is interesting, but its execution ultimately falls short of its potential. Nevertheless it is There are still some great moments left. This is especially true when the new Team 7 members reject the idea of revenge.
8
The Baby Saga is a 24-episode filler that introduces some of Dragon Ball GT's best villains.
it's no secret Dragon Ball GT It has divided the fan base for a long time. Nonetheless, many viewers have come to appreciate the series more over the years, praising its ambitious ideas and experimental concepts despite its inconsistent execution. Among the outstanding storylines of these anime-only sequels, Baby Saga is widely regarded as the best.
In this arc, a villain born from the sins of the Saiyans arrives on Earth to seek revenge for his fallen race. Baby proves to be a terrifying force of nature, wielding parasitic abilities that border on horror, infecting and controlling almost everyone, including the almighty Vegeta.
7
Naruto's Rise of the Three Tails is a 24-episode filler filled with tailed beast action.
The appearance arc of Three-Tails is one of: narutoThere are a lot of filler story lines, but this one stands out as the longest. Many fans will choose to skip this issue, but it's still worth watching for those who want more tailed beast action. This arc also brings together Team Guren, Akatsuki, and some of Naruto's most iconic shinobi, all in a dangerous battle to capture and seal the Three Tails.
It also introduces Guren's unique Crystal Release, gives us a closer look at the Three Tails, and showcases Kamatatsu and Kamakichi, techniques never used again in the series, as well as Naruto's cooperative technique Wind Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet.
6
The 25-part Junior Selection Camp installment of The Prince of Tennis remains a fan favorite.
prince of tennis is one of the longest-running sports anime franchises, with its source material continuing more than 27 years after its debut. Among the longest anime original storylines is the Junior Selection Camp Arc, which is often grouped with the Junior Selection Team vs. American Coast Team arc to form a combined filler storyline spanning 25 episodes.
This filler anime arc was well-received among fans, as Seigaku's beloved captain returned to Japan as a coach rather than a player. This issue also gave fans the iconic “Wonderful Days” performance by tennis players led by Atobe and Sanada. More importantly, the series pits its protagonists against international teams for the first time in thrilling matches filled with powerful new skills from start to finish.
5
The key to Fairy Tail's Starry Sky arc is a 26-episode filler that turns side characters into stars.
During fairy tail's filler arc, The Key of the Starry Sky Arc, is widely regarded as the best thanks to its quirky callbacks, fun humor, and surprisingly decent storyline despite its messy execution and overall direction.
One of the arc's greatest strengths is its unexpected character team-ups, incorporating character combinations rarely featured in comics. Plus, Lucy, Romeo, and even Laki get some compelling character development. Another strength of the arc is that it provides answers to many unresolved details. But some developments remain unexplained, creating new questions.
4
Saint Seiya's Asgard Arc was properly completed in 26 episodes.
Despite being a filler anime arc, the Asgard Arc is one of the best arcs. saint seiya Something that fans appreciate. The care, imagination, and creativity that went into Asgard Arc is evident in everything from well-crafted action scenes and thrilling battles against well-developed villains to the unique designs of the God Warriors.
Asgard's Arc is a solid anime filler arc that many viewers could easily mistake for a standard story arc. Another notable feature of Asgard Arc is that the series explores mythology beyond Greek legend for the first time. Instead of focusing solely on Greek mythology, this arc draws heavily from Norse mythology to shape its world, characters, and lore.

Best anime tournament Arcs, rankings
Several prominent anime series have witnessed great tournament arcs. These examples are some of the best in the genre.
3
Bleach's Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc is a 36-episode filler that's too good to skip.
Unlike the Bound Arc, the Zanpakuto Rebellion Arc is widely known as one of the following. bleachThe best filler storyline with huge potential. Much of its appeal comes from giving fans a first look at the Zanpakuto spirits, with their unique designs and personalities, in physical form.
In other words, the Zanpakutō rebellion is for fans. bleach They had never seen anything like that before. Combining impressive animation quality, a fairly entertaining anime original story, and memorable battles, especially Ichigo's showdown with Zangetsu, this arc remains one of the franchise's most beloved filler storylines that fans wouldn't mind seeing again.
2
Waking the Dragons Arc is a 40-episode filler that captivates Yu-Gi-Oh! into a darker area
that Yu-Gi-Oh! duel monster The anime has its own long filler anime arc in Waking the Dragons Arc (also known as Orichalcos Arc). Fans generally consider this arc to be one of anime's best storylines, thanks to memorable new cards, strong character development, and an emotionally driven plot that reveals the darker, more vulnerable side of the protagonist.
Perhaps the only major weakness of the Arc is Dartz himself. Despite being the main antagonist, he mostly remains in the background, relying on his minions to carry out Doma's plans instead of taking a more active role in the story.
1
It didn't take 46 filler episodes to complete Bleach's bounce arc.
The Bound Arc introduces an interesting concept, but the story spans too many episodes, making it feel unnecessarily long. This filler arc could have yielded great results. bleach But as it progressed at a painfully slow pace over dozens of episodes, the story ultimately became less impactful.
While the Bound arc struggled to pace itself, it made the smaller character moments more enjoyable, especially the interactions between Ichigo and Izuru and Orihime and Rukia. The villains led by Jin Kariya are generally less attractive, but it's undeniable that they have some cool character designs and powers that help elevate their arcs. The arc also wraps up neatly, allowing the canon storyline to continue without causing narrative problems.