For anime fans no one word brings feelings of hate, anger,
and frustration as much as does the word “filler”. Filler episodes or short
“filler miniseries” are a common occurrence in anime. The nature of the
industry makes it so, as most anime are based upon manga and follow manga
storylines. If the anime series gets too far ahead and catches up to where the
manga is then the anime producers make the call to bring out the filler.
Recently the decision was made in Japan to cancel new
episodes of Bleach which were airing
regularly on TV Tokyo. At a time Bleach
was one of most popular and beloved anime series in Japan and North America. But
over the last couple of years enthusiasm for the series has been in decline.
A major reason for the show losing support was its obnoxious
amount of filler. If you ask me, Bleach
is a casualty of filler. But not just any filler, exceptionally bad filler. An anime, no matter how good the main story is, cannot
survive if for every normal episode there is a horrible filler episode to match
it.
With Bleach it
certainly felt like this was the case. The New
Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc definitely comes to mind with over 20
excruciating episodes of Ichigo trying to save an annoying little girl.
The popular anime series Naruto
and Naruto Shippuden also have their
fair share of awful filler. Though in Naruto’s
case, the production team opts for smaller mini arcs instead of full season
filler storylines like in Bleach. Hard
to say which one is worse. Both are terrible in their own ways.
In fact, for these anime there are even entire filler guides
dedicated to allowing fans of these shows to bypass filler and escape the pain
of having to sit through it.
So what does all this mean?
To me, this is a clear signal that shows like Bleach can’t last if every time a filler
episode is aired it makes fans want to bang their face against a wall.
It’s sad that horrible filler ruins what is otherwise great anime.
But even sadder is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Believe it or not, filler doesn’t have to be bad. There are
series with watchable or even (get this!) likable filler. Inuyasha and Full Metal
Alchemist are both anime with filler that blends seamlessly into the
main story. Episodes that are not taken directly from the manga are very well
written and cannot easily be told apart from any other episode.
These series have filler that adds something of value to the
show. This could be an interesting side story or just flushing out the main characters’
personalities. These types of episodes are not intrusive and don’t harm the
integrity of the normal show.
So, to the producers of Bleach
and any other anime with Bleach
quality filler, if you are incapable of making filler that doesn’t ruin your
show, or filler that serves no purpose other than to stall for time, then
please simply don’t use filler.
Just wait. Wait until the manga or other source material gets
far enough ahead for the anime to resume. Most fans would be far happier
waiting a little longer for a new season to begin rather than spending that
time wading through filler hell. I know I would be.
I agree totally. Each manga creates a huge and diverse universe within its own story. To not be able to focus on side stories that are aimed at quality characters (which can easily be done) or for e.g. fight scenes in Naruto that were bypassed, this creates a perfect opportunity to flesh out what was more or less grazed over. As long as it conforms with the creator, and a direction HE envisages that the filler takes and what main events should unfold, you will get a better reception from the fans I think....
ReplyDeleteOne thing i like is continuity, a nod to an arc that's already come to and gone. I don't see why Fillers should be any different...
My two cents anyway ;)
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteOld topic, but my thoughts nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteBleach and DBZ had similar methods for most of their filler: extend fights. I can't say why DBZ succeeded in the long term when Bleach didn't. I think the plots of both got worse the longer the series lasted.
Sailor Moon did pretty good with the half-season Doom Tree arc being enough filler to pretty much let the rest of the series run at a good rate, but that may be timing more than anything else in the anime vs. manga.
Fullmetal Alchemist took a new direction: when filler was completely needed, the anime just detached from the manga and kept going, telling a pretty good story that is just as entertaining as, if not as good as, Brotherhood.
Maybe a DBZ Kai-type restructuring could breathe new life into Bleach.
As much as I love Bleach, I think the anime ending with the Fullbringers is actually more decent. The current, final manga arc is full of inconsistencies and other nonsense. I like the Vandenreich, but wasn't Harribel supposed to be dead?
ReplyDeleteAnd now, it's implied that Grimmjow has returned. And more overhype for Zaraki, basically saying that Zaraki was holding back in every fight he's ever been in. Gimme a break, I guess if he loses in the next fight he's in it'll be because dust got in his eyes. And yes, a lot of the filler in Bleach was horrendous. The Bount Arc was ridiculously long. The Beast Swords? UGGH! I am not suprised the Bleach anime got cancelled. They could try to revive it once the manga is finished, but I probably won't bother to watch it.
In the third databook the said that Orihime healed Harribel, apacci, sung sung and the other one, then they went back to Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow never died, he was K.O after the attack by Nnoitra, Kenpachi was holding back to enjoy each fight but every time he faces someone stronger than him, he increses his power to match up his enemy
ReplyDeleteCash cash cash... if you get paid by sponsors to air something, you'd rather air bullcrap rather than being cut off from your funding. mcDonalds Namco Bandai and co. need their weekly bleach/naruto/pokemon time, and fillers are there for them, not the spectators
ReplyDeleteWhat The hell happened to Acid, the Shinigami in Hueco Mundo? What about Nel!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI disagree. I love fillers. I never lost faith in bleach, even through the fillers. I LIKED the Bount arc, the Amagai arc, the Kisuke arc, and the Zanpakutou arc. I don't get why people are hating on fillers this much. Like, seriously, I don't get why people would be disappointed that their anime is getting longer, even if it isn't the main storyline. Fillers also tend to give more insight to the lore of the anime. Haven't you always wanted to see what the Zanpakutou really looked like? Haven't you wanted to know Kisuke and Yoruichi's story? Haven't you pointed out before that there are three captain positions empty, and then Amagai takes one up? There is a main storyline, and then the fillers fill in the information regarding everything else. For Bleach, anyway...
ReplyDeleteI agree having fillers do anwser how some of the characters got to be the way they are. I think if bleach had a filler to explain Aizen became the way he is it would be an awesome filler
ReplyDeleteI actually have to agree with this. A filler on Aizen's background would be great.
DeleteThe biggest problem I have with Bleach filler is that it so often outside the timeline. Naruto filler at least fit it into the story. It either expands things that were glossed over in the manga, or it takes place between story arcs. Unlike Bleach, where it will suddenly stop in middle of a major story arc for something else.
ReplyDeleteI am way behind on Bleach because I am following it up on Toonami/Adult Swim (Cartoon Network). I kept up with bleach throughout the filler episodes, but what started to anger me was when the series stopped at Hueco Mundo and then we got the sword filler. Now it was interesting, but it went on for too long. Then they finally got to it after what it seems two or three years to me, but the fight between Ichigo and what's his name didn't last crap! Okay so they move on to Aizen and they stop it to go to the festival crap?! Come on! It is too.... jarring. If at least they did something that made sense like Aizen background or Gin's background that would make more sense and it would be important and not make me upset.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know why not just go hand in hand with the manga and that's it? I don't even understand why it must so apart. Anyway thank you for writing the article. It helped me understand things better, but I do share the frustration.