Filler Episodes - Are they important?

[CliveKoopa]

The word "filler" is a very vague word in terms of the anime and many people have very different opinions on what is filler and what isn't. It can even be a taboo word to many filler bashers. This is my opinion on what I think is definetely not filler and looking back, It appears that there are very few fillers.

Okay here goes:

1) Episodes where a main character (Human or pokemon) joins the cast
2) Episodes where a main character (Human or pokemon) leaves the cast
3) Episodes where a main character catches a pokemon (See 2)
4) Episodes where a main pokemon character evolves
5) Episodes where Ash and co reach an important city, town or landmark
6) Episodes where Ash and co meet an important person (gym leader, etc even if the gym battle doesn't actually appear until episodes later)
7) Episodes where Ash wins a gym badge or battles and loses
8) Episodes featuring a pokemon contest
9) Episodes featuring re-curring pokemon characters (Jigglypuff, Snubbull)
10) Episodes featuring the Pokemon League
11) Episodes featuring the Grand Festival
12) Story Arcs (Orange Islands, Whirl Cup, Battle Frontier, etc)
13) Stories focusing on evil teams (Team Rocket, Team Galactic,etc)
14) Exposition episodes (Where the main plot is discussed such as in Showdown in Poke-Corral, The Mandarin Island Miss Match, An Elite Meet and Greet, etc)
15) Episodes where a main pokemon learns a new move or technique
16) Episodes focusing on character development (Which can be pretty much anything about a character's personal life, new skills learned, relationships with one another, etc)

As you can see, I have quite a lot of requirements listed for an episode to be non-filler.

 

[Cybersai]

A good chunk of fillers are just there for a lazy pokemon debut with a crap filler character and a non-existent story. They wouldn't get so much hate if Johto didn't literally have 100 episodes of these in a row.

 

[GurahkWeavile]

I find they're mostly there just for good screencaps to make into ***** YouTube videos...kinda what I do to be honest. But yeah, if they're entertaining to watch, then keep 'em, but if not...get 'em out and don't show 'em!

 

[Misty Calls Masquerain]

Yeah, because they make for good worldbuilding, if they're done right.

 

[Pokémon Master Ash]

Somewhat. They can actually add to things regular episodes can't if done right, but done wrong, and they can agitate you to no end.

 

[Ambipom666]

Yes, fillers are important. They can provide funny moments and ideally satisfying battles or interactions between the Pokemon and/or main characters. Yes, some fillers are better than some plot-important episodes. There are bad fillers and bad non-fillers. The way I see it, with a boring plot-relevant episode at least I can say "well Ash won ____ Badge or ____ caught _____ or ______ evolved" but with a boring filler episode there isn't much I can take away from it, and I just wait for the next episode to see if it is more satisfying.

 

[Darth Darkrai]

Some Are and Some Aren't Necessary I think.

 

[PockyAddict]

I do think they are important, heck some of my fave moments in the anime are from fillers.

 

[masterofthez]

What has to be remembered is that this show is just one long commercial for Pokemon. With that, I'm not justifying the point of filler episodes I'm just saying they have a reason for begin here. I am on the boat of they can be enjoyable, but most of the time I'm not a fan.