Why do people hate fillers?

[Alfieri]

You're not being forced to watch filler episodes. Just watch another anime while you wait for the previous anime to end its "season" of filler.

Sure some people may call it a pace breaker but I call it a nice breather.

 

[Oryx]

Because people like their shows and want their shows to remain good. They want to be able to recommend a show without saying "but skip season 3 because it's all filler."

Just like I wouldn't want a game series I otherwise like to release a bad game because I wouldn't enjoy it and wouldn't be able to talk about how much I love the entire franchise without a qualifier, people don't want their shows to reduce in quality.

 

[machomuu]

Just watch another anime while you wait for the previous anime to end its "season" of filler.

You kind of answered your own question with that statement.

 

[Alfieri]

I'm just the type of person who doesn't have numerous strong opinions so whenever fillers come around, it really does not bother me as long as I know it'll go back to canon stuff.

 

[Lusus]

Because they ruin you favorite anime series by making you watch something that is totally irrelevant to the plot(Naruto) or have the same thing happen every episode (Pokemon DP, Digimon Boy Hunters) for a long period of time. Naruto is the main offender, why do we learn about Danzo during World War 4? He died 200 episodes ago. It was just stalling for manga pages.

 

[Alfieri]

Because they ruin you favorite anime series by making you watch something that is totally irrelevant to the plot(Naruto) or have the same thing happen every episode (Pokemon DP, Digimon Boy Hunters) for a long period of time. Naruto is the main offender, why do we learn about Danzo during World War 4? He died 200 episodes ago. It was just stalling for manga pages.

But it's not making you watch. You can skip fillers.

 

[Lusus]

But it's not making you watch. You can skip fillers.

The problem is, with anime like Naruto that is still coming out, you have to wait 1 more week for each filler episode, and they usually come in groups.

 

[Espeonrules]

Exactly. I totally agree that one is always free to skip filler episodes to get to the main plot, but that only applies to completed series or series that have a lot of episodes already. When you're watching a series that's currently running, seeing a new episode has been subbed only to see that it's just filler can be seriously annoying, especially if recent episodes have left off on a cliffhanger. It just means a whole nother week or more of waiting.

Fillers can be done right though; for example, when I was watching Katekyo Hitman Reborn I didn't even realize that there were two arcs of filler in there, and even when I did realize I still watched it because it was enjoyable and was still somewhat relevant to what was going on. It's when the fillers are like Naruto and completely random and irrelevant that make them aggravating. I'm still asking myself to this day why I even bothered watching 100 episodes of filler when I could have just skipped to Shippudden : P

 

[Oryx]

Exactly. I totally agree that one is always free to skip filler episodes to get to the main plot, but that only applies to completed series or series that have a lot of episodes already. When you're watching a series that's currently running, seeing a new episode has been subbed only to see that it's just filler can be seriously annoying, especially if recent episodes have left off on a cliffhanger. It just means a whole nother week or more of waiting.

Fillers can be done right though; for example, when I was watching Katekyo Hitman Reborn I didn't even realize that there were two arcs of filler in there, and even when I did realize I still watched it because it was enjoyable and was still somewhat relevant to what was going on. It's when the fillers are like Naruto and completely random and irrelevant that make them aggravating. I'm still asking myself to this day why I even bothered watching 100 episodes of filler when I could have just skipped to Shippudden : P

Can you really call it filler if it's entertaining and relevant to the plot?

 

[Spinosaurus]

You pretty much said it, it breaks the pacing, which is important. I can't really care for episodes that has no real reason to be there in terms of writing and such.

Still better than recap/flashbacks about stuff you saw already episodes. ****ing Touch.

 

[Ephemeral Euphoria]

Most of the filler I've seen kills the overall allure of the show for me more often than not, take a filler episode from Naruto where they spent the episode trying to figure out what was behind Kakashi's mask. That episode alone made me quit most if not all anime for at least 2 if not 3 years after watching that abomination of writing.

 

[esperance]

For me, because I tend to read the manga before I watch the anime, the filler takes away from the story that I am already familiar with, and can add stuff that totally screws up some of my conceptions.

Also, like others have said, it's real challenge for filler arcs to be up to the quality of the actual story, which can ruin the anime if it's not.

 

[Espeonrules]

Can you really call it filler if it's entertaining and relevant to the plot?

Haha, I guess not if you think about it that way. My definition of "filler" is anything that isn't in the original material and has been added, whether its enjoyable or not.

 

[Captain Gizmo]

The only time when I hate fillers is when a series is still releasing episodes then they throw like 15 filler episodes at you. For example, Naruto; I watch Naruto and I get extremely hyped when things starts to get heated up in the episodes, which makes me want to watch more and more BUT, I have to wait a week for it. THEN, they put out like 15 fillers before you get back to the scene you were waiting for. 1 episode per week? 15 episodes of fillers? That's like 15 weeks of waiting.

I don't like waiting to know what will happen to the scene I watched few months ago.

And most filler episodes are just plain boring and brings nothing to the contribution of the series . That's why I hate fillers.

 

[Altairis]

You pretty much said it, it breaks the pacing, which is important. I can't really care for episodes that has no real reason to be there in terms of writing and such.

Still better than recap/flashbacks about stuff you saw already episodes. ****ing Touch.

Yeah, this is basically why I dislike fillers for the most part. I'm really only thinking of Fairy Tail right now, but their fillers definitely stood out from the rest of the series just because the pacing and storytelling were different than the rest of the show. I watched a couple episodes of the Key of the Starry Sky arc and was a little confused, then did some research and learned what a filler was. :P Also, that must have sucked to watch ongoing, because it was 25 episodes which is basically half a year of filler.

It's also annoying for an ongoing series because that means that essentially nothing is going to happen in the episode that furthers the plot, so unless it's a slice of life or plotless show then it definitely disrupts (ex. Kyoukai no Kanata).

 

[Candy]

Guys. Bleach filler arcs. No other fillers in the world could ever beat that.

Thank God it's completed.

 

[Alfieri]

Filler arcs are kind of like a false sense of relief. Like you start watching an anime with about 200-300 episodes and you're like "oh crap", but then you get to skip like 80 episodes worth a filler and you're like "woohoo!" lol

 

[pyx]

Well personally, after I wate like a week for a new episode of whatever anime, I expect something relevant to the plot, not filler that serves no purpose...

 

[KingRin]

Most of the time because it's at the worst possible time.
It's like "Oh one of the most important battles will start next episode yay."
Suddenly next week "Wait, wait, why the heck is there a beach/pool/whatever episode?"

 

[Aether★]

It ruins my canon hype and they are so much non-canon that it makes me want to kill myself. Bleach sucked heavily with fillers. Only one "acceptable" filler was the Zanpakuto arc.