Dragon Ball p is the popular anime that tells the story of Goku and his friends fighting iconic and powerful enemies; However, not every episode moves the overarching plot forward, and here’s a Filler episode guide That will help sift through what can be skipped. Filler episodes often contain short non-canon stories, providing additional character development and world-building when done well. DBZ Has anime filler episodes that fail to do this, but some are so enjoyable that many fans may have yet to realize they are filler in the first place.
DBZ was initially released as a weekly anime series that appeared alongside the manga’s publication. However, once an anime is too close to catch up with the manga’s storyline, Filler episodes are one method used to give the manga extra time to continue. This led to many iconic moments from the anime such as Goku training on his way to Namek and Gotenks’ first fight with Majin Buu. However, entire episodes of filler can be skipped for viewers who want to enjoy the story without the extra fluff, but some are more than worth a watch.
Every filler episode of Dragon Ball Z
Every episode that can be skipped
episode # |
Episode/arc title |
9-16 |
Gohan’s Training and Goku’s Snake Way Adventures |
39-43 |
Fake namek arc |
100, 102 |
Extended Full Power Frieza fight, with Gohan |
108-117 |
Cabbage Jr. Ark |
124 |
Vegeta’s intensive training to become a Super Saiyan |
125 |
Goku and Piccolo go for a ride |
170-171, 174 |
The Z Warriors are getting ready for the Cell Games |
195-199 |
The Other World Tournament |
202-203 |
The Adventures of the Great Seaman |
274 |
Goku and Vegeta get into Buu’s head |
288 |
Goku’s late to his own party |
Well written and entertaining DBZ filler worth watching
Episode #9 – 16: Gohan’s Training and Goku On Snake Way
The first known piece of Dragon Ball p Filler episodes have comedy with Goku on Snake Road and great character development for both Gohan and Piccolo. It was revealed that in the past, Akira Toriyama originally intended to have Gohan be the main character of the beloved series, and the anime does a better job of confirming that idea. For first-time viewers, the excitement of seeing Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth made the filler episodes seem annoying. Yet, in hindsight, they planted pivotal seeds that would grow into more emotional payoffs than the manga.
Gohan and Piccolo’s touching bond plays a significant role in some of these Dragon Ball The franchise’s greatest moments. Several anime-only episodes helped establish their relationship further by exploring Gohan’s training with Piccolo. The episodes focus on Goku’s four-year-old son, who begins to grow his confidence and his power level. At the same time, Piccolo’s cold demeanor begins to melt away as he watches over the son of his arch-enemy. The anime’s extra focus on Gohan’s growth and the unlikely bond with Piccolo ultimately made the Namekian’s sacrifice against Nappa feel particularly heartbreaking.
Goku also had his share of adventures in the filler episodes that explored his trek across the 625,000-mile-long Serpent Path into the afterlife. Dragon BallThis version of Hell and some comedic encounters provided additional knowledge for the series as Goku tries his best to reach King Kai’s planet. The The first batch of filler episodes effectively sees the series’ characters grow meaningfully And are, for the most part, entertaining and successful in improving later parts of the story.
Episode #100 and #102: Super Saiyan Goku vs. Full Power Frieza Extended, plus Gohan’s Epic Assault
The manga makes it clear that Goku is much stronger than Frieza after achieving his first Super Saiyan transformation. However, the anime decided to Make it seem less one-sided by extending the fight. The epic battle against the galactic tyrant crescendoed in dramatic fashion, especially in the anime adaptation, which gave fans more action than manga readers expected. Goku wasn’t the only one to put on an entertaining show in the anime.
These two episodes provide another glimpse into Gohan’s hidden powers when Super Saiyan Goku is temporarily disabled after being knocked into a lava pit by Frieza. In a fit of rage still believing that his father has been killed, Gohan launches an impressive assault against Frieza in his final form. Stellar combos and powerful attacks stop the iconic villain in his tracks until Goku reappears to finish the job.
Related
Episode #108 – #117: Garlic Jr.’s Revenge
Some Dragon Ball p Filler episodes focus more on Gohan As the manga is capable of, especially during the Garlic Jr. filler arc. The immortal villain who debuted in the DBZ movie “The Dead Zone“was a small Namekian-like enemy who successfully willed the Dragon Balls to become unkillable. He had an incredible battle against Piccolo and Goku, but it was a flash of Gohan’s latent powers that proved strong enough to push the hulking cannon Jr. In a portal he summoned to destroy the world there, he stayed until he was ready for his revenge.
With Goku still missing after his battle with Frieza and the destruction of Namek, Earth was more vulnerable than it had been in years. Garlic Jr. takes the opportunity to return and transform much of the world’s population into bloodthirsty creatures. Clever strategies from Piccolo and some intense encounters, including a battle on top of Kami’s lookout with Garlic Jr. And his Spice Boys, make The filler is one of the most entertaining and original.
Episode #124: Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo Get Stronger While Vegeta Breaks
Training arcs often help build anticipation for epic battles and allow viewers to see their favorite heroes grow stronger before testing their new strength against a previously overwhelming force. Before Future Trunk’s warning of androids came out, the anime showed more training with the Z warriors than the manga. A short amount of time is spent with Goku, Gohan and Piccolo training, but it’s worth a look Vegeta’s obsessive and torturous desire for a power-up makes this episode one fans shouldn’t miss.
Vegeta’s time in Capsule Corps and training at 300 times the gravity of the Earth provides scenes that are arguably the first pivotal steps of the Saiyan prince to begin his life on Earth and eventually become a reliable ally. Vegeta’s pride was hurt by Goku and Trunk’s ability to unlock Super Saiyan, so he began to push his body and, eventually, his mind to the breaking point. More of Vegeta’s brutal training and iconic monologue about achieving the transformation is included in extended scenes in episode #129, but not before one of the most beloved anime filler episodes.
Related
Episode #125: Goku and Piccolo’s Driving Lesson
Slice-of-Life is an anime genre that usually features quirky characters in relatable situations. The episode that sees Goku and Piccolo attempt to earn driver’s licenses nails the definition. Chi-Chi’s rage reaches new heights after she pushes Goku and Piccolo to get driver’s licenses if they want her to continue washing their training clothes and cooking meals. The resulting test saw Piccolo in one of his most humorous outfits: tight blue jeans, a vibrant yellow T-shirt and a backwards baseball cap. At the same time, he and Goku fail miserably in a driving test.
Dragon Ball is a franchise that arguably has more comedy than action, and episode #125 is a prime example. While Goku struggles to even turn the car on, Piccolo begins to become an efficient driver while a woman with severe road rage acts as his teacher. The two begin to aggressively race and even crash their cars before helping save a bus filled with kids. It is a filler episode of Dragon Ball p That doesn’t move the overall plot forward, but it does A goofy adventure that has stuck with fans for years After viewing it.
Episode #195 – #199: Other World Tournament
Another short but exciting tournament arc shows Goku’s adventure in the other world after he sacrifices his life to save the world against a self-destructing cell. Although the sequel series, Dragon Ball SuperExpanding the universe drastically by introducing a multiverse with 12 separate universes, the Other World Tournament introduced other K’s and their strongest warriors from each quadrant of the universe in a tournament made up of the deceased fighters.
each Dragon Ball series contains its fair share of tournament arcs, many of which have Goku making short work of several opponents. However, the Saiyan met a formidable foe during the Other World Tournament in Pickon. When introduced as the West Key’s number one pupil, the warrior made a big impression with fans. His abilities have been proven He quickly sent Frieza and Cell to hell. He and Goku face off in one of DBZMore entertaining filler fights and returns in one of the best movies of the series: Dragon Ball Z Fusion Reborn.
Episode #274: Super Buu’s Worst Meal Bites Back
Goku and Vegeta’s plan to save their absorbed family and friends from the Inside of Super Buu is slightly extended from the manga. The filler episode features the two Saiyans fighting to avoid being digested, a fate Vegeta refuses to accept. The two eventually make their way to Buu’s brain, fighting versions of the captives that consistently regenerate until Super Buu becomes distracted by eating sweets. They take the opportunity to discover the unconscious original bodies of their loved ones before Kanon disaster strikes.
Related
Episode #170, #171, and #174: Slice-of-Life Before the Cell Games
After Cell reached its perfect form and became one of Dragon Ball ps most powerful antagonist, he gave the Z Warriors and the world a week to prepare before his Cell Games Tournament would begin. While some scenes showcased the heroes training for the upcoming battle, some episodes included the return of a classic Dragon Ball villain and a look back at Gohan’s life before his dramatic fight against Cell.
Before the climactic battles against Cell, the Anime has some time to breathe with lower stakes episodes which contained charming slice-of-life moments. Goku and Gohan trained by holding their Super Saiyan forms for long periods of time and were shown struggling to control their strength to the detriment of Chi-Chi’s dishes and the now partial cyborg General Tao. These scenes give the heroes relaxing moments away from the usually intense situations of the series, showing a side of the characters that is often not explored while their lives are under constant threat.
The DBZ filler that is small but fills time
Episode #39 – #44: The journey to Namek has some road bumps
The hero’s first ship on the way to planet Namek and the only other set of Dragon Balls they knew about contained Gohan, Bulma and Krillin. Filler episodes explored their journey to the Namekian homeworld, where they encountered space pirates and a planet filled with mind-reading aliens. They successfully trick the trio into thinking they’ve made it to Namek and collect some Dragon Balls, but the illusion is dispelled. The small episode collection gives almost nothing to these Dragon Ball p History or lore, right before arguably one of the Shaun Middle’s best arcs.
Episode #202 – #204: The Great Saiyan Hijinks and Gohan’s Love Life
Before the incredibly desperate Majin Buu arc began, the Dragon Ball p Anime provided filler episodes Dedicated to exploring Earth several years after Cell’s defeat. Gohan is now a high school student who has donned the secret identity of the Great Saiyan to fight crime. However, his looks and exploits earn him the attention of girls in his class, including Hercules’ daughter and fellow crime-fighting student Videl. While the plots featured in the filler episodes often border on the ridiculous, they look at the origins of Gohan and his future wife’s relationship.
Gohan’s first date with a girl from his class, an attack by a Hercules-hating gang, and a potential dinosaur attack on the city, each feature Vidal fighting to save her hometown while trying to figure out who the big Saiyaman really is. While the episodes do a great job of showing viewers what life is like as an older Gohan, they are Hard to recommend to anyone other than Completion fans Who can’t get enough of these Dragon Ball Universe.
Episode #288: Celebrations of Kid Buu’s defeat before DBZ’s dramatic end
Defeating Kid Buu would have been impossible without Hercules’ help fusing Goku’s massive spirit bomb. However, the anime features some extended scenes and an entire filler episode of the heroes celebrating their hard-earned time of peace. Scenes of BV claiming to live on Earth and a barbecue at Bulma’s are not in the manga. After the incredibly intense ending of Dragon Ball ps Buu arc, the heroes and viewers have earned a sigh of relief, just what the filler gives before jumping forward ten years into the future to provide a much more effective ending to the Dragon Ball p Series.
How does Dragon Ball Z’s filler compare to other great anime?
How is the Dragon Ball Z filler coming?
Despite Dragon Ball ps length and story, it has surprisingly few filler arcs and episodes compared to other long-running shōnen Anime. At 38 episodes, not counting episodes that drag canon material with original content, Dragon Ball p‘s filler only accounts for approximately 13% of its anime; In comparison, two of the most immediate contemporaries, Naruto And bleachare 40% and 45% filler respectively. That means that despite its staggering length, Dragon Ball p Has some of the least filler of any major animeMaking its length the only major hurdle a prospective fan would have to deal with.
Dragon Ball p Does fall short of other long-runs shōnen Anime in terms of filler content, of course. One pieceFor example, only about 9% of its anime as filler, despite being almost four times as long as Dragon Ball p. Not only that, but anime like Jujutsu Kaisen And Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no YaibaHave no filler to speak of because they are seasonal anime as opposed to running for years without any breaks, so while it’s not a completely fair comparison, Dragon Ball pThe small amount of filler is still great by the standards of modern anime.
Should fans watch all of Dragon Ball Z or just skip the filler?
Is the Dragon Ball Z filler worth watching?
most of Dragon Ball pThe filler content does little more than drag out plot points that were originally just short sequences in the manga, if they were even sequences at all. In addition to being tedious, this kind of writing is also antithetical to the typical fast pacing of the manga, as it rarely leaves things out more than needed to get the point of the story across. generally, most of Dragon Ball pIts filler, as is often the case with anime, is not worth watchingAnd fans would typically be better off skipping around the canon stories.
That being said, it’s not like any of it Dragon Ball ps filler is worth watching. The episode where Goku and Piccolo take driving lessons, for example, is a fun slice of life episode with great comedy, and the way the anime expands on Gohan’s training in the Saiyan saga and his time as the Great Saiyan. To expand his character like the manga never did. While few and far between, some of Dragon Ball pS filler does a good job of complementing or directly elevating mangaAnd the few episodes are definitely worth watching.
some of Dragon Ball p‘s filler does a good job of fleshing out the story, but at the same time, a lot of it is largely pointless and directly detracts from the story more often than not. Because of this misfortune, The best way to watch Dragon Ball p is probably to skip the filler episodes that aren’t just one-off stories and save the longer arcs for later viewing; Watching it like that can give a fan a largely accurate picture of Dragon Ball p From the start, and as such, it’s easily the best way to go about things.