All anime lovers inevitably have to deal with filler arcs and that was no exception with dragonball in all its stages. The usual order of publication for a manga is relatively long, at least for the production requirements of an anime.
For the same reason, it is common to start with the production of the animated adaptation since the mangaka has managed to finish at least one complete arc of its publication. Which can still sometimes create confusion with timelines.
Since only in this way is it possible to animate a good number of episodes that adapt said story just in time for the publication of the new volumes that give continuity to the plot.
In fact, practically on all occasions the pages of the manga function as a kind of storyboard that serve as a guide for the animation studio.
But many times the authors do not maintain a constant publication rate due to various factors, which often leads to the anime reaching the manga in its history to go hand in hand.
That is one of the least desired situations for any producer, since it is in those close points where they have to apply the strategy of producing full filler arcs.
All to gain time and to publish the new volumes of the manga in order to now adapt them with total fidelity.
With Dragon Ball it happened more than once and here we present the most unfortunate moments.
Dragon Ball’s 5 Worst Filler Arcs
The Great Saiyaman: It doesn’t matter when you read this
This story served as an introductory narrative to the Majin Boo arc in Akira Toriyama’s original manga. But in reality everything related to this character had always been brief and fleeting in the publication.
While the anime has never missed the opportunity to put filler episodes focused on Gohan’s secret identity. The move was even repeated on Super and it was just as terrible.
the path of the serpent
Dragon Ball Z Kai had the detail and courtesy to cut this part of the plot a lot, but in its original broadcast this filler was unbearable and endless.
bulma and the crab
Bulma is one of the most beloved characters in the entire saga. But at one of the most climactic points in the opening arc of Dragon Ball Z it was necessary to stick this unjustifiable filler of her against a giant crab.
The tournament from another world
Another of the more improvised arcs, more entertaining than the one on the path of the snake but created under exactly the same logic of buying time in what the manga was published.
Garlic Jr.
He was born as a character in a movie and should have stayed there. His filler story arc isn’t terrible but it feels very out of place with the rest of the Dragon Ball Z anime canon.