Dragon Ball Z is one of the most recognizable anime of all time, with the show attracting an entire generation that has become hooked on anime ever since. The massive popularity of Dragon Ball Z can't be stated enough, with the characters and battles in this anime being the stuff of legends. Long-time fans of the series still remember the first time Goku turned Super Saiyan in his battle against Frieza, turning this anime into something truly remarkable.

That being said, Dragon Ball Z is far from being a perfect anime. The show suffers from various problems, with its pacing being the biggest deterrent to watching this classic. The release of Dragon Ball Z Kai has mitigated this issue and also brought to light the sheer amount of egregious filler in the anime. While there's no denying that some of these fillers hold a soft spot in the hearts of many fans, even the most ardent Dragon Ball Z fans can't deny that the vast majority of filler in a series that is already stretched does nothing to compel viewers to watch more of what this series has to offer.

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Updated on May 5, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Dragon Ball Z is one of the greatest shonen anime of all time. Akira Toriyama's defining work is something that fans absolutely love, with Goku's transformation from a clueless child into one of the most powerful Saiyans of all time being something that wows long-time fans to this day. Dragon Ball Z is easily the show that is credited as the reason why the franchise became so popular in the West, but the series isn't free from criticism. As is the case with most weekly anime adaptations at the time, Dragon Ball Z is notorious for stretched-out scenes and filler episodes that feel completely out of place. While some filler episodes are endearing, the vast majority of them do nothing to elevate the viewing experience and simply draw things out, which is why most fans recommend that viewers just avoid these episodes altogether instead of wasting their time trying to watch these inconsequential side stories. In this latest update, this list has added more details about those filler episodes to help viewers do just that.

Dragon Ball Z Filler List

9 Season 1 Filler: 9-16

Extensively Shows Gohan's Training Regimen Under Piccolo And Goku's Snake Way Adventures

• The Strangest Robot
• A New Friend
• Trouble on Arlia
• Global Training
• Goz and Mez
• Princess Snake's Hospitality
• Dueling Piccolos
• Plight of the Children

The first season of Dragon Ball Z covers the events to the end of the Saiyan Saga. It's during this time that Goku passes away and Piccolo is given the responsibility of training Gohan, forming the building blocks of a relationship that will stay strong throughout the entirety of the Dragon Ball series.

The anime expands upon this moment by extensively showing Gohan's training regimen. It might seem like an unnecessary extension, but this filler did a great job of showing the development of Gohan's strength... and his relationship with Piccolo. This is great for two reasons — it further reinforces why Gohan considers Piccolo to be his guardian, and it also makes a later moment in the series more emotional.

There are also a few episodes that lengthen Goku's journey across Snake Way. Not only do they make this pathway appear as long as the anime builds it up to be, but they also flesh out Dragon Ball Z's Otherworld lore, which is very much appreciated.

8 Season 2 Filler: 39-44

The Fake Namek Arc

• Journey to Namek
• Held Captive
• Look Out Below
• Hunt for a Dragon Ball
• Who's Who?
• Touchdown on Namek

The Namek Saga is one of the best arcs in Dragon Ball Z. That being said, anime fans had to wait a bit before the trio of Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan landed on this planet. There are five episodes in Season 2 where the Earthlings end up landing on a fake version of Namek, where shape-shifting aliens take on the form of Namekians in a bid to steal a ship and escape the planet they'd been stranded on.

This entire arc is a huge waste of time, and viewers are better off skipping th story entirely and focusing on the events of the real Namek instead. It's especially egregious given that the jokes in this arc fall flat and the placement of this arc undermines the impact of landing on Namek and finding a new set of Dragon Balls.

7 Season 3 Filler: 100, 102

Extends Events On Namek Following Goku's Legendary Transformation

• Gohan Returns
• Duel on a Vanishing Planet

Season 3 mainly deals with Frieza himself and the terror he unleashes on Namek and the visitors of Earth. It also marks the series' first appearance of a Super Saiyan, with Goku transforming into one after watching Krillin perish in front of his eyes in what he thought was a permanent death. This is one of the most iconic moments in the show, with many people considering the Frieza Saga as their favorite arc for this moment alone.

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In the manga, the Super Saiyan transformation leads to Frieza standing no chance against the might of this Saiyan. However, the anime prolongs this fight massively and gives Frieza more of a fighting chance, with Goku being incapacitated for a while and Gohan returning to the battle as well! Fillers like these along with a bunch of extended scenes are the major reason why so many fans vividly remember the Frieza fight for both good and bad reasons.

6 Season 4 Filler: 108-117, 124, 125

The Infamous Garlic Jr. Saga & The Z Warriors Training For Their Battle Against The Androids

• The Heavens Tremble
• Black Fog of Terror
• Battle in Kami's Lookout
• Fight with Piccolo
• Call for Restoration
• Suicidal Course
• Extreme Measures
• The World Awakens
• Brief Chance for Victory
• Krillin's Proposal
• Z Warriors Prepare
• Goku's Ordeal

Season 4 begins with the onset of the infamous Garlic Jr. Saga, which is nothing short of a complete waste of time. It might be a great way to showcase just how far the Z Warriors have come since their trials on Planet Namek, but the battles in this arc feel almost lifeless. It doesn't help that Garlic Jr. is a pretty generic and unengaging antagonist as well, even for people who've seen the amazing and well-animated movie that features this character as a villain once again.

Aside from this, episode 124 is a fairly uneventful episode that shows the Z Warriors training in preparation for the Androids. However, the next episode is one of the most legendary filler episodes of all time, showing Goku and Piccolo struggling to get their driving licenses in one of the most hilarious moments in the entire show. Despite fans asking players to avoid most of the filler in the series, this is one episode that people can watch for the shenanigans that ensue.

5 Season 5 Filler: None

The Introduction Of Cell Isn't Marred By Any Filler Content

Season 5 marks the appearance of Cell and how he strives to reach his perfect being by absorbing Android 17 and 18. It's a wildly entertaining arc, and it's befitting that there's absolutely no filler in this arc. Watching Imperfect Cell try his hardest to find these Androids and using clever tactics to disguise his lack of power is surprisingly fun to watch even now.

That being said, there are a few dragged-out episodes in otherwise canon scenes. It's a staple of the old Dragon Ball Z episodes, so this won't catch anyone by surprise. All of this is worth it just to see how Cell develops as a villain and the central antagonist of this arc.

4 Season 6 Filler: 170, 171, 174

Some Misadventures Before The Start Of The Cell Games

• A Girl Named Lime
• Memories of Gohan
• The Puzzle of General Tao

The Cell Games kick off in Season 6, with a few episodes beforehand showing the Z Warriors preparing along with a host of other canon occurrences. However, the animators also snuck in a bit of filler before the Cell Games started. For the most part, these additional storylines are fine, but most people would understandably want to jump directly into the Cell Games since it's the best part of the entire show.

These fillers include the return of General Tao, a rather humanizing look at the victims of Cell, and flashbacks of Gohan as a child. The latter is a pretty brilliant inclusion, given that his battle against Cell is when Gohan sheds the last few dregs of his immaturity and turns into one of the most powerful Saiyans of all time.

3 Season 7 Filler: 195-199, 202-204

The Beloved Otherworld Tournament & Gohan's Adventures As The Great Saiyaman

• Warriors of the Dead
• Tournament Begins
• Water Fight
• Final Round
• Goku vs. Pikkon
• Gohan's First Date
• Rescue Videl
• Blackmail

Season 7 depicts a brief period of peace before the next threat that Earth faces. During this time, Gohan transforms into The Great Saiyaman and participates in the World Tournament as well. It's not exactly the most liked arc in the series, in no small part due to its treatment of Gohan. Watching this powerful Saiyan turn into a gag character is a major blow to his reputation which Gohan is still reeling from to this day.

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The season starts with the Other World Tournament where Goku, Pikkon, and a bunch of other dead warriors compete in a heavenly tournament. This arc is completely missing from the manga and was just meant to show off Goku's skills once again. The other filler episodes mainly take an extended look at Gohan's time as The Great Saiyaman, although episode 204 does have a canon moment where Videl and Gohan's relationship blossoms as well!

2 Season 8 Filler: None

The Majin Buu Arc Commences, With No Filler To Break Things Up

Babidi and his vile magical powers make their appearance for the first time in Season 8, making for a great introduction indeed. It features the brilliant clash between Goku and Majin Vegeta before the rise of Majin Buu and the terrors that ensue. It's a strong start to an arc that might be too long for many people's liking but is still undoubtedly a great part of the series.

This season thankfully has no filler, barring a few episodes with extra scenes in them. Thankfully, this minor filler doesn't take away from what is otherwise a pretty great season of Dragon Ball Z. After all, most episodes of Dragon Ball Z used lengthy shots to pad out the runtime, so pointing this season out, in particular, feels a bit accusatory.

1 Season 9 Filler: 274, 287, 288

A Brief Amount of Filler Before the Grand Finale

• Mind Trap
• Celebrations with Majin Buu
• He's Always Late

There's only a bit of filler present in the final season of Dragon Ball Z. Episode 274 takes a look at Goku and Vegeta's adventures through the body of Super Buu before they reach their compatriots. It's a pretty meaningless episode, although watching Goku and Vegeta bond throughout this icky adventure is pretty engaging in its way.

Meanwhile, episodes 287 and 288 focus on the pleasant aftermath of Kid Buu's demise. This involves Majin Buu trying to fit in with Earthlings who hate him for his past actions, while the latter episode focuses on Goku's ordeals to protect four dragon eggs. Given that Dragon Ball Z is a show that many people would start loving, these anime-original stories feel like the cherry on top of a well-stuffed and satisfying cake.

Dragon Ball Z (1989)

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Release Date

April 26, 1989

Creator

Akira Toriyama

Studio

Toei Animation

Seasons

9

Number of Episodes

291

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

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