The Misunderstood GENIUS of "Filler" - Avatar The Last Airbender
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- Today at the Mystery Shack, we return to the world of Avatar The Last Airbender to talk about the somewhat controversial reputation of filler and its role in shaping a narrative (as well as why Netflix's streamlined version missed the mark on that).
Social Media :
---------------------------------------------------------------
Patreon : / korotosmysteryshack
Second Channel : @KorotoTV
/ korototv
Twitch : / korotosmysteryshack
Twitter : / korotoms
Starforge PCs (Affiliate link) : starforgesystems.pxf.io/B0nnd0
---------------------------------------------------------------
Further reading & links:
---------------------------------------------------------------
www.cbr.com/atla-creators-wor...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filler
www.cbsnews.com/news/are-atte...
web.archive.org/web/202302180...
www.torontofilmschool.ca/blog....
nofilmschool.com/netflix-care...
• How 'Avatar: The Last ...
LEMMiNO - Cipher
• LEMMiNO - Cipher (BGM)
CC BY-SA 4.0 LEMMiNO - Cipher
• LEMMiNO - Cipher (BGM)
CC BY-SA 4.0
@amburdo6206 - Colette Wave Cooking
• Colette Wave Cooking
@amburdo6206 - Maris Walking
LEMMiNO - Firecracker
• LEMMiNO - Firecracker ...
CC BY-SA 4.0
• Grocery store (superma...
LEMMiNO - Nocturnal
• LEMMiNO - Nocturnal (BGM)
CC BY-SA 4.0
----------------------------------------------------------------
Timecodes
---------------------------------------------------------------
00:00 - Introduction
01:03 - What even is "filler"?
03:21 - The Many Faces of Filler
07:24 - Attention Spans & Lack of Filler in Modern Shows
12:27 - What a Lack of Filler Does
18:47 - Avatar's Best Filler
26:19 - Formula for Good Filler
32:15 - Outro
#avatarthelastairbender - Zábava
Watching filler episodes ❌
Watching 33 minutes discussing filler episodes ✅
Based
W
The only bad filler are those that don't add any to the characters or substance to the world.
But that’s what filler is
@@pn2294 Uh no. Fillers are just well, "fillers." As the name suggests it just fills a certain gap. That gap makes the flow of the plot natural.
@@pinknaccount2188 filler literally is content that doesn't add to the plot or character development. by definition that is what it is.
@pinknaccount2188
No, it's not. Fillers are meant to be the moments between the plot, a deviation from it. It's like you taking a walk in the park. Your journey from the entrance to the bench near the fountain is the plot. You straying from the path every once in a while to study a flower or chase after a butterfly are the fillers. Neither of those things add to the story but they make the story whole.
@@lunayen
So, Naruto's fillers, Dragon Ball's fillers, etc... are in reality good? Are you sure about that?
I've been saying this ever since the Netflix live action came out, those side quests and misadventures are what made us learn the most about the characters. Without those adventures by the time we get to the end we don't really know the characters that much.
And even when they do adapt the "side quests" (such as Kyoshi), they rid them of all character development.
i couldnt even finish episode 2 because it felt so empty lol, the main 3 basically didnt talk at the south pole, but by the time they were flying away on appa they were like 'i need to go with my friend!', not to mention in the cartoon the kids grandma said like 1-2 lines, but for some reason she was getting every line in the live action. bro stop making kanna talk and make the main characters talk wth
by the time they got to kyoshi i was beyond bored, so i just clicked off. ive been rewatching the cartoon the past few days and dude its night and day lol
Honestly what i never understand is why they skip so much claiming poverty and then edit the plot out of compliance.. I would be fine if they decided they can't visit BCD if they kept faithful to E and maybe added new side adventure C2 because ultimately we could tell friends to then watch animated episodes for more backstory, but when they cut pretty much every Aang x Katara scene and don't even leave enough for Zutara stans or enough character for Katara fans we basically have to tell people to avoid the Live action and go original when new content like Zuko's crew does actually work in the animation narrative.
@@michaellane5381 And speaking of original scenes, all the stuff with Ozai, Azula, and Azula's therapy bots I mean friends. If they hadn't wasted so much time in the Fire Nation, they could have actually told stories about the main characters!
@@jagnestormskull3178 actually that was my point: if you want to adapt but not do 1 to 1, do stories of side characters learning similar lessons in other places and leave stories you cannot adapt faithfully completely out of it... That way references can be fully made: "well from the animation we know this happened... But the L/A shows this also happened".
Naruto is like 70% of the reason people hate fillers so much today
It and the bount arc from bleach
Which is dumb because it does actually add to the story and world building
@@pn2294 In a way it does the opposite because Naruto filler introduces techniques or lore that is useful or interesting but because it isn't canon it won't show up again. This would lead to someone simply watching the show to get disappointed when plot points or techniques that should return don't.
@@bdf1006 The same can be said about the canon fights in the series
The Sasuke Retrieval arc is particularly egregious to me because you could cut out the Sound Five entirely and not lose anything
The Big Three (or big two cause do Bleach fans even exist?) are to blame. One Piece probably has more filler than Naruto
I feel like show directors forget the age old saying of "its not the destination, its the journey."
I don't want to watch characters do things... I want to watch character _be_ things (if that makes any sense).
Perhaps the real journey was the friendships we rushed along the way
No wait
They definitely had a case of destination fever, you gotta focus less on the “where” and more on the “going”
Exactly, even the Library episode was a side quest, but told through the eyes of team Aang, in the next episode, we get to see a side quest through Appa's eyes. This is beautifully done. Plus, we got to see, hear Zokka's best one-liner during the EP "It'll quench ya. Nothing is quenchier. It's the quenchiest!"
This tells us that dessert benders do know their way around native plants and which to avoid. Dessert benders have adapted to live there. It's showing us, the viewers, other type of bending and a culture we haven't seen before. There must be women, men and children out there who depend on the environment to travel and survive. Much like in real life, Africa. There are so many tribes! It has a rich history, it's long and sad, but it is rich in folklore and culture. ❤
People getting so pissed off about "Aang's ooc lying" in the Great Divide, meanwhile Aang keeps constantly lying to the main team about important stuff. The only ooc thing about the great divide was that he was NOT lying to the main group
Receipts:
- Runaway: I personally make you an avatar promise not to cheat more, cut to Aagn cheating
- Guru: Yes, I completely mastered the avatar state
- Bato of the Watertribe: whole plot
- Library: Aang promising as avatar not to abuse the knowledge in the library
just to name a few
I feel people use Aangs refusal to kill to project other values on the character that are associated with morality. Aang has constanty been willing to lie to get the outcome he wants. He never says "I think lying is wrong I don't lie".
It's so goofy cuz lying isn't ooc for nearly anyone, let alone kids. It's easy to forget because he has such an important role but Aang is indeed A Child who makes dumb childlike decisions, including lying.
I don’t know what people expect tbh💀 He’s 12 of course he’s going to lie. Either people think that he’s way too immature or think that he is way wise and has little to no flaws. But he’s none of them.
Heck, Monk Gyatso cheats at pai-cho by airbending Aang's robes over his head and swapping the pieces round while he can't see. It's pretty clear that lying and deception is not taboo for the Air Nomads the way that killing is.
When I watched Fallout after watching Netflix Avatar, I was just so happy that they *let the show breathe* and let the mysteries unravel naturally. And watching a well-made show made me acutely aware of how much Netflix Avatar was missing.
While I appreciated Fallout took its time sometimes, I also wanted more of those moments. A lot of the games is wandering around aimlessly until you run into some shady business but I understand why they made it like this
I m honestly surprised by Fallout. It s not as bad as i feared.
Whereas netflix avatar was even worse than i feared 😅
I was SO surprised when the first half of Across the Spiderverse took it's goddang sweet time to allow the story unfold
Sure it's a movie, and a kid's one at that (not derogatory)
But in the age of trolls/ hotel transylvania/ tiktok brain rot induced kid's movies
ATSV felt like a Scorsese
Part of the issue is because of anime people are walking around with 2 different definitions of filler. Some people think filler is non canon semi crack episodes and others think filler is episodes that don't advance the plot. These are 2 fundamentally different things.
I think you need to define which filler you mean, like the Author did here.
Do you want to fill out the Story
or do you want to fill out playtime.
one is positive for the audience, the other is positive for the producer making a product to make money.
Id like to propose a different term for "filler that serves the story". Stuffing.
Like in cooking a turkey, stuffing is a valuable addition to an otherwise empty cooking space
This is an awesome take! I will use this from now on.
I've been making my older sister watch Avatar for the first time. She's never watched a cartoon in her life, solely likes live action and horror. But I wanted her to see the original if she ever decided to watch the remake, so I managed to talk her into it and figured I would just show her a few highlight episodes to get the gist of it. Slowly she's been starting to absolutely love and get invested in it. One episode I decided not to skip had the scene where Toph and Iroh meet and have their brief talk. She has mentioned that moment numerous times about how much she liked it, and I was this close to skipping it, thank God I didn't! Now in season 3 she's completely invested, just as I had hoped! Those small moments matter so much.
Dude, you NAILED it. Both the sentiment and the presentation. Extremely well explained, great work!
Letting characters breathe and develop is as essential to the story as anything, and ATLA does that spectacularly.
The scene duration part is why movies like 1947 were so refreshing and cinematically nice to watch the scenes and shots were very long and the “cuts” they used were subtle and most times you couldn’t tell so everything felt like just one shot and wasn’t jarring
"The Headband" is my FAVORITE episode in the whole series.
Once I watched Netflix ATLA, I just knew Book 3 is going to get butchered so hard because outside of Black Sun & Sozin’s Comet it is all side quests & the Netflix writers aren’t going to be able to handle that at all
@@TheJadedJames I've only heard negative feedback about the Netflix version and I don't even want to watch it at this point.
@@sooyster4033the whole time watching you are just gonna notice all the good things missing
@@sooyster4033Netflix avatar did pretty well. I liked it and yes it can be better yes it's a bit different but I've seen a ton of people who liked it and besides I never listen to people that only complain a lot I watched for myself if I like it I like it if I don't I don't simple
Aang doesn’t even learn water bending, and Katara doesn’t have a personality outside of “girl”. Sokka isn’t sexist and has major daddy issues because his dad doesn’t like that he invents things (which is such an AMAZING quality of a leader so wtf?). Suki is weird and obsessive over Sokka because he… exists? Yue can waterbend and called off her own engagement and turns into a damn fox. And don’t even get me started on Azula just being an angsty teenager that doesn’t have her blue fire, instead of the manipulative, cunning and calculating prodigy she is. Mai and Tylee are just… ugh.
And I just touched on SOME issues with SOME of the characters alone. I could go on, but what exactly is there to like about the live action…?
This video is exactly what I only have a couple of sentences to explain to people what I mean when I say there's no "filler" in Avatar. Every single episode adds something, even if it's just a background world building pillar or the beginning of a character development that is later continued or intensified.
Honestly I don't understand the problem with filler like even if it's aka "bad filler" where it doesn't do anything with the characters or story it's still more time with the characters even if we already know them
For me, it's a matter of expectations and overall vibe for the story at that point in time. I talk about it briefly during the video, but slotting in something that completely breaks the flow of the primary plot while simultaneously trying TO BE the main plot is just setting itself up for failure.
Tales (and all of the other filler episodes in ATLA) works because it doesn't try to be some huge hectic battle of the same importance as Lake Laogai etc. Most "bad" fillers I've watched lack substance so they try to make up for that with action, which again, immediately falls flat because it by default must be circular (as in it can't change the primary plot, so nothing of lasting impact can even happen).
But that's a whole different can of worms 😅
What about that time Good and Piccolo took a driving test to get driver's licenses?
I think it’s also cause episodes like the Great Divide were aired a lot compared to other episodes, because it was episodic. So people just kind of got sick of it
Probably part of why people don’t like filler like that, when they had less of a say about which episodes they watched
@@Xavior12I find that episode hilarious 😂😂
@@KorotoI don’t understand that point honestly
What makes you think it was trying to be “big”? What defines “big” to begin with?
I've seen people complain about filler cases in the Ace Attorney games but I prefer when the games have them. It breaks up the pace a little, gives some variety.
1:23 - 1:42 Interesting, I've never once heard of filler used in that context
me either. and even if it is a suitable definition, it doesn't apply to ATLA since it isn't an anime nor is it based on a manga.
I think the Netflix adaptation really made it clear that the actual plot of Avatar is probably the least compelling part of the package. Avatar's main selling points are the concept/magic system being super cool and interesting to explore and the characters being likeable and having strong character arcs. Aang having to learn all four elements and defeat the fire lord is just the vehicle for everything else to happen. Almost every plot point is there to either show off bending in a new way (or at least a cool way) or add depth to one or more characters. This isn't to say that the plot isn't good, just that it did its job and knew when to take a backseat to the other stuff. That being said, I despite the streaming model of shows with the philosophy of "tell the story in as little time as possible". I think this style flew under the radar before because there wasn't source material for things like stranger things.
Top many ppl see filler episodes as anything that doesnt directly further the plot, when the plot is only half of the actual substance of the story. Characters are just as important if not more depending on the story. Further, ppl will see an episode of just characters talking and call it filler when its actually foreshadowing seasons in advance or laying the groundwork for a future character arc or just organically worldbuilding.
Your example of "mf when they say the show talks too much" reminded me of a revelation i had last year about Naruto Shippuden. For years my main problem with Shippuden is that they "talked too much", i kept that idea from when it came out and the many times i tried to rewatch it. Then I watched Grappler Baki last year and it all clicked, and ill use a general example:
*Shippuden* : Fires a Large fire style attack, characters pause mid fight.
"I have heard of this technique from ancient Mountain Ninjas"
"Yes if it hit you it would have burned you to cinders"
"Hmm yes that fire would have burned me quite bad"
Maybe have some pictures to explain the move's lore with shots between the characters.
*Baki* : Enemy throws a pretty strong straight punch, with wind effect to signify how powerful it was.
"That punch felt different"
"Yes it was crafted by the sweat of my ancestors through decades of training"
"The famous Dragon Killer Fist"
*Cuts to a montage on a more dramatic art style* TWO HUNDRED YEARS IN THE PAST, WHERE MAN HAD NO TECHNOLOGY THEY HAD TO SURVIVE BY REFINING THEIR BODIES LIKE WE WOULD DO SHARPENING A BLADE, FIST SO FIERCE THAT THE WIND ITSELF BOWS DOWN TO ITS UNHOLY MIGHT
See the difference?
They are both stopping the fight to talk about something but Baki does it in such a dramatic way, with such confidence and energy that it sucks you in.
Even when Shippuden pulls you back to explain lore and such it usually feels more like an explanation, like a teacher telling you about physics while you read the book about it.
Even when explaining relatively simple moves Baki always explains things with such energy that you can help but me charmed by it. Its not exposition, your being told a story with emotion and reverense it deserves.
Watch/Read grappler Baki if you havent, its quite the trip.
Leaves from the Vine had me bawling like a baby.
Filler is necessary if you want your readers or viewers to care about what happens to your characters. They need to know who they are, get invested, spend time with them outside of the main plot, and see their vulnerabilities as well as strengths. Without this human connection creating empathy and sympathy, you get... Well, you get the MCU, basically. Don't get me wrong, it has it's moving moments and small moments, but LOOK AT IT.
Knowing the little seemingly inconsequential things helps us care.
If we care, we stay.
Bring it inward to make it bigger.
This is a cardinal rule I stand by learned many years ago.
And if you think you have too much filler, separate them into stand-alones that may or may not have ties to the main story. The extra bits.
I think the Netflix show is the perfect example of why the filler in avatar is so good and so necessary. That show cut out pretty much everything that could be considered filler and even though it had about the same run time (I think it was actually even longer) as the first season of the original, it all felt too fast and like we didn’t have enough time to get to know the characters. In these filler episodes we get to see more of the characters’ personalities and have their relationships be fleshed out. Without that it wouldn’t be the same show
Filler episodes in most shows are usually my favourite. I don’t care that much about the plot, I care about the characters and “filler” episodes are the ones that let me really get to know the characters
Audience: plz make shows properly
Netflix: but shortcuts make us more money...
And this is what Netflix didn't get. All that "filler" exists to add to the story and the world. Makes it feel real.
14:11 “Stand proud Omashu: you had good walls.”
Great video as always! And thanks for correcting peoples misconceptions of "filler" very well explained.
Idk who edits your videos but the use of the guy writing fire is perfectly done
I watched the 3books in 4 days and I had a hard time identifying filler episodes, filler story lines in a episode, sure, but there was always some sort of important information for the main story or the side plots, or character growth and relationship growths! You can skip entire episodes of Naruto but skipping an episode of ATLA will leave a hole, no matter how small.
Even the two episodes on ember island have value, the conversation Azula Zuko mei and Ty lee have around the fire, or aaang and katara on the balcony during intermission, that stuff is important some what important to various ongoing plot points
One good call about the movie that shan't be named was changing the scope to 3 years. In meta, it is a good call, because the actors are aging and while in animation it can be masked somewhat, in live action it is much more visible at the age the characters are, but I think the story could also benefit from it. It can still be made to feel urgent if Aang has 3 years to learn what others needed 15-20 years for, but it can also make the pacing feel more natural if instead of doing things in one day (Sokka's Master, Guru, etc) it would take a week for example. In a perfect world it might also mean that travel times can be more consistent
I’m excited to watch this because I love Season 1 “filler episodes”!❤
Essentially everything you said is why I dont like modern shows. Snap, edit, cut, snap, cut, action...bleh. slow...it...down...let...things...rest.
I like and prefer slower, thoughtful shows. Not breaking my neck.
And that meme about the friend not liking the talking, yeah, i know way too many of them. Its crazy to me that people want to *only* sit down to watch some action like thing with barely any depth.
I cannot binge watch. Its a waste of a show, you cant contemplate things inbetween episodes and it gives you something to look forward too. Thats why i liked how the last of us was done. (Though i agree more filler wouldve been better)
Even comercials i now see as "good" not advertisments like with youtube, commercials. This gave a break to talk about the story inbetween. Though i dont want that to return. I am just saying it allowed room the breath.
Kiyoshi Island is a repeat location. The only one I can think of that didn't change in between the two times we saw it.
In my own writings, I'm finding myself wrestling with these pacing concepts of wanting to add more character moments VS spectacle. Sometimes I want to see how my MC played with his friends as a kid. Sometimes I want my cast of characters sitting around the dinner table bantering back and forth. Sometimes I want to explore what a typical work day looks like in this world I'm creating. Sometimes I want characters to have formal debates about their individual worldviews, or a character asking his friends for advice on pursuing a girl. How can we show the connection a character has with his sword, or his gun, or his guitar, or his car?
These things make our characters feel alive like actual people. It is a tricky balance, however, as you risk boring your audience. But how do you find that balance? If you write a slow-paced story to make room for deep character and world-building, is it bad if you audience has too short of an attention span because of how society has conditioned them?
I personally think it's a testament to how good the show is that my very first episode was The Great Divide. Even in just that episode, I was clearly informed on the main characters, their relationships, the main plot of the fire nation being an imperial war machine, aang's responsibility as the avatar, what the avatar is, the magic system of bending and how it works, the effects of the war on peoples and their homes, the worldbuilding, the strange hybrid animals, and so much more. I was invested from that moment on, and only to find that the rest of the show was even more amazing and entertaining than I could have anticipated. I was introduced with the worst episode in the series and I still loved it enough to indulge the whole show. That is a level of quality that's a once in a generation occurrence.
This video is amazing and perfectly explains one of the main reasons why Avatar is one of the best shows ever made.
Excellent informative video 🤯
Wait, there was filler in the original Avatar? I never noticed and i watched the show front to back multiple times 😭
Literally
A lot of these episodes I wouldn’t even consider filler, since they have small things that contribute to canon. If you only consider major plot episodes to be non-filler, then 95% of all anime is filler.
There isn't some people are just crazy
The entire series is literally filler , we hardly need 5 episodes to fill the story !
@@VibhorSen1993 if you want a synopsis go to spark notes
Great video!!
I'm a raging Inuyasha fan for 20 years, I LOVE 'Filler' there's only a couple episodes I ever skip outta that hundred-ish. I love the world building and character moments specifically. I love an immersive world, and most of the 'monsters of the week' in Inuyasha specifically have tons of direct real world cpunterparts in folklore and mythology that Rumiko Takahashi lovingly put her own spin on.
My Adventures with Superman could have been twice as long, 10 episodes was criminal. I could have watched this Lois, Clark and Jimmy forever. Supes is a character with almost a hundred years of material to draw from and I only get 10 EPS of shojou Superman??? I don't like how movies are getting unbearably long but TV shows are shorter with less fun details to feed the fandoms.
Atla has zero filler, it all serves the characters and world building. The great divide wasn't that bad, people are crybabies. I've seen 'filler skip' guides that pass over huge reveals in Trigun '98. I love filler and bottle episodes for slowing down and soaking in the vibes and I've been saddened by the hostility towards plots that aren't 'fast enough' or direct or whatever.
Absolute W take and very well presented! I'm subscribing :D
thankyou, this video is the reason I can go back and finish watching the live action version Netflix Avatar. :) The original 3 books of Avatar the Last Airbender have been my favorite show since their premiere on Nickelodeon. but ptsd has been keeping me from being able to finish the netflx version... this just gave me a whole new perspective on the episodes like the great divide, the fortune teller, and even episodes that I hadn't considered as filler.... and for some reason Appas lost days and the tales of Ba Sing Se I had never considered until now I guess? lol but now I also know that being filler isn't bad (as long as Netflix doesn't cut them) wow we put a lot of weight on writers..... anyways.... I'm rambling again as I try to say thank-you for making it easier for a shut-it like me to want to watch his favorite show again.
Another very good example of good "filler" is Zelda's Majora's Mask. Dealing with the impending fall of the moon might BE your goal but the characters in the side quests is what MOTIVATES you to do so.
I love how the term "filler" has been misunderstood and developed its own meaning which people kinda just.. assumed to be the correct one.
And what's funny is that without these "filler" episodes, people who don't like filler will still gripe about how we didn't get enough development for all kinds of things. Remove the episodes where we see that that aren't fully and entirely necessary to progress the plot, and you lose a lot of world development. After all, ATLA is a story about a kid who has WAY too much responsibility dropped in his lap and everyone expects him to just _deal_ because the world is in trouble if he doesn't. A kid like Aang cannot and _would not_ believably just charge straight toward the objective at all times and never stop for a break in a city on the way. Hell, one episode even blatantly states this. Remember how Zuko says "He's clearly a master of evasive maneuvers" but it was literally just Aang bouncing between fun sightseeing locations? That gives continuous and clever context into _why_ the filler episodes are not only necessary, but integral to the character of our main character.
Iroh clearly says he doesn't think he could defeat Ozai, no one has seen Iroh bend as much as Iroh has, I trust Iroh. He is pretty smart as well, so if he says he can't then he can't.
Yes perfect pronunciation 🎉thank you!! Wonderful video
As someone who's just started this show and love it, I have no problem with "filler". My favourite show is Doctor Who, and like Avatar the "filler" episodes are the connecting tissue to make the arcs feel whole. Even if the finales sometimes are a let down, it's episodes like Blink, Midnight, Vincent and the Doctor, The Doctor's Wife and Demons of the Punjab that provide wider context for the world or how the characters feel or exist in the world and are rewarding to sit through. Journey, not the destination. Avatar is structured the same way, which is part of the reason I'm enjoying it so much. Every "sidequest" is just a way to further expand the characters.
Pacing is incredibly important. Live action One Piece cut a considerable amount of content, but the show itself still flows well at its own pacing, selling us on the most important thing on the Straw Hat crew: they vibe. They haven't known each other long, but they're already friends.
opla is not that good of example bc one piece being long is very important to the development of its characters. They made very weird changes to the story and cut out important story elements.
I gave up on one piece when they started having 5 minutes long recaps and the slowest pacing ever and I got annoyed and bored and never understood why they would do that so thanks for explaining 🙏
The creators were really testing bingers’ emotional capacity when they put tales of ba sing se and appa’s lost days next to each other.
I remember being sooo excited about Sailor Moon Crystal, until I watched s1 and realized that without filler, I just didn't have enough time to connect to the characters. Maybe it's just nostalgia, of course.
Not saying that adaptation didn't have other flaws, just that this particular aspect was the most striking for me.
Appreciate you bringing up the hbo shows too. It has been very annoying to rely on 10 very tight episodes even when they’re done well. I still want more and have to rely on watching other people react to keep getting that more through conversations
I get so tired with the misuse of the term "filler". It is NOT when a work focuses on something other than it's plot. It is literally original content made for an adaptation. The point is to fill in space so the adaptation doesn't catch up to the original source material. It is, as far as I am aware, a strictly anime phenomenon, and even then an old phenomenon too, that affects anime adaptations of still ongoing manga. Like Dragonball, Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece.
Just because a show puts it's plot on the backburner and forces it's characters to walk a canyon, DOESN'T MAKE IT FILLER.
it's not at all an anime phenomenon and has been used in tv for ages. by definition, it is content that does not develop the plot or the characters. the definition in the video and the one you gave i guess is correct when applied to anime specifically, but how does this have anything to do with ATLA? it is not an anime and is not based on a manga. so the traditional definition is more applicable. in which case, ATLA doesn't have filler. all it's episodes develop either character or plot in some way, EVEN the great divide.
Filler exists outside of anime. You don't need an adaptation to have filler, you just need an episode that doesn't contribute to the main plot.
It also applies to non-adaptation media when referring the episodes only made to fill an episode quota, or in a reaction to budget cuts the budget is put mostly into the most plot-relevant episodes while the other episodes are given simple plots where animation can be low-effort or straight up re-used (like all the “remember when…” episodes, or shows like Pokemon where most of the battle shots can be reused if you’re using the same Pokemon from another episode)
@@oliveragag8576an episode isn’t filler just for not directly advancing the plot as long as it’s a story that fits well into the world and is a story the writers actually wanted to tell. Filler is extra episodes to fill an episode quota for a season or to wait until you’re catching up with the manga, or in Pokémon’s case extra episodes until the next game comes out if that region’s arc already ended (like with the decolore islands keeping the black & white anime running until the XY games actually came out)
Here's the thing. I love the Avatar and One piece series, but I HATE, ther live action versions of them for many reasons. One piece's main reason is that I can't see the characters speaking any other voice or english than the original Japanese. But the other thing is what ATLA and One Piece has in common with the live actions: they are so bland.
A great filler episode to me is when you learn more about the characters in their average day-to-day life and get more breathingroom to understand them deeper. Those "fillers" are what makes you getting hooked deeper into a new world you haven't seen before and therefor expanding the interest in details.
Plus, as someone who has the diagnose of GAD, fillers is like the bandaid for my heart and brain where alot of action has made me emotionally tired and stressed, so when the filler comes, it gives me some room to breath which I love.
However, a bad filler, is when the episode doesn't add anything to the story. If the episode is nothing more than a fishingtrip without us learning anything new about the characters or the world they live in. Than it's more of a time-killing episode.
And that's why I hate the live action era we are in right now. Where they take an old story, change it a bit, and remake it into live action. Not only does that mess with my nostalgia, but it also gives me the impression that movie ideas has become so washed up, that they can't think of new stories anymore and therefor dust off some old material that they put on an operating table for a face-replacement. This gives me no saticfaction in watching it, because, why should I watch something, that I've already seen and loved, in a new remake? I rather rewatch the original serie in that case, than to watch a live action bullshit of it.
And that's also something that makes me hate the remakes and series that are made today. Because of the research within fillers and seconds, they choose to make important emotional scenes shorter, so that the action can continue faster and keep the audiance in it. But for someone with G.A.D, I can't have it. For me to love something, I have to be able to feel what the characters feel, but if they brush those details away, it just looks like a dead football field to me.
This was a great video
think of filler like bread, if you’re about to have dinner, you probably shouldn’t have bread, but if you’re just wanting a snack, bread is a great option to get you through until dinner !
It also works if you think of it like a burger with "filler" being the buns. Just eating the buns is bland and boring because there's no meat it's not even a burger. Just eating the meat is better than just bun, but there's something missing that really makes it great. Also debatable on if it's a buger.
But bun and meat are what truly make a burger. Sure, there's seasoning and topping that can make it slightly better or worse, but without both you only get a part of the true burger experience. (Also, sometimes the meat is rotting, and no amount of seasoning or buns can save it.)
I didn't really watch the original Cartoon nor have I watched the Live-Action adaptation (or have any intention to) but my point is rather general in nature anyway, so here goes...
Some "filler" or slower-paced scenes in general are often integral to character development, and adding depth to characters, which, in turn, leads to viewers getting invested in the characters. Thus, when those scenes are cut out, it leads to less investment into characters and thus viewers being less incentivised to keep watching. So, the overall runtime is cut even further to retain those who are watching. I think that's kinda a vicious cycle which then leads to some of the problems discussed within the video.
I give out my attention to those that are able to interest me, and I stick with it when they're willing to dedicate and put faith in their time. Seeing shows and videos and other media try and rush because they have no confidence in their own story to take their time sucks. I want to get invested and spend my time with it, I want to enjoy and get the chance to savor good media. Imo, the shift in attention shouldn't drive people to make things shorter, it should drive their quality up to be sure that their quality will hold your interest. Shorts is sickening to me and my attention span is miserable, but I love watching long form content or indulging in the most slow burn of stories. This overly rushed and high energy content with no room to breathe is boring. Those times in stories when we get a chance to breathe, or just observe little moments, its what truly builds characters. I'm tired of copy pasted big action movies with blank characters and mid jokes. I guess to an extent this is a preferential thing, but I think everyone can agree that more studios should aim for a higher quality and variety.
If you really wanna talk about bad filler until the end of time. Try Naruto, you’ll have content until you die……..
Still mad we didn't get a two parter in the live action for the great divide
11:19 I feel like it's not fair to bring that up without acknowledging the longer episode runtime. The first season of The Avatar cartoon is actually about the same run time as the Netflix adaptation.
That's not a good thing for the Netflix version. It means they showed significantly less content while still taking about the same amount of time.
Yay another upload
It’s funny I was just thinking about how much of avatar was “side plot” when I was telling someone that if not for Katara they never would’ve made it to the North Pole. That’s why she was so bossy 😂
I always hear people complain about filler in American serialized animation like steven universe & amphibia and i never had a problem with it but other people really hated it
The main way I define filler anything that doesn't progress the plot, characters, or world. If it doesn't do any of those things then all it does is pad out the runtime. But a lot of people seem to forget nowadays the stories aren't all about the plot, and the characters and world need to be fleshed out as well. And a scene that does that without progressing the plot isn't necessarily worthless.
Most filler is boring, lazy, and rushed like the great divide, but some filler has amazing stories with great character development like tales of ba sing se
I watched Bleach and Naruto without skipping one single filler.
what ship was it about at 0:28 ?
Where are you from? Curiousity as i am learning accents
Couldn't agree more!
I can’t wait to have a kid and watch avatar with him some day
The problem with filler in anime is that it takes up animation budget that could make the show better.
Momo's story is the saddest one to me 😭😭
It's filler if it doesn't build the world, characters or progresses the plot, if it doesn't do that then it doesn't work
I feel like painted lady gets bad rep. The episode expresses how war and capitalism affects everyday people. The factory polluting the lake leading starving and sick villagers were relatable as it's been happening for a while now in delta, nigeria with oil companies. It may have seemed silly but that is the reality for all of people today.
We visit some 5 different fire nation villages and the painted lady one is the ONLY one being negatively effected
It just doesn’t line up with the rest of the universe, the characters and jokes are bland, Sokka is a massive dick in that episode for no reason, Aang is an idiot, it has the single worst boss fight and the most egregiously poor use of slow motion
a story without filler is a summary.
I have watched pretty much everything since I was a child. Japanese, Chinese tv shows episodes are extended by 100++% and American TV shows prior to 2007 had character progression and worldbuilding, and that *Ommph*, charisma, soul, bonding along side the viewers. British TV shows had different formats, and some of their A+ top tier Series have 8 EPs per season, with only three to four seasons. Their writing has had that Ommph of charisma, soul, passion, and an excellent group of script writers. Indian TV shows rely on singing, dancing, acting and they don't take themselves too seriously and have little filler. Yes, they recap events but it's done in a unique way in case you missed the prior two episodes. Filler done correctly, and with the right screenwriters can help advance the show, in some circumstances make fun of itself while telling a compelling story. Please let me know if you agree or disagree. ✍️ 🎬 🎬 🎥
We need a new word for “filler” that isn’t bad. I don’t think of Avatar as having any filler, but there are several episodes that primarily serve the purpose of world building or character development rather than the plot of an arc or a season. It applies to the overarching themes and plot of the entire show, even if it doesn’t apply to the plot of “make it to the North Pole” or “learn earth /water/fire bending”. Naruto having 200 straight episodes of nothing is a lot different than having an offshoot adventure while you travel from the South Pole to the North Pole.
There are no fillers in ATLA, only character/plot devlopment episodes.
Hot Take: I’ve been saying this for 10 years now. One of the main reasons Korra got criticized for being incompetent is because of the shorter seasons. Because Korra is only ever fighting the main villain, she is always on the back foot until she can pull a clutch victory in the final episode.
Aang doesn’t have Azula breathing down his neck every week, which makes him feel more powerful when he’s really not. It’s just that most of our memories are of Aang in low stakes battles & against rank-and-file bad guys. Korra has no BS one off adventures where she fights minor villains. She doesn’t even have time for a “you stole Appa” kind of diversion. All Korra episodes must meaningfully progress the main plot & even if the mainly exist for characters development they cannot entirely exist for character development
When people complain about filler, I always point to season 7 & 8 of Game of Thrones, where they cut all the 'filler'.
How did that work out... 🤣
I think GoT cut a bit more than just filler 💀💀💀
Surely Winds will be out soon 😭
@@Koroto That's true! They actually cut plotlines and characters left and right after season 4, and the show had clearly more issues.
But season 7 & 8 were basically a highlight reel with all setup, character development, world building, people travelling, etc... cut, which made it even worse.
The reason why I take Game of Thrones as an example is because you have the direct comparison to the previous seasons that had more episodes.
With Hazbin Hotel the #1 complaint was that it was “The plot is rushed” “not enough character development”! Some fail to understand that when Amazon Video gave them 8 episodes the team had to do what they could to still roll out the story! They masterfully integrated songs that easily explain a lot of things within the plot. I was genuinely impressed by what they were able to do with that limited amount of episodes! ❤
I love Avatar and this video was absolutely excellent. The commentary was entertaining and thought provoking! ✨
I mean I completely recognize that it's due to the short episode count but that doesn't really negate the problem. It still was disappointing that we got like practically no time in Hazbin Hotel to actually attach ourselves and develop the characters naturally without having some main plot development pushed in. I really think they should have gone a different direction with the first season to make it more "slice of life"-y at the hotel and the plot they used in s1 should have been more along the lines of s2.
30:52 what's it called? I can't tell from your pronunciation how to search for it...
Frieren Beyond Journey's End
@@Koroto thank you! I will look into it.
Well toph invents metalbending in the guru , it was key to sabotage the fire nation crew in the last episode , so yeah weird filler !
This is why I didn't understand all the criticisms that The Mandalorian had too much filler. The pacing is good and allows us to have time with the characters. It's already relatively short, why get rid of the fun episodes just to get through it quicker?
Also for Aang Omashu is nearly as important as the Air Temple, because Boomie is a link to Aangs past who underwent significant change but in contrast to the Air Nomads also kept something from the past. It is a signal to Aang that not everything is dead.
And I have to Admit that the the way the threw multiple episodes into a blender made me stop watching the series, after they threw the opportunity of Kyoshi-Sokka out of the window.
I feel like not mentioning The Great Divide is disingenuous. I agree with all your points, and generally I don't think filler episodes are inherently bad, I also can't say I've heard of episodes like Tales of Ba Sing Se being considered filler...Adding characterization to the cast or world building that expands the world meaningfully. In my opinion The Great Divide doesn't do either of these things, and judging by The Ember Island players, the creators agree that at the very least there is merit to the argument of skipping The Great Divide. The people who argue that Aang lying is the issue are kidding themselves, but the episode itself is filler. It isn't inaccurate or out of character, it's just filler.
And also, is that the end of the world? Does something always need to happen in every episode? Like you said, this attention economy push for SOMETHING™to be happening at all times really hampers a story like this by not allowing it the space to breathe.
I feel like I'm one of the rare anime/avatar fans who actually thinks that well done filler episodes are essential to their series. For example, most Naruto fans complain about the many filler episodes, but without the filler episodes we would have very little idea of what Konoha is like on a normal day, what regular missions look like, what the character's lives and families are like. Some of my favorite arcs are actually the filler arcs. Good filler is universe building and character building. While bad filler is just there to be there.
Was *literally* just thinking about this. Avatars filler is good because it still progresses the charcters and world.
Ok fine, ill start another watchthrough
I don't understand why so many people have short attention spans these days, and why everything caters to them. I prefer stuff that has room to breathe, but also stuff that makes you think and figure stuff out for yourself.
Coincidentally, I hate Tiktok, and shorts, and those CZcams that are loud, flashy, fast, and in your face.
And I very rarely drop a show, or stop watching a video. Having scenes without any talking at all is okay too. Just let us feel things. We don't need everything to be crazy hyper action scenes with flashing lights and explosions everywhere.
Certain people think Andor is the worst Star Wars show just because it doesn't have lightsaber fights and large-scale space battles. It has emotion, it has quiet, it has talking. It makes you think, and it lets you feel. It has the best writing AND the best acting of any Star Wars show OR movie. Yet some people just want non-stop fast-paced action. Why can't people these days enjoy something that challenges them to think for themselves, and feel things?
We need more Frieren content ❤
On the other hand you probably have lots on your plate already
I like the great divide episode tf
jjk should take notes
Avatar filler episodes are masterpieces of their kind
They are well thought-out, well written, they bring something to the story and characters and are deep or hilarious 👌
6:18 HA HAAHGAHGAHAHA that was really good.
Yeas another vid
Given the unique Asian (and other cultures)-inspired setting and elemental power system, filler isn't really as boring here as would be in a typical fantasy story.
The kinds of filler episodes that I can’t stand are in long lasting shows like naruto or one piece. Ive got over 1000 episodes to get to know the characters and their motivations and the story. The filler episodes become skippable and u don’t even miss out on anything important. Maybe an easter egg or 2 later down the line.
There were no fillers in atla.
There are only two episodes that can be taken out without conséquences on the characters: the great divide and the painted lady.
Both are never mentionned again, both we never meet again any of the other person met. Both have no new ability or recurring character growth.
The kiyoshi islands are a filler , the pirates , the firebending master , omashu , the avatar day , all these episodes are fillers , season one is full of fillers !
@@VibhorSen1993 season 1 ist basically completly filler you are right, but thats makes us get to know the charakters bevor the best parts
@@VibhorSen1993 those aren t fillers.
A filler by definition is something that can be taken out without conséquences on the main story.
@@VibhorSen1993 without kiyoshi island we never meet suki and azula never takes over ba sing se , and without firebending master aang never develops a fear of firebending etc