Filler episode: Difference between revisions

''[[EP008|The Path to the Pokémon League]]'' is the first filler episode in the anime. The [[Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands]] season in general is a filler arc, mainly used to delay the beginning of the Johto saga until {{game|Gold and Silver|s}} had been released. Despite this, {{Ash}} and {{an|Misty}} both obtain Pokémon they continue to use, though Ash's team is back to what it was at the end of Kanto when he travels to Johto.  

Infamously, the [[Pokémon: The Johto Journeys|third]], [[Pokémon: Johto League Champions|fourth]], and [[Pokémon: Master Quest|fifth]] seasons set in the [[Johto]] region are comprised of seemingly endless amounts of filler episodes with formulaic plots based on previous episodes.  The arcs also served as a way to buy time for the releases of {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s}} and were possibly used after the [[GS Ball]], which was planned to consume a large portion of Johto's story, became a {{wp|MacGuffin|useless plot device}}.  

When the {{series|Advanced Generation}} started, filler episodes were reduced due to the introduction of [[Pokémon Contests]]. As with the Kanto saga, however, Hoenn was followed by a filler arc, ''[[Pokémon: Battle Frontier]]'', which built up for the arc corresponding to {{game|Diamond and Pearl|s}}.

The {{series|Diamond & Pearl}} was often criticized for being similar to the Johto arc, due to many filler episodes taking place, with a year long gap between Ash's [[DP127|seventh]] and [[DP179|eighth]] Gym battles. However, it is often alternatively seen that due to the vast supporting cast featured in Sinnoh, and the focus on character development in humans and Pokémon, the episodes which are deemed "filler" are not exactly so. However, there are still many episodes that follow similar plots as previous episodes, which have been criticized by some.

The {{series|Best Wishes}} doesn't have nearly as many filler episodes as previous series, mainly because of the speed of the series, and by focusing on character development a lot like in the Diamond & Pearl series.