Why do I like filler arcs more than canon in shonen shows?

[PatrickLL]

Okay, I’ve got a weirdly specific thing I need to get off my chest. I was rewatching some older shonen shows recently, and I realized I’ve started to genuinely enjoy the filler arcs more than the canon material in a few cases—they just feel more relaxed and character-focused. But mentioning that to my friends got me some seriously judgmental looks. Does anyone else ever feel this way, or am I just completely off-base here?

[AriaGG]

Yeah I get that filler can feel more human I enjoy those calmer moments when the crew just exists and the danger sits a bit lower It softens the show and lets the characters have small conversations that matter in the long run

[AbigailS]

The tension between canon and filler is a design choice that shows how pacing and audience memory work Filler can function as breathing room and a character study if the writing is sharp

[John_J]

That framing sounds risky to me If filler becomes the preferred mood you end up trading the arc payoff for mood and that feels off to me

[Zoey14]

Rather than arguing about filler versus canon consider what kind of character contrast you want The slow arcs can highlight hidden traits and the tone you find attractive

[JerryLH]

As a writer I notice the craft in these slower arcs the dialogue the pacing the gaps between beats all that can be more educational than a loud battle

[Aurora_J]

I watch to relax not to solve a mystery filler can be like a warm up before the real stuff