Discourse surrounding popular shonen anime often loops back to which episodes can be considered "filler." By definition, filler arcs assume secondary importance to episodes that are considered canon, as they don't necessarily enrich our view of the fictional world at large. However, this is not always true. I previously explored the significance of fillers in a shonen series like "Naruto," where even the most skippable episodes help flesh out character motivations. This logic makes sense for the world of "Naruto," as these filler arcs act as a break from the bleak, traumatic toils of the shinobi world, highlighting nuances that are often overlooked in canon arcs.

But when the same logic is applied to Tite Kubo's "Bleach," our perception of what "filler" means changes drastically. The filler/non-canon episodes in "Bleach" can feel empty and bloated for the most part, actively hampering the arcs that do excel in etching...