An unfortunate and dreaded consequence of the weekly anime format is the filler episode. When anime series were expected to produce an episode every week, it was always sooner rather than later that they would catch up to the source material - be it the manga or the light novel. Thus, manypopular anime serieswould turn to producing filler episodes with no real story progression to keep the show running.

As anime switched to a seasonal format, the filler episode became a thing of the past. While many classic anime suffer from pacing problems due to filler episodes, proving daunting to watch for new viewers, we thought we’d recommend eight anime series that have no filler.

Alphonse and Edward Elric standing together while looking forward in the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood anime.

8Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Bones

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was the second crack at adapting the manga. The original 2003 show veered in a very different direction from the manga once it had run out of material to adapt. Brotherhood, however, was working with source material that was already complete.

This is one of the greatest anime series of the 2000s, and as near-perfect as a long-form series can get. Spanning over 60 episodes, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is consistently engaging with not one frame of animation gone to waste,making it one of Bones' best.

Light Yagami holds the Death Note in Death Note.

7Death Note

Madhouse

If you know anime, you know Death Note. This thrilling crime story served as the gateway to the medium for a whole generation of anime fans. It tells the story of a precocious high school student who finds a notebook with supernatural powers.

Death Note is not especially long, spanning 37 episodes. It is, however, compelling for every second of its runtime. The series kept us watching with bated breath as its twocentral characters, Light (also known as Kira) and L, engaged in a war of wits to outsmart each other.

Lelouch stands with his mask in Code Geass.

6Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion

Sunrise

Code Geass is a dream project realized. It was produced by Sunrise, directed by Goro Taniguchi, and had character designs by Clamp, and tells the story of a world annexed by three superpowers.

This two-season series is a world-class mix ofmechs and politics. Many themes are explored thoroughly, but not a single one feels unnecessary. Code Geass is a triumph of both visual art and literary storytelling, while also managing to do gratis product placement for Pizza Hut. Even a dystopian future needs its fast food.

Izuku Midoriya with green electric arcs around him in My Hero Academia.

5My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia spiritually succeeds - and arguably supersedes - Dragon Ball and Naruto in being ashounen series whose protagonist is a superhero in the metaphorical as well as the literal sense. Had it been produced earlier, it would have been fraught with filler, just like the shows it drew inspiration from.

Luckily, by the 2010s, anime series were moving to a season-based format. This means that despite its long-running storyline, My Hero Academia has no filler episodes and is a faithful retelling of the manga. Its iconic battles are not unnecessarily protracted, and non-essential plotlines are confined to the OVAs.

Kayo laying her head on Satoru’s shoulder in Erased.

4Erased

A-1 Pictures

If we talk about anime series you may watch in one day, we’re talking about Erased. This thrilling, mind-bending, and heartrending show has 13 episodes of breathless mystery and shocking resolution. It tells the story of a young man whose consciousness can revisit the past to right some wrongs.

Erased was produced in 2016, and immediately captured the hearts of many with its mature plot and poignant resolution. There isn’t a dull moment in this anime, and its short-form nature does it many favours.

Mayuri with a kindly expression on her face in Steins Gate.

3Steins Gate

White Fox

The first few episodes of Steins Gate feel like a completely different show from what it later becomes. This is not filler: it is foreshadowing. By giving us hilarious shenanigans and endearing characters, Steins Gate set itself up to shock us and make its following episodes unskippable.

The final episodes bring the seemingly meandering plot of the first few to a beautiful conclusion. That isn’t to say there’s a moment wasted in Steins Gate: it’s so fun to watch, in any of its moods, that you won’t find any episode forgettable.

Erwin Smith leading a cavalry charge in Attack On Titan.

2Attack On Titan

Wit Studio, MAPPA

Attack on Titan did something that few series of its stature would have dared to: it stopped. Rather than throw filler episodes at fans who were enamoured by its ghastly storyline, Wit Studio chose to wait out the long years until the manga was receiving enough chapters to justify another season. After a grueling four-year wait, a second season was produced.

This became something of a trend with the series, as it would continuously demand patience from its fans while Wit Studio and MAPPA worked on its stellar animation. Now, with the story complete, you’re able to watch the entire show without feeling like a single episode is pointless.

Simon and Kamina from Gurren Lagann look at each other fondly.

1Gurren Lagann

Gainax

Gurren Lagann is one of the greatest sci-fi animes ever produced. It gave us not one, but two sets of brilliant protagonists. It was a gateway anime in its time, and remains highly respected for its gorgeous animation and excellent story. The scale of battles in Gurren Lagann verges on the impossible: the mechs here grow to half the size of the universe.

Gurren Lagann’s mix of tragedy and comedy makes it a triumph of pacing. The show makes you laugh one moment and cry the next, often within the same episode. If you’ve never watched Gurren Lagann before, we envy you, because you can watch it for the first time now.