10 Years Later, Dragon Ball Super Still Has the Greatest Filler Episode in Anime History, and It’s Not Close

Though filler has always been a point of contention among anime fans, Dragon Ball has never had a problem making the most of its anime-original sections. Beginning in 1986’s Dragon Ball, Goku and company have embarked on countless action-packed, whimsical adventures unique to the anime’s version of events, many of which consistently rank among the most popular filler episodes ever.

If 10 different fans were asked for their favorite filler episodes, they might give 10 different answers. Goku and Piccolo taking the driving test is a certified classic moment in the series, while the episodes spent reflecting on Gohan’s early life during the lead-up to the Cell Games strengthen the effect of the arc’s later events.

However, what is arguably Dragon Ball‘s greatest filler episode actually belongs to Dragon Ball Super. Though the franchise’s wide and ever-growing fan base has always been somewhat divided in their feelings towards the 2015 anime, the series got a lot right, including its own take on the classic baseball episode.

Dragon Ball Did a Classic Anime Trope Better than Any Other Show

Dragon Ball Super’s Baseball Episode Is One of Anime’s Best-Ever Filler Episodes

In the 1980s and ’90s, the baseball episode trope began to take form on TV, especially in Western and Japanese animation. In long-running series not typically focused on sports, a seemingly random episode following main cast members playing baseball would air, allowing viewers a glimpse into the characters’ lives away from the central plot of the show.

That trope has survived in anime, with countless titles spending time on the baseball diamond. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s baseball episode is a recent example of one with which fans fell in love. Though it can be argued that Dragon Ball Super‘s 70th episode, “A Challenge from Champa! This Time, a Baseball Game!”, did the trope best.

It wasn’t the first time Dragon Ball tackled baseball, as Gohan showed off his skills early on in the Majin Buu Saga. However, despite the 40-plus years of entries into the Dragon Ball franchise, it was the first time the series’ extended cast took on America’s pastime. And it all went about as poorly as one might expect.

What makes Dragon Ball Super‘s baseball episode so entertaining is the absurdity of it. These characters are capable of moving at near-teleporation speeds, flying, and destroying entire solar systems. While Goku doesn’t know how to properly hold a baseball bat, a callback to how Gohan held the bat during Dragon Ball Z, he would eviscerate the ball the moment he made contact with it.

The characters fans know and love have become so powerful that their attempts at playing a normal, everyday game make for pure comedic chaos. It’s a rare moment in which viewers are given a look at the not-so-pretty side effects of godly strength. The episode also does well by Yamcha, having him slide safely home to win the game while in his iconic death pose.

Dragon Ball Has Always Done Filler Right

To many, filler episodes are something to be dismissed, serving very little purpose aside from breaking up any sort of pacing and dragging a show on. Though others appreciate the extra time spent with characters whose personality might not get to shine all that bright during a series’ main storyline.

Dragon Ball fans often fall into the latter category, largely because the franchise has always done filler well. While not every one of the roughly 75 episodes spent on filler throughout the three canon anime series are a hit, the majority are highly entertaining, giving fans something worthy of their time.

Dragon Ball Super, itself, can be hit-or-miss. But when the show was at its best, it had no problem capturing what made the franchise so great, including the whimsy found in its many filler sections. The 2015 anime will be revisited in what appears to be a string of half-remake, half-remaster miniseries beginning in 2026, and, unfortunately, it’s unlikely any filler will be included.