Watching the entire Bleach anime adaptation can be quite an overwhelming experience for new viewers. To make this easier, we have compiled a list of episodes that are not essential to the anime storyline. If 366 episodes sounds staggering, we recommend skipping the filler episodes.
Skipping the filler episodes allows you to save time, but you may miss out on some plot and character development. In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to watch Bleach without filler episodes or filler arcs.
Filler episodes are found in most anime series. They are basically episodes that do not contribute much to the main storyline and usually have some sub-par fighting scenes.
Producers add them to flesh out the setting or to help develop certain protagonists or side characters. For example, a secondary character might get a whole episode to explore their backstory.
Currently, there are 366 episodes of Bleach, with each episode listed at 24 minutes in length. That’s more than 146 hours of Bleach. However, 151 of these are considered filler episodes, which breaks down to a little more than 70 hours of your time.
You can skip the filler episodes of Bleach and still understand the overall plot and storyline, cutting down your watch time tremendously. Below are a list of the fillers:
Bleach Filler Episodes:
Episode 33
Episode 50
Episodes 64 – 108
Episodes 128 – 137
Episodes 147 – 149
Episodes 168 – 189
Episodes 204 – 205
Episodes 213 – 214
Episodes 227 – 265
Episode 287
Episodes 298 – 299
Episodes 303 – 305
Episodes 311 – 341
Episode 355
Some Bleach fans like to watch the complete Bleach story arc, although there are some arcs that are considered filler arcs as well:
The Bount arc (episodes 64 – 91)
Bount Assault on Soul Society arc (episodes 92 – 109)
The New Captain Shūsuke Amagai arc (episodes 168 – 189)
Zanpakutō Unknown Tales arc (episodes 230 – 265)
Gotei 13 Invading Army arc (episodes 317 – 342)
Bleach Canon Episodes
Canon episodes are essentially all that you need to understand the entire story of the anime series. Following these allows you to skip over the pointless filler content, so this list is perfect for viewers who are not interested in watching all 366 episodes but still want to understand the entire story.
However, opting to only watch the canon episodes means that you are likely missing out on character development and a deeper understanding of the plot.
There are 181 Bleach canon episodes, all of which amount to over 72 hours of essential storylines.
Usually, canon episodes align with the Manga version of the series.
Bleach canon episodes:
Episodes 1 – 32
Episodes 34 – 39
Episodes 51 – 63
Episodes 110 – 127
Episodes 138 – 167
Episodes 190 – 203
Episodes 206 – 212
Episodes 215 – 226
Episodes 267 – 286
Episodes 288 – 297
Episodes 300 – 302
Episodes 306 – 310
Episodes 342 – 354
Episodes 356 – 366
Bleach Canon-Filler Episodes
Canon-filler episodes (or partial filler episodes) are a mix of both canon and filler episodes. In these episodes, there might be some elements that contribute to the storyline, while other elements could be completely irrelevant.
There are 34 Bleach canon-filler episodes, which comes out to about 13 hours of watch time. We recommend watching the canon-filler episodes along with the canon episodes.
Most anime fanatics recommend watching the canon-filler episodes, especially for the Bleach anime series, as they elaborate on the plot and provide a lot of the puzzle pieces you might not get when just watching the canon episodes.
Bleach Canon-Filler Episodes
Episode 27
Episode 32
Episode 46
Episode 109
Episode 111
Episode 116
Episode 119
Episode 141
Episode 143
Episode 146
Episode 156
Episode 160 – 161
Episode 190
Episode 193
Episode 206 – 207
Episode 209
Episode 222 – 223
Episode 267 – 268
Episode 274
Episode 276
Episode 285
Episode 288
Episode 290 – 291
Episode 295
Episode 310
Episode 342 – 343
Episode 345
Episode 351
More About Bleach
Bleach is an anime series based on the original Bleach manga series that was written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The anime adaptation of Bleach was produced by Studio Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe.
The story follows a 15-year-old boy, Ichigo Kurosaki, as he is pushed into the role of a substitute Soul Reaper, a guardian of the souls trying to pass from one body or plane to the next.
The story follows Ichigo as he and his friends have to fight other Soul Reapers to protect Soul Society, where souls wait to be reincarnated, and guide departed souls into the afterlife.
You can stream the entire Bleach anime series on Crunchyroll.
Bleach Movies
There are currently 5 movies based on the Bleach series, although they are not canon to the series, meaning they do not add to the main story.
It’s not necessary to watch these movies, as they mostly retell parts of the story in the series. However, they do contain spoilers for the series.
These movies are:
Bleach: Memories of Nobody (2006)
Bleach: The Diamond Dust Rebellion (2007)
Bleach: Fade to Black (2008)
Bleach: The Hell Verse (2010)
Bleach (live-action) (2018)
What’s Next for the Bleach Anime Series?
The Bleach anime series aired from 2004 to 2012 on TV Tokyo in Japan and from 2006 to 2014 on Adult Swim in the United States. Eight years later, Bleach fans finally received the news they were all waiting for: a new season!
The original manga Bleach series has one last arc that has not been adapted into the anime series yet. In 2021, it was announced that the final arc will be broadcast in the fall of 2022.
The final Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War arc will likely stretch over a few seasons, as this arc has hundreds of chapters in the original manga series.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to watch Bleach without fillers, which should still allow you to understand the entire story. Some viewers love the Bleach filler episodes and others prefer not to watch them, so it’s completely up to you!
