Filler

Filler material is any and all scenes or episodes that appeared in the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z anime that are not present in the original Dragon Ball manga. In general, filler provides for new stories without seriously upsetting the status quo. Sometimes evidence or flashbacks are added into scenes that were shown in the manga as well (such as when Piccolo refers to the Garlic Jr. Saga just before Gotenks' fight with Super Buu at The Lookout). Filler is found often in Dragon Ball Z, as a means of not getting ahead of the manga, as they were both originally produced in parallel with one another. For example, the Garlic Jr. Saga was likely added to the anime due to the Trunks Saga not having been fully released in manga at the end of the Frieza Saga anime. Filler does not necessarily come in the form of entire original arcs, but sometimes it pads out and extends manga material mid-story - the most serious side-effect of this is that sometimes fights themselves are lengthened, which can give the viewer a false impression about the relationship in power between the combatants - where the clear winner in the manga always emerges quickly, the anime fights sometimes instead give the impression that the fighters are more closely matched: one example of this is the fight of Gohan against Super Buu (Gotenks absorbed), which appeared much more closely matched in the anime than in the manga. For this reason, filler is often discouraged among the fan community from being used as evidence when determining who was stronger than who.

Despite its name, filler is not necessarily designed as pure padding. Sometimes, the anime may make changes that do not seem to extend the story length, but rather, seem to be more creative changes to the story itself. One such addition is the character Gregory, who is not present in the manga but who has come to be well-liked by the fandom. Additionally, in the Tournament Saga, in the manga, Goku and Krillin meet Yamcha in the preliminaries, but in the anime, they meet when they are registering for the tournament. It appears that it would have taken the same number of frames to draw this plot point the way it was originally written; as such, giving it the term "filler" is dubious. Rather, it seems that the animation team simply decided to re-write that portion of the story.

Additionally, "filler" might be done simply to write away plotholes from the manga, rather than pad the episodes. One of the earliest examples of this also comes in the Tournament Saga. In the manga, Krillin draws #1 for the quarterfinals of the tournament, forcing him to face off against Bacterian, who drew #2. However, after that, Krillin and Bacterian were shown inexplicably switched around, with Krillin as #2 and Bacterian as #1. The anime changed this so that Krillin had always drawn #2, another change that did not extend the episode length at all.

List of filler material in Dragon Ball[]

Emperor Pilaf Saga[]

• Emperor Pilaf, Shu and Mai make several early appearances. Any appearance of Pilaf or his minions before the "The Dragon Balls are Stolen!" is filler.
  • In "The Secret of the Dragon Balls", Pilaf and his minions find the One-Star Dragon Ball in a dungeon.
  • In "The Emperor's Quest", Pilaf eats at a dinner table telling Shu he needs the other balls and Mai reports one might be in Skull Valley. Shu and Mai are seen later in Skull Valley where they find Goku who fights off a pack of Wolves and destroys their plane thinking it is a giant bird.
  • In "The Nimbus Cloud of Roshi", Pilaf has a daydream of ruling the world and gets a call from an unseen minion who tells that Master Roshi possess one of the Dragon Balls. Pilaf, Shu and Mai raid Kame House looking for the ball and even threaten a talking alligator to find his whereabouts. Roshi encounters them at the end of the episode telling them he already gave it away and pokes a hole in their ship causing it to sink to the bottom of the ocean.
  • In "Keep an Eye on the Dragon Balls", Mai and Shu hide outside the House-Wagon and try to plant a bomb on it but Shu accidentally gets it stuck to his hand. They come back the next morning and successfully plant it. After the House-Wagon was shot down from Yamcha, they think the bomb went off early and go inside where it blows up with them in it.
  • In "The Ox King on Fire Mountain", Mai and Shu walk back to Pilaf's Castle where Pilaf tortures them from electrocution because of their failure.
  • In "The Dragon Balls are Stolen!", Pilaf makes Mai fix his Dragon Radar quickly and threatens to feed her to the alligators. Mai keeps distracting him with questions to make him lose count to buy her time. A robotic bird comes through the window to inform Pilaf that the other Dragon Balls are on their way to the castle.
• In "The Secret of the Dragon Balls", Goku is chased by a Sabertooth Tiger which he leads off of a cliff.
• When meeting Bulma in "The Secret of the Dragon Balls", Goku lifts Bulma's skirt revealing her panties to see if she had a tail.
• In "The Emperor's Quest", Bulma watches a romance show on TV and Goku grabs the remote control and switches it to a Godzilla-esque monster movie, shocking Bulma.
• In "The Ox King on Fire Mountain", Goku battles the Ox-King before he saw the Flying Nimbus to find out he is associated with Master Roshi.
• In "The Penalty is Pinball", Pilaf accidentally leaves the trap door open after taking Goku's Dragon Ball where the Dragon Team tries to catch Pilaf and the others to get the balls back. Pilaf and his minions manage to get back to the control room where Pilaf uses a piano that controls a giant pinball that chases Goku and the others through his castle and back into the room they were trapped in.
• After Oolong wished for the panties in "A Wish to the Eternal Dragon", Goku manages to break the wall in the room they were trapped in with a Kamehameha and they try to escape. Goku is worn out and Yamcha is stuck fighting off Shu's Dog Police. Shu and Mai manage to capture everyone except Yamcha and hold them hostage to force Yamcha to surrender.
• After Pilaf and his minions escape the castle being destroyed by the Great Ape Goku in "The Legend of Goku", Pilaf forces Mai to turn the Jet around and use it to take down Goku. Pilaf knocks the Ape out with a missile and gets out of the jet to jump on his tail in anger but the monkey manages to wake up and Pilaf and his minions run back to the Jet. After the plane is destroyed Pilaf gives Shu and Mai two guns and tells them to go fight Bulma and the others off and runs away but Shu and Mai do not listen to him and run off as well.

Goku running from the Sabertooth Tiger A Sabertooth Tiger falling off a cliff while chasing Goku Goku lifts Bulma's skirt up to see if she has a tail. Original (left) Censored (Right) Pilaf finding a Dragon Ball in a dungeon Shu is tortured at Pilaf's Dinner Table Shu and Mai in Skull Valley Pilaf's phone rings The Sunbathing Alligator Pilaf threatening an alligator with a knife while asking for the whereabouts of Master Roshi Shu accidentally gets a bomb attached to his hand Mai and Shu being electrocuted for their failure Goku fighting the Ox King Pilaf making Mai fix the radar quickly by telling her she will be fed to his alligators if she does not. Pilaf's spy bird, Mecha 7 Goku, Yamcha, Bulma, Puar and Oolong running away from a giant pinball in Pilaf's castle Bulma, Goku, Oolong and Puar being captured by Shu and Mai Pilaf jumping on Great Ape Goku's tail after thinking he defeated him

Tournament Saga[]

• Bulma and Yamcha's plane crashing following them parting ways with Goku. This filler scene also features a scene of a then-unknown Krillin (shown in shadow) dashing towards Master Roshi's place.
• Launch's intro scene in the old west-style bar is filler in "Look Out for Launch".
• During their "running" training, Master Roshi orders Goku and Krillin to "zig zag" between trees. Krillin tries to cheat but is promptly caught by Roshi.
• The scene with Krillin and Goku swimming is much longer in the anime and is extended with them being chased by a dinosaur after getting out of the water. In the manga this is just a few panels worth of content and nothing more. This concept will be stretched out even further in the Tien Shinhan Saga, which stretches the tournament out over four whole days.
• Footage of Yamcha training for the tournament. This includes him thrashing an entire dojo's worth of karate students and training in the woods at night. He is away from town so long that he ends up growing facial hair in the process (which is promptly removed upon his return).
• In the manga, the entire tournament takes place in a single sitting. They all arrive, register, fight, and leave without any interruptions. However, in the anime, the tournament fighters arrive and register the night before the tournament begins. 
• The preliminaries are longer in the anime. For instance, there is a scene which implies Yamcha defeated one of the students from Orin Temple.
• In Monster Beast Giran, there is a rain delay before Goku fights Giran. This and the entire bar scene afterwards are filler.

Yamcha hanging onto a tree after their plane crashed Tori-Bot cameo on a wanted poster in the Brown Country bar Launch's Bounty Tall Man Tubs Launch walking into a bar in Brown Country Launch in the Brown Country Saloon Launch getting ready to shoot down a train Yamcha during his time training in the wild Bulma watching the elimination rounds through a hole created in the wall

Red Ribbon Army Saga[]

• The entire story with Goku helping Nam and his village get water from Giran's Village in "The Roaming Lake".
• The episodes "Pilaf and the Mystery Force", "Wedding Plans?", "The Flying Fortress – Vanished!" & "The Legend of a Dragon" are entirely filler.
• Emperor Pilaf and his new Flying Fortress searching for the Dragon Balls, and him buying a fake Dragon Ball from an Antique Shop Owner is filler.
• Colonel Silver and the Red Ribbon Army are shown early in the anime, searching the Dragon Balls and are shown attacking innocent villages to find their first Dragon Ball.
• Commander Red has a pet cat that sometimes uses to test the reflexes and speed of his soldiers.
• Chi-Chi and the Ox-King preparing a wedding which Shu pretends to be Goku to get the Dragon Ball.
• Most of the scenes of Suno being worried while waiting for Goku to return from Muscle Tower.
• Ninja Murasaki's backstory in "Ninja Murasaki is Coming!".
• Goku attempting to find his way through the Muscle Tower maze by himself at first, which Android 8 shows up later. Goku and Android 8 fighting Red Ribbon Army soldiers in "Mysterious Android No. 8" is also filler. In the manga, Android 8 accompanies Goku directly after he goes upstairs.

• The episode "The Secret of Dr. Flappe", is entirely filler. In this episode Goku, Suno, and Android 8 go to find Dr. Flappe, the creator of Android 8, to remove the bomb inside of him. Ninja Murasaki, who survived Muscle Tower's fall, follows them and tries to threaten Dr. Flappe. In the end, Goku throws Android 8's bomb behind him, hitting Murasaki, and exploding, possibly killing him. This episode was notable for causing a major plot hole since the Androids was confirmed to be created by Dr. Gero later on in the series during the Androids Saga.
• All of the story concerning Hasky in the episodes "Master Thief, Hasky" and "Danger in the Air". These episodes introduced a thief the Red Ribbon Army hired named Hasky, who was teamed up with two common street muggers (who actually appeared in the manga) to steal Goku's Dragon Balls.
• Goku and Bulma, going to Dream Land, with Oolong, Puar and Yamcha later joining them, in the episode Danger in the Air.

General Blue Saga[]

• The scene in "Kame House - Found!" where Goku is catching fish and finds Turtle's son. Also the scene of Krillin and Launch at the market getting food.
• Scenes of Master Roshi trying to get Launch to take a bath during "Roshi Surprise".
• The three chests in the Pirate Cave instead of one, and the Treasure-Protecting God Statue protecting them.
  • Krillin attempting to bait General Blue by calling him a "flaming homo" (simply daring him to give his best shot in the English dub) only for it to massively backfire when the latter uses his trademark ability on him, when originally Krillin never got a chance to talk to Blue before falling victim to his psychic abilities.
• In the manga, the scene of General Blue tying up Goku and company with the time bomb takes place outside Master Roshi's house and is resolved fairly quickly. In the anime, they are tied up inside the house, and the time is dragged out longer. The anime adds more scenes of them trying to break free of their ropes, including a comical scene of Master Roshi farting when he cannot break the rope and Launch (in good form) insulting them for leaving the clock (actually the bomb) on the ground after she had cleaned.
• Goku and General Blue's chase to Penguin Village was extended showing a part where they start going so fast that the sky changes color.
• Goku meeting Taro and Akane, and them failing at getting on the Flying Nimbus in "Strange Visitor".
• Obotchaman helping General Blue fix his car, as well as Blue promptly lusting after him (mistaking him for his younger brother in the English dub).
• Taro, Gala and Pagos trying to arrest General Blue and then him taking their car.
• Arale accidentally breaking the police car General Blue hijacked and then offering him Poop on a stick.
• A montage of Goku asking various residents of Penguin Village if they have seen General Blue.
• Taro coming into the Coffee Pot beaten up while Akane is telling Tsukutsun about Goku in "Arale vs. Blue".
• The scene in "Arale vs. Blue" of the entire Penguin Village Police Force getting warmed up to fight General Blue.
• King Nikochan and his assistant collecting trash and then having their spaceship blown up by the Police Force.

Commander Red Saga[]

• General Blue whining about the extreme heat in the desert ruining either his skin (Japanese version) or hair (English dub) is exclusive to the anime.
• When General Blue fights Mercenary Tao, in the anime, Blue tries his telekinesis, to which Tao is unaffected. In the manga he never gets a chance to use it.
• Goku in Korin Tower, looking in water jars and seeing the past, present and future. In the anime only, this is actually Fortuneteller Baba's first appearance.
• The three days Goku spent on Korin's Tower is shown in more detail. The most notable addition is Goku learning to control his breathing and movement by watching and imitating Korin.
• Mercenary Tao climbing Korin Tower and receiving a Dark Nimbus.
• Colonel Violet in the jungle finding a Dragon Ball and being chased by the Peck Peck Tribe, and later robbing the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters while they were being under attack by Goku. In the manga, Violet only appeared in one scene, presenting Commander Red with a Dragon Ball.
• Flashback of a young Master Roshi chasing Korin on Korin Tower.

Fortuneteller Baba Saga[]

• In "Deadly Battle", Fortuneteller Baba brings Goku into a secret room where he is trapped by See-Through the Invisible Man.
• Five warriors never seen in the manga appear during the episode "Goku's Turn".
• Goku rescuing Yamcha with his Power Pole to stop him from falling into the Devil's Toilet's waters.
• Everything from between when Goku leaves his friends to train for the tournament and the day when the tournament starts is filler.
  • Including some of the footage of Goku training, including hanging around with some tree-jumping monkeys to toughen up his tail.
  • The "Terror and Plague" episode, the "Goku vs. Sky Dragon" episode, and the "Goku Goes to Demon Land" episode are completely filler.
  • The episode featuring slightly younger versions of Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu. Here, they are young con-artists who utilize a wild boar-like creature, InoShikaCho, to destroy towns. They then show up at the place and offer their services to "kill" the creature. Goku learns of this scheme and puts an end to it (episode "The Rampage of InoShikaCho").
  • Goku meeting the thief Konkichi en route to the tournament (episode "Which Way to Papaya Island?").

Tien Shinhan Saga[]

• In the manga, the matches all take place in one day and immediately start one right after the other. All material in between is filler.
• Various confrontations between the good guys in the stands and the Crane Hermit.
• Many of the things going on in the audience, including Oolong trying to get Bulma and Launch to do cheerleader-style cheers for their friends in the tournament. In the manga, Bulma, Launch, and Puar never left the hospital after following Yamcha there.
• Footage of Yamcha in the hospital, listening to the tournament via radio.
• Chiaotzu's head-spinning technique.
• Pamput's manager and his bodyguards attempting to kidnap Goku. Pamput's backstory (about being a movie star and a ladies' man) is also filler.
• The Crane Hermit trying to assassinate Goku.

King Piccolo Saga[]

• Flashbacks of Master Roshi, the Crane Hermit, and Master Mutaito in the days of King Piccolo's original reign of terror. There is only one of these scenes in the manga. In fact, in the manga, Mutaito only appears in a single panel.
• Scenes of Tambourine doing battle with and killing World Martial Arts Tournament fighters. This includes Tambourine fighting Yamcha at the new location of Kame House (in the manga is only show him killing Giran and when he goes in pursuit of Yamcha, King Piccolo makes telepathic contact with him and orders to kill Cymbal's murderer).
• Most of the scenes of Tien Shinhan, Master Roshi, and Chiaotzu gathering the Dragon Balls. This includes a scene in "Tien's Atonement" where Tien is reunited with a man he injured in a martial arts match and who holds a serious grudge.
• The quest for the Ultra Divine Water when Goku goes to the Cave of Darkness is filler. In the manga, the water is in Korin's possession, and he gives it to Goku almost immediately after telling him about it.
• Girls of the world bringing flowers to the city to give to King Furry.
• Three criminals attacking Yamcha, Bulma and Launch at Kame House in "Prelude to Vengeance". In the manga it is implied that Piccolo will let chaos reign in the streets with the newfound lawlessness he is declaring, but we never see any actual criminals set free in the manga.
• Tien Shinhan using the Evil Containment Wave against King Piccolo and hitting Drum is a filler; in the manga, the container is damaged from Tien's practice attempts and therefore he does not even attempt the move.

Piccolo Jr. Saga[]

• Goku's training at The Lookout is expanded, with him having to face various tests (most of episodes "Quicker Than Lightning", "Secret of the Woods", "The Time Room", "Goku's Doll"). This includes his training with Mr. Popo (most notable, the "don't scare the birds" scene is not in the manga), as well as going back in time and meeting Master Mutaito, who teaches him about Ki energy.
• On their way to train with Korin, Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Krillin rescue a village from the active Poco Poco Volcano (episodes "Walking Their Own Ways" and "Hotter Than Lava").
• The long stand-off between Tien and Mercenary Tao before they start fighting.
• During the Tien and Mercenary Tao fight, Tien is shown breaking Tao's "blade arm" in the anime, which does not happen in the manga.
• The scene where Chi-Chi introduces herself to Goku's friends is filler, then later Chi-Chi saying to Yamcha that she is no longer his girlfriend (after her fight with Goku) is also filler.
• Goku's warm up after taking off his weighted clothing does not happen in the manga.
• In the manga, Goku immediately realizes that Tien's Multi-Form is not just an illusion, and the four Tiens immediately go to the four corners of the ring to blast Goku. In the anime, Goku fights the Tiens for a while before he realizes that they are all real.
• The set of episodes involving Goku and Chi-Chi saving a wedding dress and the Ox-King, along with meeting Annin, are all only in the anime.

List of filler material in Dragon Ball Z[]

Raditz Saga[]

• Opening scene of Dragon Ball Z up until the farmer with shotgun is shown (in episode "The New Threat"). Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Gohan being lost in the woods with the Sabertooth Cat up until the point Raditz confronts Piccolo (in episode "The New Threat").
• The flashback scenes of Goku's childhood while it is described by Master Roshi to Goku. In the manga, Roshi does explain what happened, but no "flashback visuals" were shown.
• The flashback scenes of Saiyans destroying planets and infant Goku being shown to be sent off to Earth while Raditz explains the Saiyans ways to Goku (in episode "Reunions").
• Chi-Chi is shown at home, wondering where Goku and Gohan are and why they are not home yet while her father comes to visit.

Vegeta Saga[]

• The ten episodes starting from "The Strangest Robot" to "The End of Snake Way":
  • Gohan meeting his robot friend C-6 in the wild, and later, his dinosaur friend (most of episodes "The Strangest Robot" and "A New Friend").
  • Gohan encountering an animal stampede while trapped on the cliff following his escaping from the bad dinosaur.
  • Most of the scenes of Gohan training in the wild with the sword after Piccolo removes his tail. The manga does include one scene of him chasing the dinosaur and cutting segments of its tail off (he had already apparently done so "off camera" at least once) and using a ki blast to start a fire.
  • Goku running on Snake Way and deciding to jump instead of running; he misses his landing and almost gets dragged down to Hell by shadowy hands (one of the few filler segments that actually remains in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
  • Any scene of Goku hurting his hand/arm on Snake Way's sharp edges.
  • Fortuneteller Baba visiting a cantina in the Other World to meet the ogre who guided Goku to the Snake Way.
  • Ox-King playing with a toy remote-control car he bought for Gohan, which transitions to the scene of Goku in the car going towards Snake Way.
  • Chi-Chi worrying about Gohan being in the wild, fantasizing about being chased by a shark.
  • Krillin going to Chi-Chi's house to tell her what happened to Goku and Gohan.
  • Yamcha playing major league baseball as a career (although this was Toriyama's idea, episode "A New Friend").
  • Nappa and Vegeta's visit to Arlia (most of the episode "Terror on Arlia").
  • Launch's persistent chasing of Tien Shinhan (although this was Toriyama's idea). All of her scenes in Dragon Ball Z are fillers, including her getting drunk in a bar following Tien's death.
  • Piccolo training in the desert by levitating pyramids, ultimately causing chaos in the desert ("Global Training").
  • Goku falling off Snake Way and meeting the ogres Goz and Mez (episode "Goz and Mez"). This scene is not present in Dragon Ball Z Kai, but near the end of Kai, one of the ogres still refers to Goku as "the guy that fell off Snake Way."
  • Princess Snake and the whole event about her capturing of Goku (most of the episode "Princess Snake"). As such, the scene of Goku passing by Princess Snake's place on the way back to Earth on Snake Way is also filler.
  • Piccolo making a clone of himself and the two sparring ("Dueling Piccolos").
  • Gohan meeting Pigero and the orphans (most of the episode "Plight of the Children").
  • Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Krillin and Yamcha going into the Pendulum Room and fighting the Saiyans from the past (most of the episode "Pendulum Room Peril"). In fact, nearly all of the scenes of them training at the lookout are filler; they are only shown training there for a few frames in the manga. For instance, the scene of Yajirobe sparring with Krillin while eating corn and then biting Krillin on the butt is filler as well.
  • Gohan transforming a second time into his Great Ape form because of Goku's space pod holographic projection of the moon (part of the episode "The End of Snake Way"). Though this was removed in Dragon Ball Z Kai, it causes a minor plot hole when Goku later has Dr. Brief build him a new spaceship out of his old pod and Dr. Brief tells Goku that he found Goku's pod in shambles (as Piccolo had destroyed the pod in order to return Gohan to normal again). In the manga, Dr. Brief does not mention that the pod was destroyed when he found it.
• King Kai's pet Gregory does not exist in manga (but it is one of the characters invented for the anime by Toriyama himself). The whole training phase where Goku has to hit him with a hammer is filler (most of the episode "Goku's Ancestors"; however, the "hitting Gregory with a hammer" footage does remain in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• King Kai's story about Goku's Saiyan heritage with the Tuffles and the scouter/armor technology (most of the rest of the episode "Goku's Ancestors").
• Master Roshi and assorted characters watching the fight with the Saiyans on TV, and later, Fortuneteller Baba's Crystal Ball (though some of the footage of them watching the television was retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Piccolo and Krillin using the multi-form technique to fight Nappa.
• Piccolo further berating Gohan for his cowardice is exclusive to the anime. This footage was retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• The anime adds in a scene of Nappa removing his armor following the three-hour hiatus while they wait for Goku. In the manga it is already off, implying he removed it "off camera" during the wait.
• Nappa attacking a news crew and a fleet of naval ships.
• Gohan insulting Nappa's mother (or saying that he smells as in the English versions) is filler. This scene is however present in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Yajirobe talking to the chief of police (a dog person) when he finds that the Saiyan's spaceships have arrived.
• Yajirobe holding a press conference when the Saiyans arrive.
• In the original manga, Chiaotzu's kamikaze attack against Nappa happens rather quickly. In the anime, Chiaotzu clings to Nappa much longer and is bashed against many cliff sides before he's finally able to attempt the move.
• Footage of Yajirobe prior to cutting off Vegeta's tail, including driving away and subsequently coming back. This somewhat echoes another filler scene in the King Piccolo Saga in which he debates whether or not to intervene.
• Footage of the Saiyan's spaceships at their landing sites, including Vegeta's flying to him after his defeat, and the truck crew taking Nappa's away.

Namek Saga[]

• A sequence of a bag exploding during the spaceship launch and the contents scattering and making a mess.
• In the manga we see Krillin and Gohan with their eyes closed doing "vision training," the anime actually adds in footage of the "vision battle" itself.
• The adventures Bulma, Gohan and Krillin have while traveling towards Namek are absent from the manga, including the entire invisible spaceship and fake Namek story arcs (episodes "Friends or Foes?", "Held Captive", "Look Out Below", "The Search Continues", "A Friendly Surprise" and half of the episode "Brood of Evil").
• Goku training in the desert while not yet fully recovered from his injuries (in episodes "The Search Continues" and "A Friendly Surprise").
• Vegeta is in the healing chamber considerably longer in the anime. In the original manga, he gets out of the chamber just a few panels after having been put in.
• A scene of Vegeta rushing back to grab his scouter before leaving for Planet Namek, when Cui says that is where Frieza has gone. This fixes a small plot hole in the manga, as he apparently left without taking a scouter with him.
• Goku's spaceship nearly being pulled into the star Alpha H-Z (in episode "Unexpected Problem").
• A scene in "The Prince Fights Back" of Bulma taking a bath while she receives word from her father that Goku is on his way to Namek (the scene is kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai, except for the part at the end when she stands up and bends over with soap suds covering her explicit areas).
• The scene of Vegeta destroying Tsuno's village is much longer and more graphic in the anime (in episode "Vegeta Has a Ball").
• Footage of a Frieza soldier finding the village Vegeta attacked, killing the last survivor, and subsequently being killed by Frieza for this. In the manga it is Appule who reports to Frieza and he is not killed (Dragon Ball Z Kai uses the existing anime version of this rather than redoing the scene with Appule as it was in the manga).
• Gohan arriving to the village Vegeta destroyed, mourning his surroundings.
• Gohan being inked by the snail-like creature on top of Vegeta's Dragon Ball when getting it out of the water (Dragon Ball Z Kai retains the snail creature but gets rid of the inking scene).
• Frieza killing a nervous soldier who questions the decision to summon the Ginyu Force (this scene appears in Dragon Ball Z Kai, though the part of Frieza killing him has been removed).
• The Ginyu Force leaving Planet Frieza 79 to go to Namek.
• Bulma's misadventures with the Dragon Ball she was protecting on Namek, including her underwater search and the trouble with Frieza's soldiers Blueberry and Raspberry (most of episodes "Destination: Guru" and "Bulma's Big Day").
• Frieza being told by one of his men that the Ginyu Force will arrive. Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Guldo's ability to stop time has a much more concrete limitation in the anime: He can only stop time for as long as he can hold his breath. In the manga, his time freeze ability has limitations, but it is never explicitly stated what those limitations are. However, it is clear that holding his breath is not a condition of the time freeze power in the manga, as there are several panels where he is clearly speaking out loud (as evidenced by the dialogue bubble having straight lines and sharp angles, rather than the cloudy dialogue bubble that is usually reserved for thoughts and internal monologues).
• Guldo torturing Gohan and Krillin while using the Body Bind technique on them before trying to kill them.
• Gohan's battle with Recoome is longer in the anime (in episode "Let the Battle Begin").
• Goku's battle with Jeice and Burter is longer in the anime (in episode "A Legend Revealed").
• Captain Ginyu training some of Frieza's soldiers on how to pose (in episode "A Legend Revealed").
• Vegeta's explanation of the legend of the Super Saiyan is a lot more detailed in the anime (in episode "Goku's New Power").
• Most of the footage of Tien, Yamcha, Piccolo and Chiaotzu training on King Kai's Planet, including the scene where they have to make King Kai laugh and in which King Kai tells them the story of the Ginyu Force.
• Chi-Chi's attempt to fly to Namek to help Gohan and her call to Bulma (in episode "Let the Battle Begin").

Captain Ginyu Saga[]

• Frieza's soldiers working to become Ginyu Force members do not appear in the manga (in episode "Ginyu Assault").
• Bulma's decision to go and get the seven Dragon Balls, and her trip through Namek, even getting chased by near clones of the T-Rex Gohan ran from on Earth, and the pterodactyl Goku fought as a child, are not in the manga; there, she just stays where she was hiding (in episodes "Incredible Force!", "Frieza Approaches", and "Goku is Ginyu and Ginyu is Goku"). Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• The three Namekians that arrive at Grand Elder Guru's house to protect him from Frieza do not appear in the manga (in episode "Frieza Approaches").
• Vegeta's attack to Frieza's Spaceship was not in the manga, as there were not any soldiers left guarding it (in episode "Calling the Eternal Dragon"). In the manga, Vegeta just entered the empty ship. Dragon Ball Z Kai creates a plot hole in regard to this: it only shows a scene of Vegeta defeating a small group of guards outside the ship; yet later with Krillin, Gohan, and the injured Goku with him, he walks through the inside of the ship filled with the bodies of Frieza's dead soldiers.
• In the anime, there is an added scene where Goku, in the wounded Captain Ginyu body, falls out of the sky to the ground rather painfully. When this happens, a Namekian frog can be seen emerging from where Goku crashed, most likely meant to foreshadow Ginyu's eventual fate.
• The Ginyu battle at Frieza's ship is longer in the anime. In the anime, Ginyu is in Goku's body longer, and actually manages to get "in control" for a while and pose a threat to Krillin and Gohan. Additionally, there is extra footage of Vegeta thrashing Ginyu once Ginyu is back in his original body. In the manga, Ginyu becoming a frog happens almost instantly after he is back to his original body. Dragon Ball Z Kai maintains most of the footage of Vegeta beating up Ginyu in his native body.
• Gohan having some thought scenes about what it would be like living with his father trapped in Ginyu's body (although this is based loosely on a drawing from a manga chapter cover and is kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• All later scenes of Captain Ginyu stuck in a frog's body, and the frog stuck in Captain Ginyu's body.

Frieza Saga[]

• King Vegeta's story, told by Frieza (in episode "Fighting Power: One Million??", although some King Vegeta flashbacks appear in later episodes of Kai).
• Bulma running from a dinosaur stampede (in episode "Fighting Power: One Million??").
• Piccolo's fight with Frieza is considerably longer in the anime (episodes "Déjà vu" and "Frieza's Second Transformation").
• Frieza impaling Krillin is much more succinct in the manga. In the anime, the horn is through Krillin much longer, and Frieza shakes him around forcefully, making rude comments and drinking his blood before ejecting him into the waters below.
• The section when Frieza chases Krillin and Krillin hides in the cracks of an island (this scene was kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• In the anime, a scene is added in which Vegeta tries to flee the battlefield while Second Form Frieza is fighting with Piccolo — only to find himself knocked out of the air by the tyrant.
• Frieza's lava attack at the beginning of his fight with Goku (in episode "The Ultimate Battle").
• Chi-Chi's second attempt to go to Namek (in episodes "Clash of the Super Powers", "Frieza's Boast" and "Bold and Fearless").
• Scenes in which Gohan and Dende (separately) fly over the dead bodies of the Ginyu Force members. The Dende scene is rather humorous in that he thinks the dead body of (the very tall) Burter is (from a distance) Krillin.
• Bulma switching bodies with Captain Ginyu (in episodes "Frieza's Boast", "Bold and Fearless" and "Embodiment of Fire"; this scene is retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Goku having a flashback about dead Saiyans and hearing from Vegeta, as well as a flashback about his various friends on Earth while trapped underwater (these were retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• The entire fight between Goku and Frieza is also packed with fillers, mostly the scenes where Frieza is winning against Goku (in episodes "Embodiment of Fire", "Trump Card" and "Keep the Chance Alive") and the fight with Goku as Super Saiyan (episodes "A Final Attack", "Approaching Destruction", "Duel on a Vanishing Planet" and "Pathos of Frieza," although a lot of the "Frieza winning" scenes were retained in Kai).
• Goku's preparation for the Spirit Bomb has a lot of fillers in it (in episodes "Trump Card", "Keep the Chance Alive", "Power of the Spirit" and "Transformed at Last").
• The Ginyu Force members Recoome, Jeice, Burter and Guldo facing Tien Shinhan, Yamcha and Chiaotzu on King Kai's Planet (in episodes "Trump Card", "Keep the Chance Alive", "Power of the Spirit" and "Transformed at Last").
• Piccolo's fight with Frieza to gain time for the Spirit Bomb is a lot longer in the anime (in episode "Power of the Spirit").
• Goku's transformation into a Super Saiyan. In the manga, the transformation is a near instantaneous reaction to Krillin's death at the hands of Frieza (in episode "Transformed at Last"). The anime version of it takes several minutes and was understandably left unaltered in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• The scenes at a Frieza base where the soldiers are trying to see if Frieza is still alive (episode "Namek's Destruction").
• Chi-Chi and the others communicating with Gohan through the spaceship's monitor (episode "Namek's Destruction").
• After reaching his 100% Max Power form, Frieza was able to take on Goku for a short time, before his power stamina started to wear down. In the manga, Frieza was never a match for Super Saiyan Goku (although Dragon Ball Z Kai does retain many of the scenes where Frieza has the upper hand).
• Gohan returning to challenge Frieza after Goku is knocked into a lava pit. In the manga, Goku gets knocked into an underwater mountain instead and re-emerges soon after (episode "Gohan Returns"; this scene was kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai, albeit in a shorter version).
• Scene of Vegeta, after being resurrected, flying off to the site of the Eternal Dragon and seeing Frieza and Goku in his Super Saiyan form (in episode "The Last Wish"). This scene was also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai. In the manga, Vegeta did not get his first look at the Super Saiyan transformation until Trunks is introduced.
• Right after everyone on Namek is transported to Earth, all the scenes with Piccolo remembering his story with Goku, and Vegeta's gloats about him being the strongest one, are not in the manga (most of episode "Duel on a Vanishing Planet", and part of "Pathos of Frieza").
• The flashback with Vegeta, Nappa and Raditz reporting to Frieza (in episode "Frieza Defeated!!"). This scene creates one of the many inconsistencies of DBZ, where Vegeta says he knew that the destruction of the Saiyan home planet was courtesy of Frieza and not because of an asteroid impact, whereas he acts surprised to learn this information when he faces Dodoria earlier in the Namek saga.
• Vegeta's attitude towards Goku's apparent death and his fight with Gohan are not in the manga (in episode "Namek's Explosion... Goku's End?"). There is huge inconsistency from starting from episode "Duel on a Vanishing Planet" to "Goku's Alive!!": in the anime fillers, Vegeta is happy about Goku's death, almost kills Gohan, and flies away; in the manga and the following anime episode "Goku's Alive!!", Vegeta is back and comes up right away with the idea of how to bring Goku back so he could fight him again.
• Bikini flirting with Vegeta and offering him drinks.
• Dr. Brief showing Vegeta the new spaceship he made, and Vegeta subsequently cruising off into space. Was also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Much of the footage of the Namekians hanging out at the Capsule Corporation. Was also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• In the manga, the wishes being made with the Namekian Dragon Balls on Earth are only referenced; Porunga being summoned is shown, but the wishes are not actually shown being granted. The anime adds scenes of the dead Dragon Team coming back to life, including a rather comical scene where Yamcha falls in a fountain when revived, but then proceeds to hug Bulma and tell her how much he missed her. Additionally, a scene is added where the Namekians bid farewell to the Earthlings, including a sad scene where teary-eyed Dende and Gohan say goodbye to one another. This was also retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai.

Garlic Jr. Saga[]

• This saga acts as the sequel to the movie Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone and is absent from the manga. The saga takes place between the Frieza Saga and the Trunks Saga. This includes Vegeta's trip in outer space in an attempt to track down Goku. The saga is completely cut out of Dragon Ball Z Kai.

Trunks Saga[]

• The events in episode "Frieza's Counterattack", up until the last few minutes, are completely absent from the manga, including Gohan's new tutor, his dream, Krillin's training, and Vegeta's return. In the manga, Vegeta never went out into space at the end of the Frieza saga. The scenes of Vegeta living at Capsule Corp. are all fillers as well.
• The flashback with King Cold looking for Frieza's remains after the destruction of planet Namek, and Frieza's reconstruction and becoming "Mecha Frieza" (in episode "The Mysterious Youth"). This is also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• A scene of Frieza going paranoid when arriving on Earth, hallucinating about seeing Goku, and squeezing his own fist so tightly that some blood comes out.
• Trunks' intro scene is slightly extended. Frieza orders his men (in the anime) to go start killing Earthlings, and they are sliced into pieces by Trunks, who then descends and gives his intro speech. In the manga, he just stands there and starts speaking his piece, no scene of him chopping up Frieza's men.
• The scenes of Frieza's men being killed by Trunks are extended in the anime. Additionally, a scene is added where Frieza executes one of his own men for cowardice by slicing his hand through the coward's chest. Dragon Ball Z Kai cuts the scene of Frieza doing this, though this soldier lying on the ground with a large hole in his chest can be seen in later frames.
• The dialogues between Future Trunks, Frieza and King Cold, as well as the fight, are slightly extended in the anime, as well as Trunks' Super Saiyan transformation (in episode "Another Super Saiyan?"). In the manga, Frieza only gets in one attack against Trunks, while in the anime there are several different attempts by Frieza to kill Trunks, including using the Death Ball technique he used to destroy Planet Vegeta (which Trunks catches effortlessly). Is also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• King Cold begging for his life after Trunks blows a hole in his chest (in episode "Welcome Back Goku"). Is also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Chi-Chi buying study equipment for Gohan (in episode "Welcome Back Goku").
• The flashback where, after Goku defeats Frieza on Namek, he looks for a way to escape the planet, and his trip to Yardrat, is mostly composed of fillers (in episode "Goku's Special Technique"). Goku's visit to Yardrat is given an explanation in the manga, but it does not actually show the Yardrats. Is also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• The footage of Goku training with Gohan and Piccolo in preparation for the androids' imminent arrival is filler. Same goes for Vegeta's training inside the gravity room, and the training of the rest of the Z Fighters (in episodes "Goku's Special Technique" and "Z Warriors Prepare"). The manga only shows them training in a couple of panels. Is also kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• The scenes where Piccolo and Goku taking driving lessons (in episode "Goku's Ordeal") are absent from the manga. This is also removed in Dragon Ball Z Kai. This episode creates a plot hole in that Chi-Chi was seen driving earlier in the series, which could only be explained by her driving without a license.

Androids Saga[]

• Bulma's dad bringing a new toy to Trunks' room is absent from the manga (in episode "The Androids Appear").
• While Android 20 is draining Yamcha's energy, a gas truck crashes nearby and creates a fire; there is no such truck or fire in the manga (in episode "The Androids Appear").
• The scenes with Roshi, Oolong and Chiaotzu at Kame House are fillers (in episode "A Handy Trick").
• The fight between Goku and Android 19 is longer in the anime, and the android fares a lot better against Goku than in the manga, where Goku always has the upper hand (in episode "Double Trouble for Goku").
• During Goku and Android 19's fight, Maron (Krillin's ex-girlfriend from the Garlic Jr. Saga) visits Master Roshi, looking for Krillin. Roshi gives her a lecture about Goku's history with Dr. Gero and the Red Ribbon Army. This entire segment — as well as the later scenes of Maron having fun on Roshi's island — is filler (in episodes "Double Trouble for Goku", "Deadly Beauty", "No Match for the Androids" and "Last Ditch Effort").
• Yajirobe playing with Trunks in the spacecraft (in episode "Upgrade to Super Saiyan").
• Vegeta's description on how he became Super Saiyan is a lot longer and detailed in the anime (in episode "Upgrade to Super Saiyan").
• Most scenes of Goku lying ill in his house with Chi-Chi and Yamcha, as well as his dreams, are fillers (in episodes "Follow Dr. Gero", "Nightmare Comes True", "Goku's Assassin", "No Match for the Androids" and "Unwelcome Discovery").
• Several scenes of Gohan carrying Bulma, Yajirobe and Trunks back to her house are fillers (in episodes "Follow Dr. Gero", "Nightmare Comes True", "Goku's Assassin", "Deadly Beauty", "No Match for the Androids" and "Last Ditch Effort").
• Vegeta's chase of Android 18 and their fight on a truck is filler. Their fight on the road is greatly extended (in episode "Deadly Beauty").
• When the Z Fighters are attempting to find Dr. Gero's laboratory, Krillin tracks and later runs into Dr. Gero and is subsequently beaten in a fight. This is absent from the manga (in episode "Nightmare Comes True").
• The flashback of the Nameless Namekian becoming Guardian of Earth told by Kami (in episode "Last Ditch Effort").
• During the androids' trip to find Goku, they have an encounter with some bikers. Those scenes are fillers (in episode "Closing In").
• Chiaotzu cooking for Roshi ("Unwelcome Discovery").

Imperfect Cell Saga[]

• The fight between Cell and Piccolo is a little longer in the anime, including a Special Beam Cannon attack by Cell (in episode "Borrowed Powers").
• The scene where tanks attack Cell in Gingertown while he is holding Piccolo is filler (in episode "His Name is Cell").
• Cell's search for organic lifeforms is largely composed of fillers.
• Cell showing up at an airport, attempting to drain a girl and her little brother of their biomass, which leads to a fight with Krillin is filler. (Retained in Dragon Ball Z Kai)
• Piccolo and Android 17's fight. Large portions of this fight in the anime are lengthened with fillers.

Perfect Cell Saga[]

• Krillin attacking Cell in desperation as he absorbs Android 18.
• Most of Future Trunks and Vegeta's training inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber shown. (In the manga, the only thing shown is the duo entering the room, no actual footage of their training).
• The scenes in which Cell and Trunks have a flashback story, and deaths of the Z Fighters, including Yajirobe, are shown (this creates a plot hole in Dragon Ball Super, in that Future Yajirobe is shown to still be alive).
• The scenes of Gohan having a nightmare while sleeping in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber of Cell killing his friends.
• Some of the footage of Goku and Gohan's training on the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is also filler; for example, the sequence in which Goku is seen using the Kamehameha to destroy massive walls of ice towering up in front of him as well as Gohan unlocking his Super Saiyan form.
• Segments of the fight between Trunks and Cell are composed of fillers, mainly the segment where Trunks is still able to keep up with Cell and hit him, before he powers up too much. In the manga, Trunks is not able to lay a finger on Cell at all.
• Large portions of Goku and Gohan's preparation for the Cell Games is composed of fillers, including the returns of Cyborg Tao.

Cell Games Saga[]

• Mr. Satan's disciples Pirozhki and Caroni and their agent Miss Piiza do not appear in the manga. Despite this, they do appear in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Certain segments of the fight between Goku and Perfect Cell are fillers. For example, Cell attacking Goku with Frieza's Death Saucers, as well as using Tien's Multi-Form technique.
• Goku's power up is also vastly extended in the anime by fillers.
• The battles against the Cell Juniors are extended in the anime by fillers, for example Vegeta using the Final Flash.
• Cell using a double, massive Destructo Disc on Super Saiyan 2 Gohan.
• The fight between Super Saiyan 2 Gohan and Semi-Perfect Cell after Cell expelled Android 18 is filler. In the manga, Cell almost immediately decides to self-destruct without fighting Gohan in that form.
• The scene when Trunks vomits up blood after getting hit by Cell's Full Power Death Beam is filler.
• The scene during the final beam struggle between Gohan and the rejuvenated Perfect Cell is extended by fillers. In the anime, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Krillin, and Vegeta repeatedly launch full-scale attacks at Cell in an attempt to distract him so Gohan can finish him off. In the manga, Vegeta is the only one to attack, which led to Cell's defeat. Footage of the other Z Fighters launching unsuccessful attacks remains in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Gohan fishing at the end of the saga is also a filler, and also his first bare-chested appearance for that age.
• Baby Trunks taking his first steps, prior to Future Trunks taking the time machine back to his time period.
• Much of the dialogue between Trunks and the Old Man threatened by the Androids in his timeline is filler.
• The entire episode of Memories of Gohan, when Gohan celebrates his 11th birthday.

Other World Saga[]

• This saga is absent from the manga (although some clips from it are shown in the final Cell Saga episode of Dragon Ball Z Kai).

Great Saiyaman Saga[]

• Many of Gohan's high school ordeals (i.e., the episodes "Gohan's First Date" and "Blackmail").
• Most of Videl's quest to unmask Great Saiyaman/Gohan in the anime is filler. In the manga, Videl tricks Great Saiyaman into revealing his identity on their very first meeting.

World Tournament Saga[]

• The Cell Games Reenactment (falsely but humorously reenacting the fight between Cell) video shown before the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament starts is anime filler. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.)
• Killa attempting to touch Spopovich to tell him it's his turn to fight, only to be shocked. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.)
• When Piccolo finds out "Shin" is the Supreme Kai, we briefly see shadowy figures of the four Kais and Grand Kai, as those that are "under" the Supreme Kai. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.)
• The fight between Spopovich and Videl is longer and more graphic in the anime.
• All scenes of Spopovich's past, when he had hair, are filler. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.)

Babidi Saga[]

• The Vegeta/Pui Pui fight is much shorter in the manga. In the manga, Pui Pui is killed almost immediately after the teleport to his homeworld. In the anime, Vegeta messes with him a little longer before striking the Double Galick Cannon. The scene of Vegeta taking on a hopping, boxing stance before killing him is filler. Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Babidi's men running to retrieve Yakon to fight at Stage Two, only to find themselves eaten alive by Yakon in his shadowy resting place. In the manga, Babidi orders his men to retrieve Yakon, but it is not shown happening and the first glimpse of Yakon in the original manga is him emerging from the Stage Two door. Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• A portion of the fight between Android 18 and Mighty Mask (Goten & Trunks in disguise) is filler. In the manga, Android 18 almost instantly realizes her opponent's identity and quickly finalizes the fight after Goten and Trunks transform into Super Saiyans.
• Dabura meditating prior to fighting Gohan. In the manga, Dabura is not shown going anywhere else before appearing on Stage Three soon after Yakon was killed. Dabura still uses the meditation chamber in Dragon Ball Z Kai, but this is shortened drastically improve the pacing of the show.
• The scene in which Babidi transports Dabura and Gohan, Goku, Supreme Kai, and Vegeta to another planet for their duel. In the manga, this fight is first shown "in progress" after it had already begun there. Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Large portions of the fight between Gohan and Dabura, such as the entire time Gohan fights in his base form, are fillers. Dragon Ball Z Kai reduces the scene where Gohan is shown fighting in his base form.
• Large portions of the Goku vs. Majin Vegeta are also fillers, for example the beam struggle. Most was kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
• Lots of the stuff that happens backstage during and after the tournament is filler. Examples include Goten and Trunks impersonating Mighty Mask's voice in the dressing room to fool the World Tournament Announcer (this is kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai), and Mr. Satan emerging from the shower's backstage, only to have his towel fall off in front of the news reporters.
• Supreme Kai's flashback discussing Majin Buu destroying several planets and a galaxy. Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.

Majin Buu Saga[]

• Babidi's "Electric Slime" attack against Piccolo, before Babidi is sliced in half (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Scenes of Bulma and company tracking down the Dragon Balls. This includes the comical scene of Master Roshi stopping a monster that has a Dragon Ball by farting on it (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• The scene in which Idassa and Ikosa's mother revealed Trunks' place of residence to Babidi. In the manga, Babidi finds out where Trunks lives, but it is never explained how he does so. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Buu and Babidi visiting a town during their reign of destruction, in which Babidi is attacked by a woman in a bakery for trying to steal, who is transported into the air outside of the bakery in a compromising situation (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Goku's Super Saiyan 3 demonstration on Kami's Lookout is filler (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• The fight between Goten, Trunks, and Mr. Popo is completely filler (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• The scene where Bulma interrupts the fusion demonstration and Krillin escorting her out is completely filler (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• All scenes of Trunks trying to find the Dragon Radar at Capsule Corporation are filler. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Dabura's arrival in Other World and being sent to Heaven instead of Hell (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• The fight between Gotenks and Innocent Buu is filler. In the manga, it is referred to, but not shown (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• All scenes after Bee was healed by Innocent Buu and before Mr. Satan was shot were filler. In the manga Mr. Satan is shot immediately after Buu heals Bee. Also, Mr. Satan is shot from behind in the anime. Another difference is that Majin Buu repairs the house with more clay, while in the manga, it remains destroyed (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).

Fusion Saga[]

• The scene when Super Buu assaults the Z Fighters at Kami's Lookout and turns them into chocolate to eat, while Piccolo and Gotenks are still trapped in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber consists of fillers. The event did occur in the manga but was not depicted. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.)
• Segments of the fight between Gohan and Super Buu consist of fillers. For example, right after Buu absorbs Gotenks and Piccolo, he and Gohan fight rather evenly. In the manga, Buu almost immediately gains the upper hand, while in the anime it takes him some time to establish his dominance.
• Super Saiyan 3 Goku's fight with Super Buu is anime filler. In the manga, Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan 3 and Buu charges at Goku, but Buu immediately reverts to a lesser powerful state as the Gotenks fusion inside of him wears off. In the anime, Buu toys around with Goku a bit first before he reverts.
• Goku and Vegeta's fight with Super Buu after he just absorbed Gohan. In the anime, Vegeta first attempts to fight Buu on his own, and Goku reluctantly joins him. After they get beat around for a bit, Vegeta ultimately agrees to join bodies with Goku. In the manga, this fight does not take place.
• The fight between Vegito in his base form and Super Buu. In the manga, Vegito immediately transforms into a Super Saiyan, while in the anime, he first fights Buu in his normal state. (Kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai)
• Large portions of the fight between Super Vegito and Super Buu are also anime fillers. For example, Buu attempting to destroy Vegito's body from the inside, as well as him launching a second wave of Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack (while in the manga, he only uses this attack once), and also his massive barrier with which he attempts to destroy the entire zone, are all in the anime only.
• The segments that feature Dabura in the afterlife joining Videl, Bulma and Chi-Chi on their search for Gohan (who believes that he is dead), are all fillers (removed in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Major portions of the action inside of Buu's head are also fillers. Examples are Goku and Vegeta encountering the huge worms, as well as them fighting thought forms of Super Buu in the shape of Gohan, Gotenks and Piccolo (removed in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Buu getting an upset stomach from what Goku, and Vegeta are doing inside his body, and having to use an outhouse, comically leading to Mr. Satan complaining about it (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• In the flashback, Enma insulting Vegeta that he died "a dog's death" and pissing him off was filler, this scene couldn't be in the manga, as Akira Toriyama likes dogs (despite Shu is beating up by Pilaf several times)

Kid Buu Saga[]

• The footage shown in the anime of Kid Buu fighting the Supreme Kais five million years ago is filler. It is not shown in the manga, only referenced (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Kid Buu showing up on Grand Kai's planet is completely filler. This goes for the vast majority of the Other World footage in the anime too (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• Goku and Vegeta powering up to lure Buu to the Sacred World of the Kai. In the manga, no power up is performed as Buu finds the Saiyans immediately after he regenerated from Earth's explosion.
• The fight between Super Saiyan 2 Goku and Kid Buu is completely filler. In the manga, Goku goes straight to Super Saiyan 3 where in the anime, he goes Super Saiyan 2 first (kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai).
• In the anime, Vegeta realizes Goku is the only one who can fight Kid Buu after briefly fighting in his base form and being almost killed but saved by Goku. In the manga, Vegeta realizes this from watching the fight between the two and does not get to fight Buu until Goku tells him he needs a minute to charge up.
• Most of the one-minute fight between Vegeta and Kid Buu is composed of fillers. In the manga the one minute goes by in only a few pages, while in the anime it goes on for a couple episodes.
• While Majin Buu is fighting Kid Buu, Mr. Satan is so into the fight that starts throwing punches, unknowingly hitting Bee several times in the head as a comic relief. It never happened in the manga.
• In the anime, Fat Buu distracts Kid Buu so that Mr. Satan can get Vegeta out of the way from Goku's spirit bomb, while in the manga, Mr. Satan grabs Vegeta straight after Goku finishes the spirit bomb, without Fat Buu's help at all.
• The scenes in the episode "Spirit Bomb Triumphant" where Piccolo, Gohan, Trunks, and Goten return to Kami's Lookout, and are welcomed by their family and friends are only shown in the anime. This forms an inconsistency with the beginning of the following episode, where the group of four fighters is shown to be back at the cliff.
• "Celebrations with Majin Buu" and "He's Always Late", the two episodes taking place in between the defeat of Kid Buu and the 10 years later, are all fillers. The manga jumps 10 years later almost immediately after the defeat of Kid Buu. They are also the only two filler episodes to be kept in Dragon Ball Z Kai.

Peaceful World Saga[]

• The scenes where Goku and Pan are participating in the festivities outside the World Tournament Arena are filler.
• Portions of the fight between Goku and Uub are extended by filler; the fight between them only lasts a couple of pages in the manga but lasts several minutes in the anime.
• Pan beating up Goten after the TB is cancelled is filler, the outcome of which was said to be because of her mystic powers inherited from her father, or that Goten was holding back.

List of filler material in Dragon Ball Super[]

God of Destruction Beerus Saga[]

• In the manga, Beerus recalls the name Super Saiyan God after visiting the Unnamed Planet where he is presented with a feast. In the anime, he does not and only recall the name after destroying Mogina instead.
• The whole scene where Vegeta and his family go on a family trip in episode 2 is filler.
• Goku's first fight with Beerus was extended.
• In both the anime and manga Bulma's birthday part is held on a cruise liner. In the movie, it's held outside her house.
• Many scenes of Pilaf and co.
• Oolong forced to play Paper-Scissor-Rock with Beerus is also a filler.
• Summoning Shenron to learn of what Super Saiyan God is as well as the Super Saiyan God ritual itself was given much more detail, and a whole episode to be shown, however in the manga it only takes a single page for Super Saiyan God to be unlocked.
• Mr. Satan trying to bribe Whis into stopping Beerus.

Golden Frieza Saga[]

• This saga is absent from the manga due to its promotional counterpart that was published before "Super" was announced.

Universe 6 Saga[]

• Beerus and Champa's brawl within Beerus' castle only occurs in the anime.
• Jaco apprehending Geppuman on Zuno's Planet only happens in the anime.
• The added expositions which later depict Frost's character as evil are all filler scenes as Frost has no personal background of him being a space pirate nor having an empire.
• A large portion of Piccolo and Frost's fight is filler, consisting of Piccolo charging his Special Beam Cannon, firing Eye Lasers, using Multi-Form, and utilizing his Demon Hand to constrict Frost.
• Vegeta effortlessly one-punching Frost out of the arena and eliminating him is a filler scene.
• Frost being intercepted by Hit as he tries to escape in Champa's cube and steal all of Universe 6's promised riches is filler. 
• Vados creating the cubic shaped box that surrounded the arena for Vegeta and Magetta's fight does not happen in the manga.
• Vegeta using Galick Gun and Final Flash on Auta Magetta is esablished to be entirely filler.
• Goku utilizing X10 Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken in his face-off against Hit is completely exclusive to the anime only.

Copy-Vegeta Saga[]

• This saga is absent from the manga.

"Future" Trunks Saga[]

• Episodes 68 to 76 are considered as fillers since they are not present in the manga counterpart at all. However, a partial of episode 68 about Beerus destroying the time machine built by Bulma is considered as a solution to a plot hole in this arc where the repaired time machine (The manga uses the same time machine used by Future Trunks) is left, maybe giving a false accusation on later arcs.

Universe Survival Saga[]

• The part where Android 17 and Goku fighting the Galactic Poachers is a filler since it is not shown in the companion manga.
• Tien and Master Roshi's recruitment and the confrontation with Yurin is also absent in the manga.
• The celebration of Bulla's birth at Capsule Corporation is only exclusive to the anime.

List of "filler material" in Dragon Ball GT[]

It's not possible for Dragon Ball GT to have any fillers since the entire series is anime original.

Video Game Appearances[]

Events and characters from anime filler are featured in many video games. Like in the anime, Goku visits the Cave of Darkness to get Ultra Divine Water in Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure. Piccolo's usage of the Tri-Form technique during his training for the Saiyan conflict is referenced in a mission in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z. Princess Snake, Mez, Goz, and Gregory often appear in video games, such as Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu. The Vegeta Saga version of the Pendulum Room is a battle stage in Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu. Several references to filler and movies events are made in the Supersonic Warriors series, such as when Goku confronts Cell and Frieza in the Other World. The anime-only Garlic Jr. Saga was even adapted into Dragon Ball Z: Taose! Garlic Jr.

Gokuden series[]

The Gokuden series includes several anime filler characters and events. Dragon Ball Z: Kyōshū! Saiyan is the first Dragon Ball game to feature movie characters, being Garlic Jr. and his henchmen (Ginger, Nikki and Sansho). Anime-only characters such as Scarface, Shorty, Princess Snake, Mez, Goz, and Gregory also appear in this game. Like Piccolo does in the anime, every character in the game is able to use cloning in order to train.

The anime-only Mirror Spaceship and Fake Namek make brief appearances during the group's journey to Namek in Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Freeza. Planet Kanassa and Kanassan, from the TV special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku, are also featured in the game.

Jeice and Burter can use their anime-only combined technique Purple Comet Crash in Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu.

Characters from the movie Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge are featured in Dragon Ball Z III: Ressen Jinzōningen. The movie characters Cooler, Lord Slug, and Turles appear in Dragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans.

Butōden series[]

Playable characters in Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butōden have costumes they only wear in filler episodes, such as Yamcha's Taitans uniform and the clothes Piccolo wears in "Goku's Ordeal".

Also, the movie characters Broly, Bojack and Zangya are playable in Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden 2, Gogeta is playable in Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 and Dragon Ball Z: Shin Butōden, Lord Jaguar appears in the Mr. Satan Mode in Shin Butōden, and Bardock, Broly and Gogeta are playable in Ultimate Butōden.

The Legacy of Goku series[]

The Legacy of Goku series includes events from anime filler. Examples are Yamcha saying that he has become a baseball player, the encounter with Princess Snake, Goz and Mez, and hitting Gregory with a heavy mallet in The Legacy of Goku. Gohan having a nightmare about Frieza right before his arrival on Earth, references to Garlic Jr. and the Black Water Mist, the appearance of Maron at Kame House, and the encounter with Cyborg Tao and Vodka during the Cell Games Saga in The Legacy of Goku II. Cameos of Miss Piiza, Pirozhki and Caroni, the Other World Tournament, the appearances of the Red Shark Gang, Mr. Musuka, Chobi, and the party at Bulma's house after Kid Buu's defeat in Buu's Fury.

The Legacy of Goku series also includes events from movies, such as Cooler attacking New Namek in The Legacy of Goku II, and events from Broly - Second Coming and Fusion Reborn storylines in Buu's Fury.

Budokai, Budokai Tenkaichi, and Raging Blast series[]

For some reason, Dimps and Spike both seem to avoid putting filler characters in the Budokai series and Budokai Tenkaichi series of video games. The only two filler characters to appear in any of these games are Garlic Jr. and Pikkon, both of whom appeared in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3. However, they also both appeared in movies (Garlic Jr. in Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone and Pikkon in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn) and there are several other movie-exclusive characters in the games.

In spite of this, their character bios detail their appearances in the anime, and the Garlic Jr. Saga in Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is based on the anime, not the movie. Also, the Other World Tournament is a tournament available in some of the games, and a few other filler scenes are mentioned in character bios, such as the scene where King Cold begs Trunks for his life.

Dragon Ball: Origins series[]

The Origins series includes anime filler events. Dragon Ball: Origins makes references to when Goku went to Skull Valley, with him finding the wolf and the centipede he caught for dinner in a cave in the bonus level 1-5. The bonus level 1-6 is a reference to the filler episode "The Roaming Lake", with Goku confronting Giran as he thought Giran was the one who blocked the Mount Paozu river because Giran planned to invite his friends there, while in fact it was Goku who blocked the river early in the game (in level 1-2) to gain access to a secret cave with Bulma, but Goku only remembered this after Giran's defeat. In another bonus level (level 2-5), Oolong mentions Mount Five Element and asks Goku to bring him the special potion that exists there.

The first chapter of Dragon Ball: Origins 2 makes references to Goku having his Power Pole stolen (with a monkey stealing it, instead of a young boy) and playing with monkeys in filler episodes of the Red Ribbon Army Saga. Like in anime filler, Colonel Silver's soldiers are seen with flamethrowers and pickaxes, and Silver obtains the Dragon Ball from Pilaf before losing it. Like in the anime, in level 2-4, Android 8 does not escort Goku when he goes upstairs after Murasaki's defeat but meets him later in the Muscle Tower maze where he fights Red Ribbon soldiers. The bonus levels 2-7 and 4-5 are references to the filler episode "The Secret of Dr. Flappe". Giant Electric Eels appear in the Pirate Cave in the third chapter of the game. Like in the anime, there are three treasure chests in the Pirate Cave and the anime exclusive Treasure-Protecting God Statue is protecting them as the boss of level 3-3. In the fourth chapter of the game, like in the General Blue anime saga, King Nikochan and his servant are collecting trash at Penguin Village, and their spaceship is destroyed (by Goku, this time). Colonel Violet is robbing the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters while they are under attack by Goku in level 6-2 (Goku even confronts her), and the anime-only Pilaf's Flying Fortress appears in the final chapter of the game.

Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans[]

The events of the five last episodes of the Dragon Ball anime series, about Goku and Chi-Chi searching the Bansho Fan before their wedding, are featured in Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans. Krillin going to Chi-Chi's house to tell her what happened to Goku, and Gohan is also in the game. Everything that happens in the filler episodes "Goz and Mez" and "Princess Snake" is also in the game. Anime-only characters such as Grandma Hakkake, Annin, C-6, Princess Snake, Goz, Mez, and Gregory make appearances. Some enemies are modeled after filler characters, such as the Princess' Guards, Meadow Wizard/Spring Guard/Red Shaman modeled after Maloja, Fishmen modeled after Arqua, Tumble Bug/Fire Caterpillar/Caterpillar modeled after Caterpy, and Roundworms. Also, the movie character Broly is a secret boss in the game.