Blue Exorcist Filler List: Every Episode to Skip or Watch Across All 73 Episodes

In 2011, the Blue Exorcist anime caught up to Kazue Kato's manga faster than anyone expected. With no second season guaranteed, Kato worked with the anime staff to write an original ending for the show. Episodes 18 through 25 of Season 1 aren't padding or side quests. They're a full alternate conclusion, complete with a Satan confrontation the manga hadn't reached yet. When Kyoto Saga arrived six years later, it picked up from episode 17 and acted like those eight episodes never happened.

Every single episode of Blue Exorcist filler lives in Season 1. Seasons 2 through 4 (Kyoto Saga through The Blue Night Saga, which wrapped in March 2025) are 100% manga canon. Clear that first season and you've got 48 straight episodes with nothing to skip. The English dub of Beyond the Snow Saga finished its Toonami run in early 2026, the manga resumed serialization in July 2026, and most existing guides haven't been updated in years. Here's the complete Blue Exorcist filler list across all 73 episodes.

Blue Exorcist Quick Stats

The No-Filler Cut: Your Fastest Path Through Blue Exorcist

If you're speed-running and just want the episode numbers, here they are. These are all 10 Blue Exorcist filler episodes you can skip without losing a single plot thread:

Episodes 6, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

Episode 6 (The Phantom Chef) and Episode 11 (Demon of the Deep Seas) are harmless standalone stories. Episodes 18-25 are the bigger deal: an entire anime-original ending that Kyoto Saga and every subsequent season completely ignore. Skip all eight for the manga-canon path, or revisit them later as a standalone what-if.

One more thing: episodes 1-3 and 16-17 carry a "mixed canon/filler" label on most databases, but they are NOT skippable. The first three introduce Rin, Yukio, Father Fujimoto, and Gehenna Gate. Episodes 16-17 are the last canon handoff before the anime goes its own way. Don't cut any of these five just because the word "filler" is attached.

Blue Exorcist Filler List: The Complete Breakdown

All Blue Exorcist filler is concentrated in Season 1. The tables below list only filler and mixed episodes, since those are the ones where you need to make a call.

Exorcist Cram School Enrollment Arc (Episodes 1-10)

Rin's early days at True Cross Academy are mostly clean canon, with one standalone filler episode and three mixed episodes that carry the "filler" tag despite being essential viewing.

Exorcist Candidate Live Combat Arc (Episodes 11-17)

The Exwire training intensifies through this stretch, and only one episode is pure filler. The two mixed episodes at the end are your last canon handoff before the anime goes its own way.

Anime-Original Ending (Episodes 18-25)

The anime diverges entirely from the manga at episode 18 and builds its own conclusion. Kyoto Saga and every subsequent season ignore this storyline completely.

Skip the full block for the manga-canon path. If curious, come back after Kyoto Saga when the non-canon status can't confuse you.

Seasons 2-4: Filler-Free Territory

Once you clear Season 1, the filler is over. Kyoto Saga (12 episodes), Shimane Illuminati Saga (12 episodes), Beyond the Snow Saga (12 episodes), and The Blue Night Saga (12 episodes) are all direct manga adaptations. Zero filler. That's 48 consecutive canon episodes running from 2017 through March 2025.

Secretly Peak: Filler Episodes Worth Your Time

Blue Exorcist only has 10 filler episodes, but the ones worth revisiting aren't the ones you'd guess from a database label. The anime-original ending has Kato's fingerprints on it, and the "mixed" episodes that get flagged as partially filler are actually the backbone of the series.

Episode 6: The Phantom Chef

Rin Okumura can cook, and if you've watched further into the series, you know it becomes a genuine character trait, not a one-off gag. Episode 6 is where the anime first leans into it. Rin clashes with Yukio over Cram School lunches and turns a low-stakes cooking contest into a personality showcase. Not essential, but it adds warmth to Rin's early characterization that the canon episodes don't pause for.

The Anime-Original Ending as a Standalone What-If (Episodes 18-25)

Kazue Kato had a hand in writing the anime-original ending. When the 2011 anime outpaced the manga, A-1 Pictures and Kato collaborated on an original conclusion because nobody was confident a second season would happen. The result is eight episodes where Rin confronts Satan directly, Yukio's identity crisis gets a full arc, and the Exwires rally after Rin's secret is exposed. Kato revisited every one of these themes in the canon manga years later, particularly in the Beyond the Snow and Blue Night sagas. As canon, these episodes are dead. As an alternate ending, they're a fascinating rough draft of ideas Kato spent a decade refining.

Fake Skip Alert: Episodes 1-3

Scan any Blue Exorcist filler list, and you'll see episodes 1, 2, and 3 tagged "mixed canon/filler." A first-timer might reflexively skip to episode 4. Rin discovers he's the son of Satan in these episodes. Father Fujimoto dies at Gehenna Gate. The entire premise of the series locks into place. The "mixed" label exists because database methodology counts any anime-original addition as filler contamination, but the core story beats come straight from the manga's opening chapters. Skipping these means skipping the show.

The Hot Take: Kazue Kato's Rough Draft Lives in the Filler

Most anime filler exists because a studio needed to buy time. Blue Exorcist's filler exists because a creator tried to end her own story early.

The character conflicts at the center of the anime-original arc (Rin grappling with Satan's legacy, Yukio fracturing under the weight of his identity, the Exwires choosing loyalty over fear) all reappear in the manga's later arcs with more nuance. The Blue Night Saga covers the same thematic ground with 120 chapters of buildup behind it. Calling the anime-original ending "just filler" flattens something more interesting. It's closer to a proof of concept for the emotional climax Kato spent years refining.

The "make it canon" contingent is small, and they know they're outnumbered. They're not wrong that something real lives in those eight episodes, though.

Survive Season 1 and the Path Burns Blue

The Blue Exorcist filler list tells a simple story. In 2011, the anime ran out of road and improvised an ending because nobody was sure the show would survive. It came back six years later with a hard reset and a commitment to the manga that hasn't wavered since. Three full seasons of pure adaptation followed between 2024 and 2025, covering the Illuminati conspiracy, Yukio's collapse, and the truth behind the Blue Night.

Every episode of filler lives in that first uncertain season. Get past it, and the path ahead burns clean for 48 straight episodes.

If you're keeping up with seasonal anime and filler guides that don't pad the word count, the Kaminari newsletter drops weekly. Worth a look if this guide helped you plan your watch.

FAQ

How many filler episodes does Blue Exorcist have?

The full Blue Exorcist filler list includes 10 pure filler episodes (6, 11, and 18-25) and 5 mixed canon/filler episodes (1-3 and 16-17), all within Season 1. Seasons 2 through 4 contain zero filler.

Can I skip Blue Exorcist episodes 18-25?

Yes. Kyoto Saga picks up directly from episode 17 and treats episodes 18-25 as though they don't exist. Come back to them later as a standalone alternate ending if you're curious.

Does Blue Exorcist have any filler after Season 1?

No. Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga are all 100% manga canon. The last filler episode aired in October 2011.

Is the Blue Exorcist movie canon?

The movie is not part of the manga's continuity. It draws partial inspiration from a spin-off one-shot, but the plot is anime-original. Watch it as a bonus after you know the main cast, not as a required step in the timeline.

What's the best order to watch Blue Exorcist?

Season 1 episodes 1-17, then Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Beyond the Snow Saga, and The Blue Night Saga. Skip episodes 18-25 on your first watch. OVAs and the movie are optional.