The Bount arc in Bleach wasted 45 episodes on boring new villains. It stalled the main story and did not make me care about the cast at all. Filler usually just kills the show's pacing for no good reason. I tried watching it and ended up taking a long break from the series.

Man, you're SO right about filler getting a bad rap! I forced myself through the Bount arc in Bleach once and yeah, some of it drags, but those random downtime episodes with the whole squad just hanging out? GOLD. What was the one filler arc or side story that actually made you go, "Okay, THIS is why it matters"? Like, when did it really click for you that it wasn't just wasting time?

Yeah, heard a mechanic say scanners miss the simple stuff sometimes.