WONDER EGG PRIORITY: My Priority

WONDER EGG PRIORITY: My Priority is a deeply psychological and surreal drama that masterfully integrates elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery, offering a unique exploration of adolescent trauma and grief. The narrative centers on Ai Ohto, a 14-year-old girl who has retreated into isolation following the tragic suicide of her close friend, Koito Nagase. Ai's life takes a radical turn when a mysterious entity guides her to an abandoned arcade and presents her with a magical egg. Upon cracking this egg, Ai is thrust into a vibrant yet perilous alternate dimension known as the 'Wonder Egg World.' In this reality, she is tasked with protecting the manifested spirits of other girls who committed suicide, confronting monstrous manifestations of the trauma and societal pressures they faced, known as 'Wonder Killers.' The promise offered is tantalizing: successfully saving enough souls may grant her the opportunity to resurrect Koito. Ai soon encounters three other girls engaged in the same desperate mission: the guarded and pragmatic Neiru Aonuma, the street-smart and passionate Rika Kawai, and the empathetic and determined Momoe Sawaki. Their combined struggles form the emotional core of the series, navigating themes of bullying, societal isolation, survivor’s guilt, and complex gender identity issues. This CloverWorks production is distinguished by its stunning visual execution and its mature, nuanced approach to tackling profoundly difficult subjects, setting a new benchmark for emotional storytelling in modern anime.

WONDER EGG PRIORITY presents a technically proficient and artistically ambitious endeavor, spearheaded by the remarkable animation quality delivered by Studio CloverWorks. The visual direction is consistently stunning, employing fluid action choreography during confrontations with the Wonder Killers and utilizing a vibrant, symbolic color palette to convey intense psychological states. Character design, handled by Saki Takahashi, is expressive and distinctive, perfectly reflecting the youthful vulnerability of the protagonists. The story pacing, however, proves to be the most contentious element; while the initial episodic structure dedicated to individual trauma is highly effective and emotionally impactful, the latter half of the series introduces complex lore elements that feel rushed and insufficiently developed, culminating in an ending that sacrifices narrative coherence for thematic ambiguity. The voice acting ensemble, particularly Rina Hidaka as Ai Ohto, delivers performances that are deeply resonant and crucial for grounding the surreal narrative in genuine emotion. The sound design complements the dreamlike setting, enhancing the tension and melancholy. Despite some structural weaknesses in the final arc, the series excels in its character development and its mature exploration of challenging themes, establishing it as a significant, though flawed, achievement in modern psychological anime.