Trauma and depression are some causes of someone committing suicide. Sometimes, understanding other people's feelings can be the hardest thing. Often, humans also tend and are insensitive to ignore the conditions that other people experience. This issue is the main topic of Wonder Egg Priority. The series has indeed become one of the anime that captivates the eye. Anime fans most anticipate it in early 2021. The original anime from the CloverWorks studio was released on January 13, 2021. With a portion of 12 episodes and 1 special episode, the anime, which takes the psychology and drama genre, will invite the audience to see the struggles of the heroes—teenage girls to combat suicidal ideation.
What is the connection of eggs with suicide and depression? At the story's beginning, Wonder Egg Priority focuses on Ai Ooto. She has heterochromia, which makes her eye color different from a cat. Because of her strange eye color, she was bullied by her friends at school and became a loner. She then meets Koito, the only girl who wants to be her friend. But their happiness did not last long because Koito committed suicide in front of Ai. Losing her figure of a good friend, she again closed herself off from the world and even decided to stop going to school.
One day, Ai finds a mysterious place. She was directed to buy a gacha egg. The egg gives Ai something that Ai wants, namely friends. After buying eggs and going home, Ai finds herself in a dream world. She is required to crack the gacha eggs that she bought. The egg contains another girl, and Ai must protect them from the Wonder Killer, the most significant trauma of the girl in the egg. If she manages to kill Wonder Killer before the allotted time runs out, she can resurrect her friend, Koito, to life again.
Wonder Egg Priority does have a confusing storyline in the early half. However, everything becomes more connected when the audience has watched until the middle. Taking the theme of adolescent psychology, the anime creates a moral message. Its storyline looks attractive with a touch of fantasy in the hyperrealism style. The eggs protected by Ai and her friends are nothing but representations of teenagers who commit suicide for various reasons, such as harsh treatment from those closest to them, bullying, and sexual harassment. The dominant figure of Wonder Killer as a monster also illustrates the trauma and source of depression that the girls have to face once again. In-depth, the anime also invites the audience not to ignore the people around them and appreciate life more.
Despite its exciting storytelling, the anime still has a lot of unanswered signatures, even after watching the entire episode. The ending of Wonder Egg Priority is ambiguous because most of the audience's curiosity about several things doesn't seem to get a more detailed explanation.
Ai Ooto is told to become increasingly isolated and more traumatized after Koito's death. She believes that Koito's death was caused by a lack of care for her best friend. However, after several times protecting other girls in the dream world, Ai also slowly understands the various reasons these girls commit suicide. The emergence of a sense of wanting to protect also makes Ai's character grow as the story progresses. She seems to be more candid and cheerful from what she was talking about and likes to shut herself up.
Not alone, Ai ends up making friends with three other girls who happen to also buy eggs with their motivations, from the quiet Neiru who wants to resurrect her sister, the cheerful Rika who wants to resurrect one of her fans, to Momoe who wants to resurrect her best friend. These three girls also have their dilemmas and become close because they have almost the same fate, overshadowed by guilt.
Wonder Egg Priority could be one of the best anime made by CloverWorks in terms of design. Unlike other psychology genre anime, the show in terms of graphic design is made with a bright depiction with lots of bright colors applied. As a result, many viewers were fooled into thinking that the anime originally had a slice of life genre.
Not unique coloring, the designs of each character are also made iconic and represent their respective traits with just one look. Ai's character, for example, often wears a yellow hoodie and shorts, which is perfect for her cheerful personality. Neiru, who has exotic skin and often wears skirts, always looks elegant and intelligent. Rika, who wears jeans, a jacket, and has blonde hair, explains her slightly rebellious and cheerful character. There is also Momoe, who often looks like a man, so that her gender often invites many people to ask questions.
Not only do designs spoil the eye, but the anime also provides exciting battle scenes complete with neat and dynamic animations. The design and animation of Wonder Egg Priority are considered one of the best of the anime released in 2021.
Anemoneria's song Sudachi no Uta might sound a little more unusual and soothing, considering the opening theme is filled with uplifting songs. However, the presence of the song as the opening of each episode feels more like relaxation before watching the audience watch. Some anime fans may also be familiar with the song. The song was composed in 1965 by Shiro Murano and Saburo Iwakawa. The song is also often sung at graduation ceremonies at school. Besides Wonder Egg Priority, the song is also the ending theme for the 2011 anime Nichijou.
Following the opening song, which has a calming and calm tone, the ending song, entitled Life is Cider, also provides a pleasant finishing touch for the audience of Wonder Egg Priority. This song, sung by Anemoneria, has a suitable and vibrant beat to fill an anime where the main characters are a group of teenage girls.
Wonder Egg Priority presents the story of Ai and her friends who struggle to save other girls from the trauma that makes them commit suicide. Although the storyline is added a slight fantasy element, the problem of teenagers who become the main topic has been conveyed very well by the director and screenwriter.
Shin Wakabayashi, the director, has worked chiefly on key animation in anime throughout his career, such as Darling in the Franxx, Toradora!, and Owarimonogatari. Meanwhile, Shinji Nojima, the screenwriter, is also well-known as one of the screenwriters who has written many TV drama scripts in Japan, such as the dramas Born To Be A Flower, Love Shuffle, and Our House. Combining their experiences into work, both succeeded in making Wonder Egg Priority an anime with meaning, indirectly awakening the audience to appreciate life more.
The presence of Wonder Egg Priority does have a different impression on each of its audiences. Even so, the anime teaches many valuable lessons, from appreciating life to understanding everyone's feelings. The anime is very well made. The storyline is also unique, complete with songs and indulgent animation designs.
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