REVIEW: ‘Wonder Egg Priority,’ Episode 5 – “The Girl Flautist”

Content Warning: Wonder Egg Episode 5 includes mild fantasy gore, as well as discussions of self-harm and suicidality

Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 is an anime-only series with no prior manga or other forms of media. That being said, this intense, thoughtful series about bullying, suicidality, dreams, and friendship has made its mark and is steadily on its way to being a contender for one of this season’s strongest anime.

Wonder Egg Priority Episode 4 brought Ai, Neiru, Rika, and Momoe together into an egg-toting quartet ready to save girls in the Dream World. While Wonder Egg Priority Episode 4 was slower and less action-oriented than the first three, it still hooked viewers into Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5. However, rather than returning to action in the dream world, Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 seems to want to continue building the world and the lives of our four leads.

That being said, Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 kicks off as many episodes do: with a Wonder Killer in the hellish dreamscapes the egg users so frequently escape to. This time, our point of view is through Neiru, our no-nonsense member of the egg user quartet.

As always, Wonder Egg Priority features stunning visuals, slick soundtracks, and really powerful messages. It remains a treat for both the mind and the eyes, especially as the season continues. It’s hard to believe we’re already almost to the halfway mark, yet, here we are. I still don’t know if Wonder Egg Priority will stick the landing, but honestly, I’m incredibly optimistic, especially after this bombastic episode.

Post-OP, we’re back with Ai, who’s got quite the collection of friends now. At the beginning of the series, Ai was completely alone, tucked away in dreams and her bedroom. Now, she’s got a house full of friends. Even Ai’s mother is glad to see that Ai has steadily started to bloom once more. Her enthusiasm and genuine elation are so, so joyful and so, so touching.

Viewers can’t help but notice the stark change in Ai as well. She’s slowly started to match her sunny yellow hoodie, growing more confident as she starts to poke and prod at the traumatic pain encircling her heart. Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 Ai almost feels like a different girl. Perhaps, and more realistically, she’s a girl that’s healing. That’s what the difference truly is.

Still, that being said, there’s a lot that Ai hasn’t dealt with. I imagine that in the back half of Wonder Egg Priority, we’ll delve deeper into her own problems and backstory.

A lot of Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 is info-dumping, but not in a bad way. It’s building up the quartet, filling in some gaps, fleshing them out. It comes after a heck of a lot of action, all of which laid the foundation for the narrative Wonder Egg Priority wants to tell. Some viewers might find this episode slow, or even no as engaging as the opening third. Yet I feel that Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 is necessary.

Honestly, seeing the girls bond provides really heartfelt moments, ahead of their return to the dreamscapes. Seeing them laugh, take selfies, gossip, and just generally hanging out reminds viewers that ultimately, the quartet of Wonder Egg Priority are young girls. They’re young girls who share a heavy responsibility, but also… are still kids. Kids who have been so alone and have suffered so much. Kids who have suffered so much, but continue to exist and give it their all. I find that really valuable to Wonder Egg Priority’s story.

Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5 leaves viewers on a cliffhanger of sorts, which Wonder Egg Priority seems to be really, really good at. It’s impactful, opens up a few new plot threads, and continues to push the simple fact that youth is a turbulent time that can be so, so hard. I feel for all four of the girls in Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5. Ai, Neiru, Rika, and Momoe are truly darling kiddos. You don’t want to see them hurt, but, life isn’t always like that. 

Sometimes, pain comes. Thankfully, so can healing, and I really think Wonder Egg Priority wants to see these girls healed. I certainly hope that it won’t break them though… that fear still exists. There’s plenty of time for the show to “twist” and crush these really good kids.

That all in mind, I still eagerly look forward to Wonder Egg Priority Episode 6. As I’ve said in pretty much every review, I really think this series is going somewhere important. Time will tell where that is, and if it sticks the landing. Still, after watching Wonder Egg Priority Episode 5, I’m more than confident it’ll do just that in the end.

Wonder Egg Priority is streaming now on Funimation.