REVIEW: ‘Wonder Egg Priority,’ Episode 9 – “A Story No One Knows”

Content Warning: Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 includes euthanasia

Last time on Wonder Egg Priority, viewers got a recap of the first seven episodes. While fans might feel that a recap episode was unnecessary, I personally found it helpful. Wonder Egg Priority tends to be a meaty show with lots of tangled bits of plot. Speaking of plot, let’s get into this week’s episode. Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9, “A Story No One Knows” kicks off with some classic Wonder Egg Priority-style comedy when Neiru…invites the girls to hang out at her house. Don’t worry: she’s not sick, nor has she lost her company. Rather, she just wants to spend time with her friends. 

Post-OP, viewers are dropped directly into Neiru’s bustling business and an interesting scene. You see, using the tech developed by Neiru’s, Miss Tanabe Misaki –Neiru’s secretary that we met in episode 2– has analyzed her brain waves. Of course, in doing so, she can see Neiru’s dreams.

Neiru’s very vivid dreams. Of course, those images on the screen aren’t just mere dreams. The dreamscapes the girls fight in are caught in-between Reality and Dreaming, in that strange, liminal space where anything can happen. It’s there that the egg quartet -especially Neiru- toss themselves into danger. We’ve seen the girls do that since episode 1, to varying degrees. Thankfully, to Miss Misaki, Neiru’s dreams are simply dreams, and the girl’s secret lives as heroes are safe… for now.

There’s no time to sit with what this technology might reveal because Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 quickly turns into a Neiru-centric episode. A treat, if there ever was one. And trust me, dear reader, it’s a really good episode. Actually, I think it would be better to call this episode powerful if anything. Impactful, too.

At first, Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 seems fairly rote: we get a few tidbits of the plot, but mostly, the first part is spent watching the girls be everyday teenagers. They even cook takoyaki together, which is just like, peak snack food. In many ways, Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 feels like it’s going to be a lot like episode 7: simple, but pleasant, with tidbits of plot development.  Then Neiru, her secretary, and the entirety of Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 drop some heavy plot into the mix, all of which I’ll leave up to you to see for yourself. I think this episode is best going in without too much prior information.

What I will say in regards to Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9’s plot development is that the foreshadowing we get about Neiru and the Egg World really sets up the final three episodes to be dynamic, game-changing ones. There’s a whole new element of the Egg World that gets introduced and while I like it…I’ll admit I’m a bit anxious about what will come of it. It could pull a Puella Magi Madoka Magica and hurt these girls, more than help them.

One of my fears about Wonder Egg Priority has been just that: that it’ll hurt the girls instead of helping them. In episode 5, I expressed a concern that the plot would try and subvert itself. Really, that Wonder Egg Priority would pull some mess and ultimately hurt the girls rather than heal them. That’s still a thought in the back of my mind, especially in Wonder Egg Episode 9.

Thankfully, the plot points dropped in Wonder Egg Episode 9 hint more at a dynamic climax than a painful ending. So far, I’ve trusted the staff of Wonder Egg Priority with the egg quartet. In fact, I think the show has handled its complex and quite heavy plot rather well. It’s hard to imagine the show mishandling the girls this late in the game. Hopefully, we won’t have to witness that.

One of the best parts of Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 is continuing to see the girls grow closer. Riku and Ai have a lot of excellent back and forth, as does the group as a whole. There’s also a lot of sweet Rika and Neiru moments, which were unexpected. Riku and Neiru tend to get along like water and oil to some degree. However, I found it nice to see them get along. Actually, it’s quite sweet to see their friendship grow.  But honestly, I love all of the friendships that have been cultivated during Wonder Egg Priority’s core.

Additionally, I really found Neiru to be an incredibly compelling young woman in this episode. It’s the first time we, as viewers, really see Neiru emote and break down. Like a lot of emotional moments in the series, it feels incredibly authentic and very heart-wrenching. A big part of me wanted to hug Neiru and tell her it’s all going to be okay. Thankfully, she has her friends to remind her of that.

Wonder Egg Priority Episode 9 marks what I would definitely call the final arc of the show. This episode certainly feels like it, carrying all the gravity of a show about to reach its climax and resolution. There’s a lot of foreshadowing hinting at what could be involved at the end of Wonder Egg Priority, though I’m keeping my theorizing for myself rather than this review.  Still, what I will say is that I truly think Wonder Egg Priority will stick the landing and be one of the most powerful shows in all of 2021, and that’s saying something since this is just Winter. I get the feeling anime fans, critics, and reviewers alike will be talking about Wonder Egg Priority throughout the entire year. I know I certainly will.

There’s still three more weeks -rather, three more episodes- of Wonder Egg Priority awaiting us, dear reader. I’m not quite sure what to expect, but as always, I remain very, very curious and anticipate a really strong ending for the show. 

Wonder Egg Priority is streaming now on Funimation.