English Dub Review: Wonder Egg Priority “The Domain of Children” ; “The Terms of Friendship”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Eggs are great, but not all eggs are the same. That’s what Ai Ohto learns as Wonder Egg Priority begins and she’s transported to a strange wakening dream/reality in which she has the potential power to bring her best friend Koito back from the dead. It’s unknown territory, but Ai is desperate to escape her own troubles… and save Koito in the process.

Our Take:

Wonder Egg Priority was an unknown quantity coming into this season. Helmed by a relatively fresh crew and boasting an original storyline written by a guy who had never written for anime before, nobody was sure what to expect. Luckily, Wonder Egg is a good egg, with many declaring it to be one of the best shows of the season during its first couple weeks. And while there may be a drop in its appeal as the season progresses, there’s no denying that in its debut episodes, Wonder Egg Priority is somewhat of a masterpiece.

It all starts with an intriguing setup. The Domain of Children is an excellent use of that classic storytelling adage of ‘show don’t tell’. We’re thrown into the egg world right beside Ai, and don’t know any more than she does about what’s going on. This is a great way to hook viewers in, though it may have its downsides as the story goes on. (I’ve watched eleven episodes of the subtitled version, but no spoilers!)

There’s so much going on in these first two episodes that it can be a little overwhelming. There’s suspicious teachers, suicidal teenagers, and of course, magical eggs that may or may not have the power to bring people back from the dead. Wonder Egg promises a lot of things, but only time will tell if it delivers on its threads.

Regardless of where the story goes down the road, this is one of the best looking shows around right now. Everything from the art direction to the character acting is well crafted and feels cohesive, making WEP a joy to watch.

As for the dub, I was pleasantly surprised. Funimation dubs are normally hit or miss for me, and WEP is such a unique show that I had no idea what to expect. Mikaela Krantz has a long list of credits, but I think this is the first time I’ve heard her in a starring role, and she absolutely kills it as Ai. Even in these initial episodes, she has to jump between deep lows and massive highs, and she does it wonderfully. This is one of the few dubs that I could potentially recommend over the sub.

Wonder Egg Priority was one of the most hyped shows when it first premiered earlier this year, and I’m happy to report that the English dub is a worthy translation with great acting and writing that doesn’t deviate from the original script while sounding natural at the same time. Funimation has cooked this egg’s dub to perfection, and I highly recommend you climb onboard for this ride.