This recommendation is an obvious one: Wonder Egg Priority has been compared to Puella Magi Madoka Magica several times, the dark magical girls’ anime that deconstructed the genre. We don’t want to reveal too much, but Madoka, the titular character, starts out as a naive middle school student who is given the option by Kyuubey, a magical being, to become a magical girl to fulfill her wish. In return, she has to collect Grief Seeds by destroying monsters called witches. But, Madoka is urged by her classmate Homura not to accept this deal, and she will soon find out why.

Even though Wonder Egg Priority is not a magical girl anime, it would not have been possible without Madoka’s release a decade ago. There is a, possibly, unfair deal, where girls have to engage in terrible fights to fulfill their wishes. Adults cannot protect them, because in Wonder Egg adults are usually the enemies, while in Madoka they are mostly bystanders. The witches in Madoka are designed to reflect their traits, in a similar way to the Wonder Killers, whose looks are related to their crimes. Also, the pendants the girls get in Wonder Egg Priority look very similar to the soul gems the magical girls receive in Madoka.

The surreal settings, the cute designs with bright colors, and the mystery and horror elements connect both anime, as parts of the same lineage. And, let’s not forget about the power of friendship, which is key in both series. We recommend diving in Madoka without any spoilers for an unforgettable experience.

Back in 2016, there was an anime that went largely unnoticed by the audience but was praised by critics all over. In Flip Flappers, Cocona, a withdrawn school girl, meets Papika, an adventurous, hyper, and mysterious girl who asks her to join the organization Flip Flap. Together, they enter Pure Illusion, a magical world full of color. Their mission is to collect crystal shards but they are not the only ones with this objective. A rival organization competes with them, so Cocona and Papika are forced to work on their connection to have any chance of success.

Flip Flappers is an explosion of color, magic, and surrealism. Influenced by fairy tales, Flip Flappers tells the story of adolescent girls creating bonds, finding family, redefining what love means to them, and overcoming their limitations. Pure Illusion is the ultimate dreamland, while the girls in Wonder Egg Priority only have access to the fight terrains in their sleep. Shy Cocona, like Ai, has to re-enter Pure Illusion and fight for her friend, while knowing very little about the organization she works for. You will also love the combat scenes, which resemble Wonder Egg Priority’s stunning visuals. Cocona’s pet Uexküll is the series’ mascot, which often saves the day, like Rika’s turtle. Finally, if your best girl is Rika, there is Yayaka, who looks a lot like her!

Sorao and Toriko enter the Otherside, an alternate reality, home of eerie creatures that communicate with humans through fear, inspired by creepypasta stories and urban legends. Toriko brings back artifacts which she sells to Kozakura, a reclusive researcher. At the same time, she is looking for her friend Satsuki, who got lost in the Otherside. Sorao and Toriko’s bodies get altered after an encounter with the creature Wiggle Waggle and they are now able to deal with hidden enemies.

Otherside Picnic is a sci-fi anime posing many similarities to Wonder Egg Priority: the main characters enter an alternate reality and face unknowable dangers. Sorao deals with negative emotions - the first time she meets Toriko in the Otherside, she is ready to give up on her life - and Toriko feels guilty about Satsuki’s disappearance. Toriko, like Ai, and the rest of the gang in Wonder Egg, returns to this dangerous world to reconnect with her friend. Sorao’s eye gets altered, giving her heterochromia - Ai has differently colored eyes, too. Finally, Otherside Picnic follows the same structure, introducing a new monster every week.

The movie adaptation of the highly-praised manga A Silent Voice introduced anime watchers to the heartfelt story of Shouko, a deaf girl, and Shouya, her bully, and later on, her ally. Shouya and the rest of the class bully Shouko in grade school, to the point that Shouko has to change schools. Shouya takes the blame for everyone and is ostracized. We meet him again years later, battling with suicidal thoughts as a high school student. Plagued by guilt, Shouya decides to make amends and reconnect with Shouko.

A Silent Voice was produced by Kyoto Animation, an animation studio known for its attention to small details, cute-looking characters, and symbolism. Many have commented that Wonder Egg Priority has the KyoAni feel, even though it is produced by CloverWorks, with the flower symbolism giving a second layer in many scenes. A story about depression, suicide, and bullying, A Silent Voice deals with the main themes of Wonder Egg. Shouko’s difference, her disability, makes her a target, same as Ai’s heterochromia. Also, Shouya’s guilt forces him to go to great lengths to amend himself, like the Wonder Egg girls.

There is also the overall theme of society failing people who are different. A Silent Voice, while a slice of life without any magical elements, shows the effects of bullying on both victim and aggressor, along with the underlying causes. Seenoevils wear masks, while the students that isolated Shouya are shown with an X on their faces, to signify how he feels disconnected and betrayed by them. The solution again lies in connecting to others, not fighting alone. Lastly, Shouko’s sister reminds us of Ai: she skips school, wears a hoodie, and chooses to hide and sleep in the closet.

Onto another recent anime on this list, Gleipnir! Shuuichi Kagaya wants to be normal at all costs. He is a top student acting as an average one; he can also transform into a monster, which looks like a creepy mascot, without knowing how and why. When Claire confronts him, they find themselves entangled in a dark and mysterious story, where Shuuichi becomes Claire’s flesh armor...

The main characters of Gleipnir are dealing with loss, insecurity, the weirdness of adolescence, and even a suicide attempt, reminding us of Wonder Egg Priority. Claire is looking for her sister, who can also transform into a monster, but neither she nor Shuuichi know what is really going on. Also, some weird and otherworldly force is behind it all! We have to note that Gleipnir was way more fanservice than all the anime in this list combined, which suits the sexually charged transformation of Shuuichi. If you like the body horror element in your anime and wish Wonder Egg Priority had more gruesome moments, Gleipnir is a must-watch.

The Takakura siblings live alone after their parents’ passing. Kanba and Shouma take care of their sister Himari, whose critical condition can deteriorate at any moment. After a fateful encounter with a magic penguin hat, Himari becomes one with a mysterious entity that asks the brothers for the PenguinDrum, to keep their sister alive. They have to follow Ringo, a girl possessing a diary that predicts the future. But this is not the whole truth...

Penguindrum has an off-beat and surreal style, similar to Wonder Egg Priority, with heavy symbolism and a social message. Most of Kunihiko Ikuhara’s anime deal with the idea of one’s truth, how not to lie to oneself, and wider social issues. Plus, we get cute penguin mascots as stand-ins for the main cast, similar to the girls’ magical pets. Penguindrum is an anime dealing with the bonds created between people, and how these bonds can be used against them. Anyone who is not the main character, the bystanders, are literally white puppets, and look like Acca and Ura-Acca. A lot of the story is revealed through flashbacks, while we also get the Wonder girls’ backstories in parts. Overall, Penguindrum is a story about accepting the past, ourselves, and breaking out of our shells, told in a unique way.