James Nicoll Reviews

Eniale & Dewiela, Volume 1 is the first volume of three that collect Kamome Shirahama’s modern fantasy manga series. Eniale & Dewiela was serialized in Fellows! from 2012 to 2015. The English translation of volume 1 was published in 2020. Whereas Shirahama’s Witch Hat Atelier is a drama, Eniale & Dewiela is comedy.

Eniale is a low-ranked angel, forever determined to better the world. Dewiela is an equally low-ranked devil, forever determined to better herself. Playing as they do for opposing teams, their perpetual proximity must logically be due to their never-ending rivalry. Right?

While their differences do provoke frequent spats, the truth is that the angel and the devil are both obsessed with their jobs and both are oblivious as to the consequences of their actions. One of them officially works for the white hats and the other for the black hats, but both leave carnage in their wake. Oh, and blond Eniale wears more modest clothing than dark-haired Dewiela [1].

Shared interests ensure that the pair end up working together as often as they squabble. Whether they are trying to locate an abandoned baby’s mother, exploring the exciting world of Parisian fashion, responding to a grieving girl’s pleas for someone to save her dying mother, or simply looking for a perfect spa day, Eniale and Dewiela respond as a team.

Usually.

~oOo~

Yes, as with The Meister of Decimen City, Eniale & Dewiela concerns protagonists who combine power with an inability to foresee outcomes. The fact that I read two books back-to-back that share that element is pure coincidence. I picked up this manga because I wanted more of that good good Witch Hat Atelier enjoyment. Which this manga does provide.

Unlike many works that draw on Christian mythology, Eniale & Dewiela doesn’t leave God off-stage and ignore the perennial question of why, if God is all powerful, she doesn’t prevent evil. God makes an early appearance in the manga … as a deadbeat dad who only belatedly thinks to address the matter of his latest Bastard. It’s clear this is a recurring issue with God. Devout Christians are advised to avoid considering the theological implications.

Likewise, the devout may want to ignore the fact that while devils are malevolent (or at least profit-oriented and indifferent to externalities), angels are kind but largely ineffectual. Dewiela is able to make things happen in exchange for a human soul. Eniale’s problem-solving methods are much slower and don’t always produce tangible outcomes.

This is an early Shirahama work, predating her Witch Hat Atelier series. Whereas Witch Hat is very serious business, this is all zany schemes and wacky outcomes that must be utterly terrifying to humans [2]. No doubt my failure to appreciate this manga is due to profound personal failings on my part and not because the two leads are annoying ditzes.

Shirahama’s art is always eye-catching. While the comedy was not to my taste, perusing the manga was a pleasure.

Eniale & Dewiela, Volume 1 is available here (Amazon US), here (Amazon Canada), here (Amazon UK), here (Apple Books), here (Barnes & Noble), and here (Chapters-Indigo).

1: Her clothing choices may suggest that Dewiela may engage in a spot of succubism, but if you say that to her face … things will go badly for you.

2: There’s some seriousness here. The author has done her demonology homework and is eager to show it off.