REVIEW: ‘Eniale and Dewiela,’ Volume 3

The blasphemous duo is back for one final romp in Eniale and Dewiela Volume 3 (stylized Eniale & Dewiela), where once again the two friends’ schemes don’t go as planned. Written and drawn by Eisner-winning mangaka and cover artist for Marvel and DC, Kamome Shirahama, the manga is published in English by Yen Press. Her other work, Witch Hat Atelier, is also available in English from Kodansha USA. The story follows two best friends, angel Eniale and demon Dewiela, as they obsess over fashion, their jobs, and create utter chaos wherever they go. It is translated by Caleb D. Cook, and lettered by Abigail Blackman.

Eniale and Dewiela Volume 3 is split up into roughly two parts, and the dynamic duo actually isn’t together for most of it. This can be a bit of a bummer for fans, as a large part of the charm is these two women interacting with each other. The separation is well-justified by the plot, but the last volume not including them together a lot is a slight miss. Additionally, it makes the final confrontation/resolution feel rather abrupt. It is a good ending, but also feels as though the story just ends, without tying up all its threads. On the positive side, the separation allows readers to have a bit more one-on-one insight into each woman and their job.

Eniale continues to be the most high chaos angel known to Heaven. Because of her lazy ways and get-rich-quick schemes, she becomes restricted to Heaven in the hopes that she will actually get work done. There is a lovely chapter where trainee angel Kiriel has to spend a day working with Eniale. Through this adventure, a lot of possible stereotypes about Eniale’s character are called out. While her air-headedness and obsession with shopping often play into the series’ humor, it never feels as though it is at their expense. This is especially made clear in this chapter in Eniale and Dewiela Volume 3. You may not have to like fashion as much as Eniale, but she has legitimate reasons for why she is so passionate about it. The only time I would argue otherwise is a brief fatphobic comment. Though not a joke, the character’s weight is seen as a negative later in the manga.

On Dewiela’s side, she has teamed up with a producer who is determined to leave a legacy in live theatre. This plotline takes up multiple chapters and is fantastic. It frequently reveals that while Dewiela might be a demon and stealing people’s souls, humans may often be more cold and frightening than her. Additionally, the unsettling nature of this plotline is brought out more through Shirahama’s amazingly detailed artwork. I’ve praised it before; and now this time around, instead of just beauty, readers will stare at a human grotesquely morphed into a bird with a beak exploding out of their throat and wonder if they have suddenly stumbled into a horror manga.

The comedy still lands near-perfectly in this volume. Our foolish exorcist wields spray bottles of holy water like a cowboy in a standoff, or James Bond 007 on a mission depending on the panel. Abigail Blackman did a fantastic job with the lettering. At one point I cackled in my chair at the sight of “AR,” “MA,” “GEDDON,” spread out among three panels in a font that looked like it was part of the explosions.

Eniale and Dewiela Volume 3 has many high moments, but as a concluding volume can sometimes feel abrupt and incomplete. Shirahama’s art is consistently a sight to behold, and this is a series that is overall guaranteed to make you smile.

Eniale and Dewiela Volume 3 is available now wherever books are sold.