Nia Honjo, the spirited and quirky manga artist with an omniscient twist, is the ninth Spirit to appear in the Date A Live series. Known as the "Second Spirit," Nia’s vibrant personality masks a profound struggle with the truth she’s uncovered about humanity.

Her Angel, Rasiel, a divine tome of boundless knowledge, has granted her unparalleled insight into the world—but at a steep emotional cost. Her encounters with Shido Itsuka pull her from a world of 2D solace back into one of hope, even as dark memories threaten to consume her. Her unique mix of bubbly humor, otaku obsessions, and deep-seated trauma make her a complex and compelling character in the Ecchiverse.

Personality & Appearance

Credits: Studio AIC Plus+

Nia Honjo’s personality bursts with playful energy and mischievous humor. As an avid otaku and professional manga artist, she embraces her hobbies with unbridled enthusiasm, nicknaming the Spirits after popular tropes and geeking out over her favorite series. Yet, Nia’s cheerful exterior hides a profound distrust of humanity, developed after her Angel revealed the dark truths about people she once loved. 

This disillusionment led her to withdraw emotionally, treating real-life interactions as if she were engaging with NPCs in a game. Despite this, she clings to the hope of finding someone who can break through her barriers, and her bond with Shido rekindles a desire to reconnect with the world.

Appearance-wise, Nia is striking, with short ash-gray hair and vibrant turquoise eyes that glint with a mixture of mischief and melancholy. Her Astral Dress, Yod, resembles a modernized nun's habit, featuring ink-black semi-transparent fabric that accentuates her figure. The dress has manga panel motifs, a pen-tip collar, and a bejeweled cross hanging from her waist, all reflecting her artistic passions. When not in Spirit form, Nia is often seen wearing unfussy, tomboyish clothes and her signature dark red glasses.

Powers & Abilities

Credits: Studio AIC Plus+

Nia’s powers center around the vast knowledge granted by her Angel, Rasiel, making her a living encyclopedia with the ability to rewrite reality.

• Angel: Rasiel: Rasiel is an S-ranked tome that grants Nia omniscient knowledge. Described as a “super-powered search engine,” it can reveal any fact about the world, past or present, but not future events or inner thoughts. Its utility is immense but not infallible, as it requires conscious direction and cannot predict or prevent unforeseen threats.
  
  • Future Entry: By writing or illustrating future events in Rasiel, Nia can make them a reality. However, this ability is not absolute, and powerful Spirits or unforeseen variables can disrupt her written future.
  • MARIA: With newfound strength, Nia manifests MARIA, an AI born from Rasiel and Fraxinus technology, capable of aiding her with reconnaissance and strategic combat.
  • Ashufiriya (Phantom Library): A reality-bending ability that traps targets in a fictional world of Nia’s creation, where characters assume manga and fairy tale roles. This power intertwines with Rasiel's history, blurring the lines between dream and reality.

• Inverse Form – Beelzebub: Upon inversing, Nia wields the Demon King Beelzebub, a corrupted tome that amplifies her reality-altering powers and allows her to summon shadowy creatures. In this state, her sense of self vanishes, making her a formidable but tragic adversary until Shido intervenes to restore her humanity.

Trivia

• Nia’s name, contains the character for "Two," referencing the Second Sephira, "Wisdom," in the Kabbalah.
• Her pen name, Souji Honjo, cleverly incorporates this numerical theme, emphasizing her position as the Second Spirit.
• Rasiel's name means "Keeper of Secrets" or "Angel of Mysteries," befitting Nia's omniscient abilities.
• Despite her love for manga, she detests spoilers passionately and will only spoil things as a last resort when provoked.
• Nia is an avid drinker and keeps her kitchen stocked with alcohol, preferring take-out over home-cooked meals unless Shido’s culinary skills are involved.
• Her Astral Dress, Yod, is derived from the first letter of the Tetragrammaton, linking to her divine theme.
• Before her current manga, "Silver Bullet," she wrote a horror-action series called Nechronica.
• Nia represents anthropomorphic leaked information, highlighting her struggle with unwanted knowledge.