Who Is Loki?

In the DanMachi (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?) anime and light novel series, Loki is a fun-loving, tomboyish Goddess who leads one of the most powerful and prominent factions in the city of Orario. Loki is the head and patron deity of the Loki Familia, an exploration-focused Familia renowned for its skill and for being the current record holders for going the deepest into the dungeon. The Loki Familia is a central element of the DanMachi universe, serving as friendly rivals to the main character Bell Cranel's Hestia Familia and often taking the lead in major dungeon exploration storylines, particularly in the spin-off series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Sword Oratoria.

Appearance

Loki is a fun-loving and tomboyish goddess with a distinctive physical appearance. She has red fox eyes and  light red hair, typically tied back in a simple ponytail, though she sometimes wears it in a stylish bun. Loki is well-known in the series for having a very flat chest, which is a running gag and a frequent source of teasing from other characters like Hestia. 

Loki embraces a tomboyish style and is usually seen in male or gender-neutral attire. She commonly wears a blue tank top or bra-like top that shows off her stomach, little blue or black denim shorts and boots suitable for utility and an active lifestyle.

In formal or important situations, she might wear different outfits, but her casual, practical look is her signature style. Known as the "Trickster" god, her personality is playful and mischievous, matching her informal and unpretentious appearance.

Personality

In the DanMachi series, Loki is a fun-loving, mischievous, and tomboyish goddess who fully embraces her title as a "Trickster".  Her personality is characterized by her playfulness and mischievousness, though this is often a facade for her shrewd and observant nature.

Loki enjoys causing chaos and having fun at the expense of others. In her time in Heaven, the gods were often victims of her jokes, though she has "mellowed out" since forming her Familia. She is notably unconcerned with traditional feminine appearances, dressing frequently in male attire like jeans and a shirt.

Loki has a prominent playful, lustful side towards women, often flirting with or groping attractive females, particularly Ais Wallenstein. She maintains a long-standing, comical rivalry with Hestia, frequently mocking her small Familia and her oversized chest, while Hestia in turn makes fun of Loki's own smaller bust size.

Despite her trickster nature, she deeply values the members of her Familia and has grown into a more responsible patron for them, specifically after recruiting her top executives Finn Deimne, Riveria Ljos Alf, and Gareth Landrock. Loki is intelligent and capable, often seen involved in the behind-the-scenes politics of Orario and making strategic decisions for her Familia's success.

Background

Before descending to the mortal world (Gekai), Loki was known for her playful and chaotic nature, embracing her "Trickster" nickname. It is implied she was as savage as her Norse mythology counterpart but mellowed out after arriving in Orario and forming her Familia. The gods in Heaven were often victims of her jokes, and she was even known to have killed a fellow deity just to pass the time. 

While she is female, the idea of the God Loki being a male comes from other Asgardian gods in-universe who mistook her for a man due to her flat chest and tomboyish style. Loki came to the lower world to escape the boredom of Heaven and arrived in Orario, the city of adventurers, to cause some chaos and have fun. Early on, she encountered Finn Deimne, Riveria Ljos Alf, and Gareth Landrock. 

With these three strong individuals as her initial core members, she formed the Loki Familia. 

The familia quickly became one of the most prominent factions, focusing on teamwork and deep dungeon exploration. They played a key role in the events that led to the banishment of the Zeus and Hera Familias fifteen years prior to the main storyline, thus becoming a dominant force in Orario alongside the Freya Familia. 

Loki's personal story is not one of a hero's journey, but rather the story of a mischievous deity who finds purpose and genuine care in leading a powerful group of adventurers and navigating the complex world of Orario politics and dungeon exploration.

Powers and Abilities

In the DanMachi universe, the gods seal most of their true power (Arcanum) upon descending to the Lower World as part of a covenant. As a result, Loki as a goddess isn't a frontline fighter but possesses powerful innate divine traits, primarily her Cunning and a unique ability to detect lies from other Gods, making her a formidable trickster, much like Hermes. She's the mischievous leader, guiding one of Orario's strongest groups through strategy rather than direct combat, using her intellect to outmaneuver rivals.

Primary Abilities in the Lower World

• Cunning and Observation: Loki's primary "ability" in the Lower World is her sharp intellect, shrewdness, and observant nature. She is highly adept at deducing complex situations and is a master tactician who works hard to ensure her Familia stays at the top of Dungeon exploration.

• Lie Detection (Gods only): Loki, as a trickster deity, possesses an innate ability to detect lies from other gods. This is a natural divine trait that cannot be sealed, as mortals cannot lie in front of gods anyway, but gods can lie to each other. This makes it impossible for another deity to easily trick her.

• Falna Granting: Like other gods, Loki has the unique ability to bestow a Falna (Blessing) upon mortals. This links her blood to her Familia members, drawing out their inner potential and allowing them to grow stronger through gaining experience (Excelia).

• Leadership and Guidance: While not a magical power, her strong love for her children and her ability to nurture their growth are core to her function in the story, driving her more serious endeavors.

Potential (Sealed) Abilities

As a deity, Loki has a wide range of divine abilities (Arcanum) that she must seal per the rules established when descending from Heaven. If unleashed, these powers would be god-tier abilities with the potential to destroy the world. Specific potential (sealed) abilities, as inferred from general godly powers and her domain as a trickster, include:

• Shapeshifting/Disguise: In her original mythos and as mentioned by some in-world discussions, Loki's status as a trickster would likely involve the power to transform her appearance. While she cannot change her fundamental being in the Lower World (hence her inability to increase her bust size), her full divine power in Heaven would include significant transformation abilities.

• Soul Manipulation/Creation/Destruction: The gods generally possess a wide range of basic divine abilities, including the power to manipulate souls, create or destroy things, and heal, which are all sealed in the Lower World.

• Omniscience (Limited): Similar to Freya's "Divine Mirror" ability, which allows her to see any place in the Lower World she wants, Loki would likely have some form of divine sight or omniscience related to her domain that she generally doesn't use or cannot use without unleashing her Arcanum.

Goals and Reputation

Loki's main goals revolve around her Familia, the Loki Familia. She strives to maintain her Familia's position as one of the strongest and most prominent factions in Orario, particularly in the critical area of Dungeon exploration, while supporting her children’s dreams. Loki genuinely loves her Familia members and takes great pride in their growth and achievements. She actively supports their personal ambitions, such as helping Finn Deimne achieve his goal of becoming a true hero.

The Loki Familia is a faction focused on exploring the Dungeon, and they hold records for the deepest exploration among current factions. Loki backs their expeditions to conquer deeper floors and handle the major threats within. On a more personal, comedic level, she has a long-standing, often hostile, rivalry with Hestia, frequently bickering over their respective Familia members (Bell and Ais) and Hestia's well-endowed figure. 

Loki is a well-known figure, both for her power and her eccentricities. Despite her playful and sometimes childish antics, she is known to be a shrewd, observant, and capable leader who can become serious and commanding when necessary. Other Gods respect her sharp mind and ability to maneuver complex situations, such as the Denatus.

The Loki Familia is widely recognized as an elite and powerful group, often seen as second only to the Freya Familia until the latter's disbandment. The general population of Orario holds her Familia in high regard and respect. She lives up to her title, known for her lecherous advances towards her own members (particularly Ais Wallenstein), playful nicknames, excessive drinking, and general tomfoolery. This public persona often masks her deeper, more serious dedication to her Familia's welfare.

While the Freya Familia was often seen as oppressive or arrogant, the Loki Familia generally maintained the city's respect by focusing on their own path of dungeon exploration and not forcing others to conform to their whims.

Loki herself is loved by many fans for her shrewdness, loyalty to her children (whom she genuinely loves and supports), and playful, perverted antics, despite her occasional childishness. While popular, her perverted behavior can be a turn-off for some viewers, and some felt her trickster aspects were underutilized in the anime's initial depictions.