Why Does Lefiya Danmachi Admire Ais?

I get asked this one a lot when chatting about 'DanMachi' with friends at conventions, and I usually break it down like a little pronunciation trick I stole from listening to the Japanese audio. Say it in three beats: leh-FEE-ya. The first syllable is a short "leh" (think 'let' without the 't'), the middle syllable stretches to "FEE" (long i sound), and the last is a quick "ya". In romaji the name appears as 'Refīya', and in Japanese it's written レフィーヤ, so the flow is re-fī-ya — kind of like putting "fee" and "ya" together smoothly rather than making them separate: "fee-ya" not "fee-uh." If you like nerdy details, the phonetic-ish form is /reˈfiːja/. If you want to sound natural, listen to a clip from the show and mimic the cadence; that's what I do when I’m trying to sound authentic around other fans.

I got into this whole series through the spinoff, so Lefiya's first on-screen moment that I noticed was right at the start of 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon: Sword Oratoria'. She debuts in episode 1 of that spinoff anime (the series that follows the Loki Familia side of things), which aired in April 2017. If you watch 'Sword Oratoria' from the beginning, you’ll meet her as the timid but earnest magic user who looks up to Ais and struggles with confidence while trying to prove herself. It’s a fun bit of trivia because some people think she shows up first in the main 'DanMachi' series, but most viewers who discovered the wider cast actually encountered Lefiya through 'Sword Oratoria' first. After that spinoff introduction she pops up more broadly across the franchise, so if you want her origin on-screen, start with 'Sword Oratoria'. I still grin when I watch her early scenes — that awkward, determined energy is so relatable.

Honestly, Lefiya's voice always stands out to me — it's Alexis Tipton who voices Lefiya Viridis in the English dub of 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Sword Oratoria' (and other DanMachi-related English releases). I first noticed it when I was rewatching a fight scene late at night; Tipton gives Lefiya this hopeful, slightly shy edge that fits the character’s growth really well. If you like the dub, look for the Funimation/English release credits where her name is listed, and you can hear her performance across the spin-off episodes. For me, her delivery made some of Lefiya’s more awkward moments genuinely endearing rather than cringey, which kept me invested in the story and the companions around her.

Honestly, after bingeing both the anime and a chunk of the light novels, my gut says Ais is on another tier from Lefiya — at least for the way they approach combat. Ais is that quiet, almost flawless blade wielder who has insane battlefield instincts, speed, and endurance; she's repeatedly shown she can solo dangerous dungeon floors and take down high-grade monsters with clean, practiced strikes. Lefiya, by contrast, is a magic user whose power comes in explosive spells and utility — big-area spells, elemental bursts, and support-type casting. When distance and preparation are in her favor she can wreck things, but she tends to lack the battlefield experience and raw close-combat durability Ais has. I also think the writers deliberately set them up that way: Ais excels at solo assassination-style fights, while Lefiya shines in scenarios where spells, planning, and teamwork matter. That said, I love Lefiya’s growth arc. With focused training, better control, and fewer nerves, she could close the gap a lot. But right now? If it’s a straight one-on-one inside a dungeon corridor, I’m putting my money on Ais. If it’s an ambush from range with time to prepare, Lefiya’s magic could turn the tables — which is why this match-up is so fun to debate.

I’ve always liked how Lefiya comes off as the classic shy mage who’s secretly full of potential. In 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?' (or 'DanMachi' for short), she’s an elf who specializes in arcane spellcasting—think elemental and rune-based magic rather than swordplay. She usually fights from a distance, launching focused magic bolts, elemental blasts, and using barrier-type spells to protect herself or teammates. A staff and her grimoire are her tools; she channels mana through incantations and circles rather than raw physical strength. What makes her interesting to me is the gap between technique and power. Early on she lacks the raw mana reserves that a seasoned monster-slayer has, so she relies on clever spell combos, mid-range control spells, and support magic like shields or simple heals. As the story progresses she trains and starts to close that gap, learning more complex spellcraft and becoming more confident in offensive magic. Watching her grow feels like reading a friend get better at the game every week.

I've dug through my bookshelf and online character sheets more times than I'd like to admit, and the number that keeps coming up for Lefiya Viridis is 153 cm. That figure shows up in official character profiles tied to 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?' and its spin-off 'Sword Oratoria', so it's the one most fans treat as canon. To my eye, that height makes sense—she comes across as noticeably shorter than Ais but still taller than a lot of chibi/younger-looking characters, which matches how she's portrayed in both the novels and the anime. If you're using the height for cosplay or fan art, 153 cm places her in that comfortable, slightly petite range. I once tried to match proportions for a Lefiya cosplay and used 153 cm as my reference; it helped me decide on shoe lifts and wig length so she didn't read too tall next to an Ais cosplay. Honestly, little details like that make the whole thing feel right.

Watching 'Sword Oratoria' and then re-reading parts of the light novels made me fall in love with Lefiya's kit — not because it's the flashiest, but because it feels coherent for a young magic user who has to learn fast under pressure. Broadly speaking, her strongest spells are her reliable long-range offensive magics (think magic bolts/arrows and small focused beams) and simple area control spells. These are the ones she uses most often to support frontline fighters like Ais: they’re fast to cast and conserve mana, which suits her cautious casting style. She also shows competence with detection-type magic and smaller support enchantments — handy for scouting dungeon layouts or sensing ambushes. Defensively, Lefiya leans on barrier/ward spells and quick repositioning magic rather than heavy sustain. What I really appreciate is her skill growth: precision, mana control, and tactical versatility. She might not top the power charts, but her specialties — quick, accurate ranged spells, basic barriers, and utility detection — make her an excellent party caster. If you’re trying to portray her in tabletop play or fandom writing, focus on those strengths and how she improves them through hard work and mentorship from the Loki familia.

I'm that friend who gushes about character growth while sipping too-strong coffee late at night, and Lefiya's arc in the light novels really scratches that itch. In the early volumes of 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?' and especially in the side-story 'Sword Oratoria', she shows up as bright and eager but painfully aware of her limits. She's often overshadowed by the quiet perfection of Ais, which fuels an insecurity that feels painfully human — like watching someone who studies endlessly but still thinks they're not good enough. As the novels progress you see her internal voice change. Instead of just wondering why she isn't Ais, she starts to ask what she can be on her own terms. There are missions and setbacks that force her to make choices under pressure, and those moments do something to her posture — figuratively and literally. She learns to apply her magic more creatively, to rely on comrades, and to accept praise without immediately deflecting it. By later volumes she hasn't become flawless, and I love that. She becomes steadier, takes responsibility, and steps into roles that suit her temperament rather than trying to mimic someone else. Reading that slow burn felt like watching a friend learn to stand taller, which is exactly why I keep going back to these books.