Ryuu to Yuusha to Haitatsunin

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warning: the first chapter is a very bad look on what the manga really is. It makes it look like a pretty generic comedy fantasy when the main objective is expanding a bureaucratic fantasy world that follows obscure medieval rules.

The characters are in general lovely, with a very liberal art style that focuses more on impact than consistency. Everyone has a particular look that sells what their deal is but can be extremely simplified, so you can pay attention to the intricate cities and settings. Most jokes are about regular folk having their jobs structured around magic, levels, heroic deeds (performed by appointed heroes) and ... the like.

There are quite a few D&D references (for example explaining that nothing would be so hard if there were bags of holding) but the main inspiration is MMORPGS and an in depth study of medieval economies that gets expanded in an extra page at the end. I personally love that expansion detailing the research, I learned quite a bit about how hunting was banned in most of Europe even to protect your crops because the lords wanted to hunt in their woods, how wailing was done before refrigeration, and tidbits like that.

I guess that you have to already like work comedies to enjoy this twist on the genre, but I'd recommend this to any fantasy fan. I'm for sure stealing some concepts for a D&D campaign.

This is a must read for those who want good fantasy and good world building. I say those two things separately, because the manga doesn’t have the typical “fantasy world building” with deep lore and political intrigue; unless by political intrigue you mean an outrageously funny government workplace comedy like Parks and Recreation. The world building is immaculate in weaving together all the elements of sword and sorcery, actually considering how world shaking fantasy magic would affect the medieval world. This is what should be meant by a world “feeling alive”; the sense that the world would actually function, with all of our already complex ... historical human systems meshing perfectly with all the most imaginative inventions of fantasy.

The story really has it all. Its characters are beyond endearing, with a large cast all simultaneously navigating the chaos of fantasy society. The dedicated reader should pay attention to EVERY background character, because so many of them will continue to appear in gags and evolving tangential story lines in numerous easter eggs.

And despite the story being mostly a slice of life workplace comedy, there is an overarching plot, heavily focused on later in the manga for its ending. And the plot is excellent; not for being dramatic or having shocking twists, but for being so tightly woven as a natural consequence of the premise itself. The real world of sword and sorcery is not one that can remain stagnant for too long, and the story is that of the evolution of this society, with every step of the way carefully constructed. This really shows what can be done with a fully realized world. As the world evolves, every character will have to adapt to the times. Some will rise against the tide, with the power to change the world. Others will meet them, and conflict will naturally arise. And all of this from the perspective of a charming little ol’ courier elf girl? Can it get better than this?

There is no guarantee that any comedy will be a hit with every single person, but this manga might be pretty close. Gags are highlighted and elevated by the sheer novelty and ingenuity behind every wacky concept in this world. It’s almost the essential form of comedy where the manga so consistently catches you off guard with creativity and whimsy, and then it pulls you back in with the punchline that just fits the concept, the setup, and the setting so perfectly together. The way the world handles the existence of an “experience point system” alone is so brilliant that it wouldn’t surprise me if it spawned a hundred slop isekai anime riding on its novelty as a gimmick.

And that’s just the recommendation for a general audience. For those who have even an inkling of interest in medieval history, this must be a nerd’s bible. Gregorious Yamada has a true love for the medieval, and it really shows. He went and crafted something magical in this very real world.

The Dragon, the Hero, and the Courier
9 out of 10

Ryuu to Yuusha to Haitatsunin is a complete joy to read.
I checked the mangaka's twitter and they are a complete medieval-head. My review may also be pretty biased because I'm the type of guy to be intrigued by anything mildly historically accurate.

From the story aspect, it is so-so nothing really spectacular about it. Most of the time the story is chilled out, sometimes it has a bit of action but it clearly isn't the main point of this manga. Without spoiling anything the story is like servant x service but without the romance and just the struggle of work. It also has entertaining social commentary ... ever so ironic because it is set in a medieval background.

The art is also nothing special, it's the usual chilled-out manga type of style. Nothing truly unique, imagine an isekai art style but better and more roughed out. I think the art fits the point of the manga, it doesn't need Araki levels of genius or anything. The character designs are honestly pretty good. Yoshida for example, the author combines a medieval-type outfit with a traditional Japanese courier uniform all of that on top of a western elf mythical creature. The other characters are also dressed in the context of those times, possibly historically accurate too.

The characters are lovely, honestly my favorite aspect of this series. Yoshida is a great lead, relatable, and downright hilarious. The author really likes to make fun of the character stereotypes of these job-type animes. Not to mention their interactions with each other filled me with joy because it just flows so well.


Overall: Story 7/10, Art 7/10, Character 8/10, Enjoyment 9/10 in total it's a 7.75/10 but i'm rounding it up to an 8/10

TL:DR
Excellent parody of fantasy media with fun characters rooted in medieval history and a surprisingly hype finale

Story: 8/10
A gut-busting send up of fantasy games, seen through the lenses of a simple courier.

Very funny, the comedy comes both from parodying standard fantasy tropes and from the characters. For example, there's a reoccurring segment detailing the herculean (and absurd) efforts of a government office dedicated to ensuring the world staying in medieval fantasy world stasis. The author gets really creative with how generic fantasy tropes might actually come to be ("why is there a dungeon in the middle of the city?") and it's damn funny. Obviously, all ... comedy is subjective but if you like a little whimsy then this manga will work for you.

The plot is mostly episodic with reoccurring characters. The author's knowledge of medieval history is a strong influence on the episodic plots. For example, one chapter uses the topic medieval forest usage rights to mix with fantasy RPG mechanics as a legal XP farming location (with a malevolent forest warden). This leads to my next point: the worldbuilding is surprisingly in depth. Despite being a parody, the author takes the time to really dive into how an JRPG-style fantasy world would actually work.

However, there is an overarching plot that is woven through most of the latter half other manga, including a genuinely epic finale volume with a continuous plot that brings together everything laid down in the previous chapters. It's unexpectedly good, and makes for a satisfying finale. Despite the more serious tone, there is more than enough build up (and comedic relief) that is works without tonal whiplash. You know what's even more impressive about all this? The manga was actually cancelled by volume 6. The author managed to cram an action-packed, tightly written and genuinely emotionally compelling and thought provoking final arc with build up in whatever number chapter the publisher let him have less and I didn't feel it was rushed at all. Whether this reflects generosity on the part of the publisher to give the author as many chapters as needed or they really are just that good, it's a good sign when literally being cancelled doesn't slow the manga down a single bit!

The manga includes a segment most chapters going over the real medieval history that inspired that chapter, which I found rather interesting. The author is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about medieval history.

Character: 7/10
Yoshida is our main character and she's a good protagonist, a half-elf outsider with a good excuse to ask questions about the world and the owner of a strong work ethic and a short temper.

There are a few other major characters. They each have their respective quirks that make them fun to watch. Oddly the main character has the least amount of development, though she's still fun. Mostly it's the other major side characters, like a certain hapless criminal wizard or a cleaver-wielding knight who's fond of kids and violence. However, many characters often show up again, either in minor roles or just in the background. In fact, these little background appearances might be advancing a minor side-story of it's own, like a romance between two characters that develops in their background appearances. It also helps to make the world feel alive, as this manga is primarily set in one small (by modern standards) city, to have people show up again every now and then.

Art
The art is quite good with simple but charming character designs that all feel distinct. The backgrounds are details and the action is well drawn and can feel quite epic. The art is a benefit to the comedy, with expressive characters.

Overall: 8/10
Brilliant satire, enjoyable characters and a surprisingly good plot. I definitely recommend this for any fan of fantasy or even just medieval history due to the strong influence.