Yamahara Yoshito | Ryuurouden

Japanese: 龍狼伝
Synonyms: Ryuroden, Ryuuroden, Story of Dragon and Wolf
Type: Manga
Volumes: 37
Chapters: 158
Status: Completed
Published: 1988 to 2007
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Historical, Shounen
Mangaka: Yamahara Yoshito (Story & Art)
Serialization: Shounen Magazine (Monthly)

Synopsis: Middle schoolers, Shiro and Masumi, encountered a mysterious dragon that brought them back to the time of the Three Kingdoms; situated in ancient China. As soon as they arrived, they were rescued by the Han Kingdom. Not long after these events, Masumi was kidnapped and Shiro barely escaped death... Soon the story gets more complicated as they are stuck in the past.

Related Series

Ryuurouden: Chuugen
Ryouranhen manga
cover, 16 + vols

Ryuurouden: Chuugen Ryouranhen (Sequel)

Background

In 1997, Ryuurouden won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen manga.

Groups Scanlating

CGY Translation

Dani Filth

Jan Ken Pon

JanKenPon

JanKenPon Scanlations

Kpohum

Manga-Mania

Neophyte

Quickie

Sleepy Studio

Ryuuroden Team

Vol 1 chapter 1 cover (modified a bit ny me)

Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates

Side notes: This manga is an Old school shounen and it's not yet finished with the translation. There is clearly time gaps with translation as there is many groups working on it but none of them has made the final effort to close the series down when the latest chapter published was v.28 c.110 by Kpohum in 08/20/15 and they are now counted as inactive group.

The art is good standard shounen manga for the era and reminds me again of Ranma ½. I enjoyed the art as well the plot which is so pure hearted shounen that it easily takes you back in time.^-^ Sadly I'm just in the beginning to read the series in hopes that when I get close to the finnish there will be concluded translation and maybe even a translation for the sequel. But if thinking I'm more likely to read this than the sequel as the characters are growing up but not too fast. ^-^ 

Points from wikia: Manga contains themes like...

• Action Girl: Lian Hua. She uses the Tiger Style of martial arts, which consists of quick movements meant to confuse her opponent.
• Art Evolution: The initial art style is a very traditional Shounen style. Later on, it's much more comparable to Seinen manga art styles.
• Badass Abnormal: Initially displaying a Charles Atlas Superpower based on the training Shiro goes through after settling in the Three Kingdoms Era, it's later revealed that Shiro's birthmark is a sign that he became so powerful not through sheer talent, but incredible spiritual power.
• Bring Him to Me: More than one villain states that he'd like to have Shiro, the Dragon's Son, by their sides. Justified based on the era the story takes place in. Dragons were seen as divine and humans brought by them would doubtlessly be seen as PhysicalGods.
• Charles Atlas Superpower: Subverted. See Badass Abnormal.
• Chick Magnet: Shiro, specifically after he takes a level in badass.
• Fish Out of Temporal Water: Shiro and Masumi, but Shiro manages to avoid most issues that being an example of this would present due to his extensive knowledge of Chinese history.
• Living MacGuffin: Both Shiro and Masumi are seen as these.
• Our Dragons Are Different: Dragons follow the usual eastern archetype, being divine beings that doesn't usually meddle in mortal affairs, but are still benevolent. The only dragon ever seen, though, is the one that brings Shiro and Masumi back in time.
• Physical God: Shiro displays signs of this, with his Divine Mark. That birthmark on his forehead is a sign that he can manipulate the world's Karma and Ki. Subverted in Masumi's case, who is seen as one, but really does not have any actual power.

Main character:

Shiro Amachi (天地 志狼, 竜の子, 竜の軍師 )

Amachi Shirou is a Japanese junior high school student along with his best friend, Izumi Masumi, on a school excursion to China. When their airplane is swallowed by a dragon, they find themselves back in China the Tale of 3 Kingdoms (San Guo Zhi) period. The pair try desperately to survive and are named "Leader of the Dragon" and "Dragon Princess," important historical figures of the period. In the background lurks Sima Zhongda, a man waiting for his chance to conquer the country. The grand tale of "San Guo Zhi" is played out on the vast Chinese mainland in this Neo-San Guo Zhi historical action fantasy. 

Source: MAL, Wikia

Other notable characters:

Original scanlation, Vol 1 chapter 1