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Ryuutama : Natural Fantasy Roleplay

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Ryuutama is an RPG developed in Japan by designer Atsuhiro Okada. It is set in a world where the "NPCs" of the village--the bakers, farmers, shopkeepers and healers--set off on a wonderful adventure exploring a fantasy world together. Some people colloquially call it "Hayao Miyazaki's Oregon Trail", because of its heartwarming (in Japanese "honobono") feel of family anime, and its focus on traveling and wonder over combat and treasure.

The characters are travelers in a world without classical fantasy wizards and warriors. Instead, the characters are minstrels, merchants, healers, hunters, artisans, farmers and nobles who decide (or were fated) to leave their towns and explore the world. Using a light rules system based on polyhedral dice where the randomness in results leads to more story development, Ryuutama provides a framework for travel-focused stories fun for adults and enjoyable for all ages. 

The game master also creates a special character with its own unique character sheet, called the "Ryuujin". The half-dragon Ryuujin remains "offscreen" most of the time, but watches over the other characters, and can provide limited spells and abilies to support them. The GM provides advertisy that the players have to overcome, but at the same time they protect and nurture the characters.

  • Experience is gained in Ryuutama primarily by making difficult journeys to new places, far more than monster slaying.
  • Magic is based on seasonal essenses, and focuses on the classic creative use of magic to overcome problems, over combat-themed spells.
  • Combat is simple and fun, featuring a classic console style "Front/Back Line Battle Mat"
  • The players at the table have a hand in creating the towns that their characters visit together, so that everyone has an interest in the next leg of the journel!
  • Critical fumbles (rolling 1s on both dice) hurt, but all the characters at the table get a bonus to a future roll in return.

The game was produced as a flagship project in Japan to easily get people into playing and GMing RPGs; to that end there's a lot of advice for brand new GMs, including scenario creation. There are lots of sheets and templates to help brand new or novice GMs develop great Ryuutama-worthy scenarios.

The game has been out in Japan for years, and is widely loved by the people who play it. Even today long campaigns and short stories are being played in homes and cafes around the country. It has finally arrived in English to a new audience, and remade in full color by layout artist and game designer Daniel Solis!

Please see the publisher website (www.kotohi.com/ryuutama) for more information about the game!

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Reviews (11)
Discussions (18)
Customer avatar
Armando K November 16, 2021 7:09 am UTC
Where can I purchase the hardcover book?
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Customer avatar
James L January 25, 2022 10:30 pm UTC
Indie Press Revolution
Customer avatar
Jessica M July 19, 2020 6:41 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I wanted to reiterate that you need to update the character sheet PDF with DriveThru to include the update on your website including Carrying Capacity.
Customer avatar
John S May 01, 2020 4:26 am UTC
PURCHASER
are you still intending to translate and publish the supplements?
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Customer avatar
Cannibal Halfling G June 04, 2020 1:27 pm UTC
Yeah, not for nothing, that would be pretty great.
Customer avatar
Dave T March 15, 2020 1:30 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Here is my video review of Ryuutama: https://youtu.be/rUnjD5z0vnM
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Customer avatar
Shawn S April 18, 2021 12:12 pm UTC
Nicely done and very helpful. Thank you.
Customer avatar
George M February 26, 2020 12:07 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hello, a year n some odd after the last inquiry, the hardcover is out of stock elsewhere and used copies go for north of 130 US. So, any chance for turning on POD here, or of restocking the hardback elsewhere?

Also, thanks for an amazing product and excellent customer service, by all accounts.
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Customer avatar
Matt S February 26, 2020 1:20 am UTC
The new books will be available very soon! We got word that the printing is finished :)
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Customer avatar
Andy K February 26, 2020 3:34 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Indeed, as the official website ( www.kotohi.com/ryuutama ) says, the next printing of books will be ready next month, in March 2020; they will be available first at our primary distributor, and from there at local game stores all over the world.
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Customer avatar
George M February 27, 2020 12:45 am UTC
PURCHASER
Ah, I missed that- very good news. thank you for the quick reply
Customer avatar
Zarion B September 18, 2019 6:27 pm UTC
PURCHASER
There is a problem with PC sheet, in both the rules book and the sheet set that still hasn't been fixed after years:
"Carrying Capacity: " at the equipment section is missing
The character sheet on your website has it, so switching it out shouldn't bee too hard.
Andy, I doubt you'll read this anytime soon but please consider fixing it if you do. It's a really confusing mistake, especially for first time players.
Customer avatar
Joseph A June 30, 2019 1:40 am UTC
I'm so excited for this game! This is one that can be a core component of any adventure from what I've read so far.
Customer avatar
Matt P March 16, 2019 2:56 pm UTC
Hello,

If I purchase the hardcover from indiepressrevolution, can I get a DTRPG key for the PDF? I find it helpful to have all my purchased RPG PDFs in one place.

This game looks like the most wholesome thing I've ever seen.
Customer avatar
Marshall M February 05, 2019 12:56 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Andy, I can see you've had some contact issues recently, is the same happening at kotohi.com? I sent a couple of messages last month but have yet to hear back. Thanks.
Customer avatar
Cody B October 15, 2018 11:08 pm UTC
Any plans on using dtrpg to print on demand?
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Customer avatar
Andy K January 23, 2019 4:00 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Apologies Cody, I just got notification of your question:

Answer: While I personally LOVE getting high quality PoD from DTRPG for products (and marvel at the quality), there's a few elements with the hardcopy Ryuutama book quality that we are proud of, so for now we will not be using PoD with this product. If the hardcopy (hardcover, full-color) book ever sells out, then we *will* use DTRPG PoD services from that point on, just to keep it in print. But while we have book supplies, we will keep it off of PoD.
(if you live outside North America and international shipping is a problem, please reach out and contact us through the Kotodama/Ryuutama website, we'll see what we can do to help mitigate that issue for you).

However, we plan on soon releasing Ryuutama supplements through DriveThruRPG: Those will be electronic only (no huge offset print order), and we WILL be offering PoD for the Ryuutama supplements. For the core book, though, we'll only move to PoD after the copies of the...See more
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Customer avatar
Cody B January 23, 2019 6:08 pm UTC
Hey hey, better late than never! It's good to know there is a potential for it. There isn't any problem with shipping for myself, I just have all of my disposable income for RPGs on my account here lol. Benefit and drawback of having community content creator income.
Customer avatar
Matthew K January 21, 2018 6:14 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is a hardcopy version available anywhere, whether retail or print on demand?
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Customer avatar
Matt S January 22, 2018 1:05 am UTC
Noble Knight has the normal version in stock, it looks like. If you're looking for a limited edition version, I can scrounge one up for you.
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Customer avatar
Matthew K January 22, 2018 2:06 am UTC
PURCHASER
I see the limited edition one for sale at indiepressrevolution.com. That appears to be a legitimate source? (I was linked there from the Kotodama webstore anyway). If so I'll order that one.

I'm guessing from your name here on drivethrurpg that you're the translator? I really look forward to starting a group for this - I've read through the PDF copy and I think it's exactly the kind of game I've been looking for. Thanks for your hard work.
Reply
Customer avatar
Andy K January 23, 2019 3:55 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey Matthew: Indie Press Revolution is the primary supplier of Ryuutama books worldwide (and indeed, if you live outside the US, please check the IPR "Retailer" page to find a local retailer that can order them for you). If you still have issues, please contact us through the site and we'll see what we can do.

Note that while the all-green Limited Edition is all sold out and no longer in print, there are plenty of copies of the commercial edition: It is also a hardback, sturdy full-color book. Thanks!

(Apologies, I just realized it's about a year since you asked this! I just found that notification settings were disabled on my account, sorry about the delay!)
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Customer avatar
Matthew K June 22, 2019 9:47 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thanks for the belated reply. I ordered the limited edition one back when I made my original comment, and I have enjoyed it.
Customer avatar
Christopher L May 28, 2017 8:13 am UTC
PURCHASER
For some reason the core book file errors when I try to open it. I've downloaded it multiple times from this site, so I don't think it's going to work better.

None of the other files seem to have a problem. Only the core book file.
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Customer avatar
Christopher L May 28, 2017 9:08 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Seems to have fixed itself.
Customer avatar
Michael T August 10, 2015 10:27 pm UTC
PURCHASER
This game is utterly gorgeous. My group and I will be starting it on Friday.

It'll also have the dubious honor of being the first in-print RPG book I've bought in the last ten years. :) I can't wait to show it off.
Customer avatar
Max S July 16, 2015 9:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
On page 201 there seems to be an error on the pdf causing the Black Death Skull to overlap and hide the last line of the Dragon Madder special ability.
Reply
Customer avatar
Andy K August 06, 2015 2:07 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Heya in the final file update this (and all other issues) have been fixed. Please download the 1.0 version!
Customer avatar
Oliver S July 14, 2015 6:24 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Regarding the PDF I think the Thunder weather and modifier +3 should be added to the table on p.100 of the Final PDF and hoepfully The print version.

I mean Thunder does have a weather card in the Book of the Year.
Reply
Customer avatar
Andy K August 06, 2015 2:09 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Thunder is an expanded weather modifier (like Darkness), created for the supplements and giveaways, and not an official part of the core rules. It's an extra given in the extra material. Feel free to include others too, like Low Light or Radiation (!). :-)
Customer avatar
Tim L July 01, 2015 2:34 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is the high res cover file still on track to be added soon? It's been almost two weeks since the PDF was released here, so I'm just wondering...
Reply
Customer avatar
Andy K July 11, 2015 6:31 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hi, indeed it is: Unfortunately there were some delays, but we plan to have both the finalized PDF (with several minute layout mistakes fixed) AND the cover pic uploaded at the same time; I'm hoping that they'll be ready by this time next week.
Reply
Customer avatar
Tim L July 13, 2015 6:59 am UTC
PURCHASER
Wonderful! Thanks for the reply and looking forward to the final version! :) It's been great finally being able to allow non-Japanese speakers to discover this gem without having to constantly translate everything myself for them.
Reply
Customer avatar
Tim L July 28, 2015 3:58 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Not yet actually... In the meantime, using Acrobat, I extracted and inserted the cover of the Japanese version's PDF before printing the PDF (slight size mismatch but works well enough for the time being). Still hoping that a proper final version will be uploaded soon though.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt S July 28, 2015 4:00 pm UTC
It will be very, very soon! Sorry for the wait.
Reply
Customer avatar
Andy K August 06, 2015 2:10 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
The cover files were updated, as well as a final version of the PDF with all the grammar/layout fixes.
Reply
Customer avatar
Tim L August 13, 2015 1:00 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I'm a wee bit late, but a big thanks for the updated pdfs + covers!
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Product Information
Mithral seller
Rule System(s)
Pages
240
ISBN
978-0-9836458-5-6
Publisher Stock #
RT001
File Size:
65.76 MB
Format
Original electronic Click for more information
Scanned image
These products were created by scanning an original printed edition. Most older books are in scanned image format because original digital layout files never existed or were no longer available from the publisher.

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For printed books, we have performed high-resolution scans of an original hardcopy of the book. We essentially digitally re-master the book. Unfortunately, the resulting quality of these books is not as high. It's the problem of making a copy of a copy. The text is fine for reading, but illustration work starts to run dark, pixellating and/or losing shades of grey. Moiré patterns may develop in photos. We mark clearly which print titles come from scanned image books so that you can make an informed purchase decision about the quality of what you will receive.
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Original electronic format
These ebooks were created from the original electronic layout files, and therefore are fully text searchable. Also, their file size tends to be smaller than scanned image books. Most newer books are in the original electronic format. Both download and print editions of such books should be high quality.
File Last Updated:
May 29, 2017
This title was added to our catalog on June 19, 2015.
Publisher
KOTODAMA HEAVY INDUSTRIES
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