Product Description

This mock-instructional tome is actually a hilarious parody in graphic novel form of those books which seek to advise one on "how to draw manga." But it is also a gripping comic book narrative in its own right about the struggle of two bumbling and desperate would-be know-it-alls — the authors of the book — in their vainglorious pursuit of comic book technique, wealth, and fame.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #149099 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

Customer Reviews

Crazy
Sad but true, even though this book is over twenty years old, some of the cliches they mention are still prevalent in manga. For example, Shonen still consists of 'enemy inflation' and plots consisting of little more than strings of battle. They also mentioned that one day, ninja comics may make a comeback. Remember, this was published years before series like Naruto and Basilisk. There are a lot of analogies too, for example, women are like a game of Tetris! It's crazy but fun, and I can't help but burst out laughing at moments. I would recommend this for any serious fan of manga comics.

Social Satire on the Manga Industry
The other reviewers of this book seem to have missed the point. This is not a how to book or a parody of different series: This is a satire of the cliches in the manga industry, in all the genres, the popular magazines, the public taste for the vulgar and even in how manga is becoming popular as a medium for works not commonly associated with pop art, like government documents.

Be advised that the book is sexually explicit (it parodies manga porn among other things) and is not intended for minors.

Well... I viewed this slight;y differently but...
I love this book. I thought that it was a great guide book for getting started without being serious. It did have alot of jokes but there is alot of relevant material in there too. I don't think it was meant to be a parodu so much as it was meant to be a humorous guide that can acually be used. I highly reccommend it, because it gets down to the core of each genre really well... but it isn't for kids, as the other reviewers mentioned.