Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga is a satirical How-To series in manga format by Koji Aihara and Kentaro Takekuma, originally published in the seinen magazine Big Comic Spirits in 1986 - 1988. Two of the three volumes have been translated by Viz.
This work provides examples of:
- Cliché: Every genre has its clichés pointed out as absolutely necessary components of a successful work.
- Cliché Storm: The book itself, and the manga you would produce if you followed its advice.
- Conversational Troping: The main premise of the book.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: When discussing Shoujo manga, it's said that the heroine must be this.
- Cynical Mentor: The advice given is more about making a quick buck in the manga industry than actually making good comics; "art" is practically a dirty word for the mentor character.
- Deconstructive Parody: Plays the advice (some of which is valid) totally seriously.
- Forced Meme: Creating a memorable catchphrase and associated pose is stated as an important aspect of making a gag manga.
- Framing Device: The book is presented as a wannabe manga artist receiving training from a more successful mentor.
- Money, Dear Boy: Drawing PR manga for easy money is something the book recommends.
- Satellite Character: Discussed in the chapter about boys' manga, with the hanger-on character illustrated as a literal satellite orbiting The Protagonist.
- Sequential Artist
- Sex Comedy: This is said to be the only viable genre in Seinen.
- Shout-Out: When discussing Josei manga, Tetris is used as a metaphor to explain how adultery plots work.
- Sky Face: Conversed/mocked. Koji and Kentaro were discussing the elements of a successful Shōnen Genre manga. This trope was apparently one of them, and it must always happen at the ending with the main character's face after the final confrontation according to them.
- Stylistic Suck: The framing segments are idiosyncratically awful, while the genre sections parody the worst-possible clichés of the corresponding art styles.
- This Loser Is You: When discussing Shonen manga, it's said that while the reader projects himself onto the hero, he's actually represented by "Four-Eyes", the archetypal loser comic-relief sidekick.
- Toast of Tardiness: Said to be an "essential component" of introducing the main character of a Shoujo manga.
- Traumatic Superpower Awakening: Called the "NO! - Boom!" effect in the chapter about psychic powers manga.note
- Unintentionally Sympathetic: In-universe; Koji feels sorry for the kindly salaryman husband in the example Josei manga, pointing out that his only real flaw is being "safe" and he doesn't deserve to have his wife cheat on him.
- Will They or Won't They?: Any potential romance in a Shoujo manga shouldn't be satisfied immediately; dangle it in front of the readers' faces to mock them with anticipation. Hell, if you want, just never conclude it!
