Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga

Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga
First tankōbon volume cover
サルでも描けるまんが教室 (Saru demo egakeru manga kyōshitsu)
Genre	Comedy, parody[1]
Manga
Written by	Koji Aihara Kentaro Takekuma
Published by	Shogakukan
English publisher	NA: Viz Media
Magazine	Big Comic Spirits
English magazine	NA: Pulp
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	1989 – 1991
Volumes	3
Manga
Saruman 2.0
Written by	Koji Aihara Kentaro Takekuma
Published by	Shogakukan
Magazine	Monthly Ikki
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	October 25, 2007 – May 24, 2008
Volumes	1

Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga (Japanese: サルでも描けるまんが教室, Hepburn: Sarudemo Egakeru Manga Kyōshitsu), also abbreviated as Saruman (サルまん), is a Japanese parody instructional manga by Koji Aihara and Kentaro Takekuma. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1989 to 1991, with its chapters collected in three tankōbon volumes. The manga was licensed in North America by Viz Media, being serialized in its Pulp magazine from 2001 to 2002; they also released a single volume. A second series, titled Saruman 2.0, was serialized in Shogakukan's Monthly Ikki from 2007 to 2008; its chapters were collected in a single volume, released in 2017.

Publication

Created by Koji Aihara and Kentaro Takekuma, Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1989 to 1991.^[2] Shogakukan collected its chapters in three tankōbon volumes, released from November 1990 to June 1992.^[3][4] It was republished in two wideban volumes, under the title Saruman (サルまん), on July 19, 1997.^[5] Two "21st Century Collector's Edition" volumes were released on August 28, 2006.^[6][7]

In North America, the series was published in Viz Media's Pulp magazine from May 2001 to August 2002.^[8][9] Viz Media only released a collected volume on November 6, 2002.^[10][1]

Another series, titled Saruman 2.0 (サルまん2.0), was serialized in Shogakukan's Monthly Ikki from October 25, 2007,^[11] to May 24, 2008.^[a] A collected volume was released by Shogakukan Creative [ja], almost ten years after the manga's first publication, on June 26, 2017.^[14][15]

Reception

Pat King from Animefringe commends the manga for its "excellent parody of the manga industry" and its artwork that "would be right at home in classic issues of Mad Magazine".^[16] Johanna Draper Carlson from Comics Worth Reading comments on the "vulgar but funny" adult contents of the manga with its "nudity and various scatological gags".^[17] Carlo Santos commends the manga for its "rundown of every major genre, by demographic" and praises the manga above other "How-to Art" books.^[18]

Canadian cartoonist and writer Bryan Lee O'Malley described the book as a significant influence on the art style of his Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series.^[19]

Notes

1. It was serialized until the magazine's July 2008 issue,^[12] released on May 24 of that same year.^[13]

References

1. Thompson, Jason (July 15, 2010). "Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Even A Monkey Can Draw Manga!". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
2. 「出張マンガのマンガ展」10月29日（火）「30年目の“サルまん3.0”!? 相原コージ×竹熊健太郎×江上英樹『サルでも描けるまんが教室 』スペシャルトーク」開催決定！ (in Japanese). PR Times. September 17, 2019. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
3. サルでも描けるまんが教室 1. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
4. サルでも描けるまんが教室 3. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
5. サルまん（サルでも描けるまんが教室. s-book.com. Shogakukan. Archived from the original on February 16, 2005. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
6. サルでも描けるまんが教室 サルまん 21世紀愛蔵版 / 上 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
7. サルでも描けるまんが教室 サルまん 21世紀愛蔵版 / 下 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
8. "Viz PR for May '01". Anime News Network. January 21, 2001. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
9. "Pulp Ends in August". Anime News Network. April 11, 2002. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
10. "This Month's Viz-In : November 2002". Viz Communications. Archived from the original on December 2, 2002. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
11. 【IKKI】IKKI イッキ 12月号発売中！. manganohi.jp (in Japanese). October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
12. 相原コージ×竹熊健太郎×ほりのぶゆき 「『サルまん』と、封印された『サルまん2.0』について語ろう」 『サルまん2.0』（小学館クリエイティブ）刊行記念. bookandbeer.com (in Japanese). July 1, 2017. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
13. 月刊ＩＫＫＩ [バックナンバー]. s-book.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
14. 「サルまん 2.0」連載から10年、初の単行本化！当時の関係者による座談会も (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
15. 「サルまん 2.0」連載から10年、初の単行本化！当時の関係者による座談会も. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 28, 2017. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
16. King, Pat (February 2003). "Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga Vol.1". animefringe.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
17. Carlson, Johanna Draper (June 25, 2006). "Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga". Comics Worth Reading. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
18. Santos, Carlo (March 6, 2007). "Right Turn Only!! Kingdoms' Heart". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
19. Hudson, Laura (July 14, 2011). "Bryan Lee O'Malley Talks 'Monkey Manga' with the Men Who Influenced 'Scott Pilgrim' Exclusive". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2011.

External links

• Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga at Anime News Network's encyclopedia