If you already draw, the Anime Art Class Sketchbook may include enough instruction to curve your talents towards manga. If you don’t draw much (or at all), this book alone will not be enough. Start with one of the author’s excellent anime or chibi art class books first.
The Anime Art Class Sketchbook is mostly filled with pre-drawn backgrounds for the reader to add their own characters to. Only seventeen pages (out of 140) contain techniques and instructions. While the instructions are in color, the backgrounds are not. The backgrounds seem overly simple and repetitive. They are more likely to stifle your creativity rather than inspire it.
For these reasons, I can’t recommend this book. I just don’t see the point. Buy one of the author’s art class books and a blank sketchbook instead. 2 sad little stars.
Thanks to Rock Point and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.