, a

comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions. Traditionally, throughout the 20th and into the 21st ...

format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom. They also sometimes run right-to-left horizontally or use a hybrid 2×2 style, depending on the layout requirements of the publication in which they appear. Although the word ''yonkoma'' comes from Japanese, the style also exists outside Japan in other Asian countries as well as in the English-speaking market, particularly in mid-20th century United States strips, where '' Peanuts'' popularized the format.

Origin

Rakuten Kitazawa (who wrote under the name Yasuji Kitazawa) produced the first ''yonkoma'' in 1902. Entitled ''Jiji Manga'', it was thought to have been influenced by the works of

Frank Arthur Nankivell Frank Arthur Nankivell (1869–1959) was an Australian artist and political cartoonist, known for his caricatures in publications such as '' Puck''. Early life Nankivell was born to John and Annie Nankivell in Maldon, northwest of Castlem ...

and of

Frederick Burr Opper Frederick Burr Opper (January 2, 1857 – August 28, 1937) is regarded as one of the pioneers of American newspaper comic strips, best known for his comic strip ''Happy Hooligan''. His comic characters were featured in magazine gag cartoons, cov ...

.Carolin Fischer,'Mangaka',Unknown date of publication, "http://www.mangaka.co.uk/?page=yonkoma", 2009-10-29

Structure

Traditionally, ''yonkoma'' follow a structure known as '' kishōtenketsu''. This word is a compound formed from the following Japanese kanji characters: *''Ki'' (): The first panel forms the basis of the story; it sets the scene. *''Shō'' (): The second panel develops upon the foundation of the story laid down in the first panel. *''Ten'' (): The third panel is the climax, in which an unforeseen development occurs. *''Ketsu'' (): The fourth panel is the conclusion, in which the effects of the third panel are seen.

Uses

These comic strips appear in almost all types of publications in Japan, including

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

magazines, graphic novels, the comics section of newspapers, game magazines, cooking magazines, and so forth. The plot often ends within the four panels; although some serial development may pass on to future installments, creating a more continuous story. Some ''yonkoma'' also tackle serious topics, though most do so with humor. Some manga occasionally use ''yonkoma'', usually at the end of a chapter or bound volume, as a non-canon joke to complement the story.

References

{{Comics 1902 introductions Anime and manga terminology

Origin

Structure

Uses

See also

References