A Yonkoma (aka "4-koma") is a four panel vertical gag comic strip. This format is used by mangas such as Lucky Star, Azumanga Daioh or K-On!.
Yonkoma appears in many publications in Japan, such as magazines newspapers and graphic novels. More serious series such as in Death Note have used yonkoma strips to add non-canonical humor in places like extra volumes or at the end of canonical chapters.
Structure[]
Panels are usually equal in size and read from top to bottom.
Traditionally the story is given in kishōtenketsu format. Kishōtenketsu is a compound of four Chinese words:
Ki | 1st panel | Introduction |
Shō | 2nd panel | Development |
Ten | 3rd panel | Plot twist |
Ketsu | 4th panel | Conclusion. |