Yonkoma

Yonkoma manga (4コマ漫画, "four cell manga"), or written 4-koma for short, is a comic strip format which generally consists of gag comic strips within four cells of equal size ordered from top to bottom. They also sometimes run in right-to-left horizontal or a hybrid 2x2 style depending on the layout requirements of the publication in which they appear. The word "yonkoma" is a Japanese term, however the style also exists outside of Japan such as other Sinosphere countries as well as the English-speaking market.

Uses

These comic strips appear in almost all types of publications in Japan, including manga magazines, graphic novels, the comics section of newspapers, game magazines, in cooking magazines, and so forth. The plot often ends within the four cells, although some serial development may pass on to future installments, creating a somewhat continuous story. Some yonkoma also tackle serious topics, though most do so with humor.

Example yonkoma manga

Well-known manga drawn using the yonkoma style include "Sazae-san", "Nono-chan", "Baito-kun", "Azumanga Daioh" and "Lucky Star". The vertical format is used in several Western webcomics, including "Ghastly's Ghastly Comic", [http://www.nelshael.com Nelshael] and "Sexy Losers".

ee also

* Kishōtenketsu - A writing technique specific to 4-panel comics.