ART + LIFE
Manga Phrasebook: Four times the fun
It’s a rainy Monday evening [well, for folks in my timezone, at least] which means plenty of time to curl up with some tea and this week’s word; 4-koma.
[４コマ] 4-koma n. pr. “4 koh mah”
4 koma are to the Japanese what the Sunday strips are to Americans; short, newspaper comics that are [for the most part] fairly standalone in plot nature. Often linked only by characters or themes, 4-koma tend to end with a punchline of some sort, although in my own personal experience, many 4-komas can be subject to a bizarre brand of Japanese humor that can leave western readers baffled. Some series initially published in 4-koma form can and do go on to become anime, the most famous example being Azumanga Daioh, but most recently the series Lucky Star. 4-koma are simple in setup; there are four “koma” box panels that are read top to bottom, usually with sparse backgrounds and details aside from the characters or important objects. 4-koma are collected and released in tankoubon form, although the collections serve only to group the 4-koma into volumes and usually do not follow a beginning, middle and end.
[４コマ] 4-koma n. pr. “4 koh mah”
4 koma are to the Japanese what the Sunday strips are to Americans; short, newspaper comics that are [for the most part] fairly standalone in plot nature. Often linked only by characters or themes, 4-koma tend to end with a punchline of some sort, although in my own personal experience, many 4-komas can be subject to a bizarre brand of Japanese humor that can leave western readers baffled. Some series initially published in 4-koma form can and do go on to become anime, the most famous example being Azumanga Daioh, but most recently the series Lucky Star. 4-koma are simple in setup; there are four “koma” box panels that are read top to bottom, usually with sparse backgrounds and details aside from the characters or important objects. 4-koma are collected and released in tankoubon form, although the collections serve only to group the 4-koma into volumes and usually do not follow a beginning, middle and end.
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