Line #40 Main/Yonkoma


1	A ''Yonkoma'' (literally, "four-cell") ''Manga'', better known as 4-Koma, is a short comic that consists of four panels arranged vertically from beginning to end, often adopting a plot structure known as "{{Kishotenketsu}}". Like western comic strips[[note]]which also used 4 panels as standard up until around 1990[[/note]], they are often found in newspapers, magazines, graphic novels, and other places. 4-Koma can be single-shot gags, or tell a story across several strips. (Notice that it isn't [[FourIsDeath shikoma]].) Expect nothing short of a RapidFireComedy from 4-Koma mangas, since they fire at least one joke every four frames.
2
3	Many Yonkoma are gag versions of full-sized manga, or are based on video games, but some manga are entirely made of Yonkoma installments. Conversely, while some anime adapt yonkama directly into a SketchComedy format, most create a more drawn-out storyline that fill whole episodes.
4
5	A countless number of manga have Yonkoma as {{Omake}} at the end of chapters, or at the end of the compiled volumes. Often, these are used to tell additional gags based on the chapter that immediately precedes it, and as such, provide some additional entertainment value to the volume. However, some particularly bad examples of manga have the omake Yonkoma (which may encompass less than ten pages) providing more entertainment value than the rest of the volume combined.
6
7	In Japan, manga is usually published with a dust jacket. Many manga, especially gag manga like ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'', use Yonkoma to illustrate the flaps.
8
9	Many yonkoma are also {{Seinen}}.
10
11	''Manga/SazaeSan'' was the first comic to consistently follow this format, so it's the TropeMaker.
12
13	!When listing Yonkoma on Trope Pages, please use the following guidelines:
14
15	* If it is related to an anime in any way, put it under Anime/Manga
16	* If it is hosted online, put it under Webcomics
17	* If it is print newspaper, but not related to any anime or manga, then put it under Newspaper Comics
18	* If it is none of the above, put it under Comics.
19
20	----
21	!!Examples:
22
23	[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
24	[[index]]
25	* ''Manga/AChannel''
26	* ''Manga/AhoGirl''
27	* ''Manga/{{Aiura}}''
28	* ''Manga/AnimaYell''
29	* ''Manga/AsteroidInLove''
30	* ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'', with the exception of a few "specials".
31	* ''Manga/BGataHKei''
32	* ''Manga/{{Biotop}}''
33	* ''Manga/BlendS''
34	* ''Manga/BocchiTheRock''
35	* ''Bonobono''
36	* ''Manga/CastleTownDandelion''
37	* ''Manga/ChocoMimi''
38	* ''Manga/ComicGirls''
39	* ''Manga/DadTheBeardGorillaAndI''
40	* ''Manga/TheDemonGirlNextDoor''
41	* ''Manga/DoujinWork''
42	* ''Manga/EngagedToTheUnidentified''
43	* ''Manga/FateSchoolLife''
44	* ''Manga/{{Fullmapla}}''
45	* ''Manga/GAGeijutsukaArtDesignClass''
46	* ''Literature/Gamers2015''
47	* ''Manga/{{Gokicha}}''
48	* ''Manga/GoodDayToYouHowAboutAGame''
49	* ''Manga/GourmetGirlGraffiti''
50	* ''Manga/GugureKokkurisan''
51	* ''.hack//4koma'', [[/index]]an inter-canon parody of the ''Franchise/DotHack'' series. Some of them were even adapted to CGI in ''VideoGame/DotHackGU Vol. 3: Redemption.''[[index]]
52	* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'', with the exception of a few storylines, most notable the World Conference.
53	* ''Manga/HidamariSketch''
54	* ''Manga/TheHighSchoolLifeOfAFudanshi''
55	* ''Manga/HighSchoolNinjaGirlOtonashiSan''
56	* ''Manga/{{Himegoto}}''
57	* ''Manga/HinakoNote''
58	* ''Manga/HitoribocchiNoOOSeikatsu''
59	* ''Manga/HiyoAndVivid''
60	* ''Manga/HoukagoPlay''
61	* ''Manga/ICantUnderstandWhatMyHusbandIsSaying''
62	* ''Manga/{{Ichiroh}}''
63	* ''Manga/TheIdolmasterCinderellaGirlsTheater''
64	* ''Manga/ImoutoWaShishunki''
65	* ''Manga/IsTheOrderARabbit''
66	* ''Manga/{{Kanamemo}}''
67	* ''Manga/KawaiiJoushiOKomarasetai''
68	* ''Manga/KillMeBaby''
69	* ''Manga/KiniroMosaic''
70	* ''Manga/KOn''
71	* ''Manga/KomorisanCantDecline''
72	* ''Manga/KotouraSan''
73	* ''Manga/{{Locodol}}''
74	* ''Manga/LoveLab''
75	* ''Manga/LuckyStar''
76	* ''Manga/MagicOfStella''
77	* ''Manga/MakenKi - Starring Inaho and Friends''
78	* ''Manga/MangaDeHakkenTamagotchi'', based off of [[/index]]''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}''.[[index]]
79	* ''[[Literature/{{Maoyu}} Maoyu 4-Koma: Muitemasen yo, Maō-sama!]]''
80	* ''Manga/MermanInMyTub''
81	* ''Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Kanna's Daily Life'' and ''Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Elma's OL Diary'', [[/index]][[SpinOff spin-offs]] of ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid''[[index]]
82	* ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakiKun''
83	* ''Manga/MoritaSanWaMukuchi''
84	* ''Manga/MyGirlfriendWithoutWasabi'' starts off this way, but changes to a traditional format for the HalfwayPlotSwitch.
85	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademiaSmash''
86	* ''Manga/NekoRamen''
87	* ''Manga/NewGame''
88	* ''Manga/NinjaGirlAndSamuraiMaster''
89	* ''Manga/NonoChan''
90	* ''Manga/NumberGirl''
91	* ''Manga/{{Ojojojo}}''
92	* ''Manga/PanDePeace''
93	* ''Anime/PetitEva'', with the exception of a Christmas special.
94	* ''Manga/PlaceToPlace''
95	* ''Manga/PoorPoorLips''
96	* ''Manga/PopTeamEpic''
97	* ''Anime/{{Potemayo}}''
98	* ''Manga/{{Rabuta}}''
99	* ''Manga/RecorderAndRandsell''
100	* ''Manga/ARoomForTwo''
101	* ''Manga/RPGRealEstate''
102	* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire''
103	* ''Manga/SazaeSan'' - the TropeMaker
104	* ''Manga/SakuraTrick''
105	* ''Manga/SDGundamFullColorTheater''
106	* ''Manga/SeitokaiYakuindomo''
107	* ''Manga/ServantXService''
108	* ''Manga/ShoulderACoffinKuro''
109	* ''Manga/{{Sketchbook}}''
110	* ''Manga/SlowStart''
111	* ''Manga/SplatoonSquidKidsComedyShow''
112	* ''Manga/SpoofOnTitan''
113	* ''S.S. Astro''
114	* ''Manga/SuperMetroid''
115	* ''[[Manga/HaruhiChan Suzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuuutsu]]''
116	* ''Manga/SwapSwap''
117	* ''Manga/SweetMagicSyndrome''
118	* ''Manga/TamamoChansAFox''
119	* ''Manga/TomoChanIsAGirl''
120	* ''Manga/TsurezureChildren''
121	* ''Manga/UraraMeirocho''
122	* ''Manga/{{Wagnaria}}''
123	* ''Manga/WaratteSotomuraSan''
124	* ''[[Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar We Want to Talk About Kaguya]]''
125	* ''Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan''
126	* ''Manga/YandereKanojo''
127	* ''Manga/{{Yuyushiki}}''
128
129	[[AC:ComicBooks]]
130	* ''ComicBook/IceCreamBaby''
131
132	[[AC:NewspaperComics]]
133	* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' was the TropeCodifier for newspaper comics, until most strips, ''Peanuts'' included, evolved into the 3-panel format in the '80s and '90s
134
135	[[AC: Original]]
136	* TimAndTomThumb
137
138	[[AC:VideoGames]]
139	* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun 4-Koma Gag Battle''
140
141	[[AC:Webcomics]]
142	* [[/index]]Many {{Animesque}} {{Webcomic}}s, such as ''Webcomic/GhastlysGhastlyComic'', ''Webcomic/AngelMoxie'' and ''Webcomic/{{Springiette}}'', are told in 4-Koma style.[[index]]
143	* ''Ame'', [[/index]]a DadaComic by [[Creator/StudioPixel Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya]] about a cat and her depressing, MindScrew-y exploits.[[index]]
144	* ''Webcomic/AfganisuTan'', a {{Moe}} webcomic-turned-manga retelling of the history of Afghanistan from the 19th century onward. Yes, that means up to and including depicting 9/11 as a rich girl [Meriken] being attacked by a feral cat (Al-Nyaida) with Osama Bin Laden's beard and turban, then going apespit on Afghanis with EyeBeams.
145	* ''Webcomic/DepressionComix''
146	* ''Webcomic/FireEmblemHeroesADayInTheLife''
147	* ''Webcomic/FlowerKnightFourKomaTheater'', a series of 4-koma posted on the official ''VideoGame/FlowerKnightGirl'' Twitter/X account.
148	* ''Webcomic/Friday4Koma'', a webcomic.
149	* ''Webcomic/GrandBlues'', a webcomic spin-off for the game ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy''.
150	* ''Webcomic/MiniMari'', a ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' fan yonkoma.
151	* ''Webcomic/TalesOfAGayAsian'' is a bastardization of this art style
152	* ''Webcomic/TouhouJournal'', another fan-made ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' 4koma.
153	* ''Webcomic/EyepatchTan'' is basically ''Manga/LuckyStar'' [[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs on]] ''[[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs even more]]'' [[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs crack]]. It does have a few traditional comics, but most of those are to be removed per WordOfGod.
154	* ''Webcomic/SonicComic'', an official ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' yonkoma meant to [[MilestoneCelebration celebration of Sonic's 25th anniversary]].
155	* ''Webcomic/LetsSpeakEnglish'', a SliceOfLife webcomic.
156	* ''Webcomic/TransformersLegends'', a Japanese webcomic on the official Takara Tomy website that was made to promote the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}} Legends'' toyline. The majority of strips are done in the yonkoma style.
157	* ''Webcomic/PracticeMakesPerfect''
158
159	[[/index]]
160	!!Other Examples:
161
162	[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
163	* ''Manga/{{Mahoraba}}'' occasionally has a couple of pages of yonkoma when the cast are performing a mundane task.
164	** In the anime adaption, these are recreated as scrolling, somewhat crudely drawn panels with limited animation and silly music in the background.
165	* Parodied mercilessly in ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'', with Itoshiki claiming the existence of a "hidden" fifth panel - darkness. Meanwhile, Yonkoma is the only form of comics Chiri approves, and she demands [[YaoiFangirl Harumi]] draw her {{Doujinshi}} as a yokoma for her, after complaining that it has "No climax, no point, no meaning".
166	* ''Manga/MonsterMusume'' has the "Monster Musume: I ♥ Monster Girls" SpinOff, 4 anthology volumes of yonkoma drawn by various artists based on the series. [[http://www.monmusu.jp/fanart/4koma/ The official website]] even has a yonkoma fanart section, but there's no official English translations of those.
167	* ''Manga/DeathNote'' had a number of (notably goofier than the actual manga) versions published in ''Akamaru Jump'' and later in the encyclopedic thirteenth volume.
168	* Frequently show up in the bonus pages of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' volumes ("Four Panel Omakes", "4-Koma Theatre" in the anime). Hiromu Arakawa has mentioned liking the bonus pages better than the actual manga.
169	* ''Manga/AoiHouse'' 4-koma appeared in Newtype USA for awhile. They're reprinted in the backs of the graphic novels.
170	* The fourth volume of ''Manga/{{Yotsuba}}'' had a chapter entitled "Yotsuba to 4koma". It told a short story in 4koma, in contrast to the rest of the manga's page format, and was about [[SliceOfLife even less than usual]].
171	* The ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' manga sometimes has yonkoma at the beginnings and/or the ends of some chapters.
172	* The supplemental mangas for ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' include several ''hundred'' pages of these among their [[{{Omake}} omakes]]. Essentially, they flanderize the Hell out of the characters (Fate's affection for Nanoha is elevated to StalkerWithACrush levels, Hayate is a full-on cosplay pervert, etc.) and run with it. HilarityEnsues.
173	* ''Manga/BattleAngelAlita'' has been including a few of these in the backs of the graphic novels for 'Last Order'. Usually, they're gags on an element in that story arc ("What if Zazie hadn't been backing Alita up against Toji" (she dies), "Where does Alita's [[BladeBelowTheShoulder Elbogen-Blatt]] go when not in use?" (her boobs), etc).
174	* Several volumes of the ''VideoGame/HarukanaruTokiNoNakaDe'' manga have the regular SuperDeformed {{Omake}} done in the Yonkoma format.
175	* The 100th chapter of ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' was "Yonkoma Half-Time Show", a series of sets of themed gag yonkoma.
176	* ''Manga/{{Genshiken}}'' usually has one or two Yonkoma under the topic "Moments Later" making additional jokes after each chapter.
177	* Most of the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' manga by Koichi Tokita include Yonkoma with lots of crossovers and jokes. Confusingly (and irritatingly), {{Creator/Tokyopop}} chose to completely retranslate the strips in the ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]'' spinoff ''G-Unit'' (AKA ''Last Outpost''), mostly using jokes lifted wholesale from Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger movies and used wildly out of context.
178	* In ''Manga/LuckyStar'' (itself a Yonkoma strip), Hiyori mentions that she sometimes draws Yonkoma. (Hiyori, incidentally, contains some AuthorAvatar elements.)
179	* The first chapter of ''Manga/KimochiNoKatachi'', but not the following two chapters.
180	* In ''Manga/PsychicSquad'', from the chapter 104 onwards, before the beginning of every chapter there are always two supplemental comical four-panel strips enclosed, often with useful additional information about characters, interesting back stories, or even introductions to later plot arcs in the main part of the manga.
181	* The 5th-last ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' chapter followed this format for three pages.
182	* ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'' manga has a companion {{Omake}} ''The Adventures Of Mini Goddesses'', about attics of 3 goddesses "[[FunSize in convenient petite size]]" and their rat friends. It has also been [[Anime/TheAdventuresOfMiniGoddess adapted as a 48-episode Gag Series]].
183	* ''Weaponized'' and used as a gag in ''Manga/HoshinEngi'' during the manga-only fight between a drunk Taikobo and Raishinshi: the latter tries to attack the former, before realizing that the [[NoFourthWall the vignette layout has changed into a Yonkoma format]]. Supushan even refers to this as the "Yonkoma Technique". Raishinshi's not amused.
184
185	[[AC:VideoGames]]
186	* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' has a huge number of 4-Koma that are made for each game, usually making fun of characters, noting similarities between series, or one character trying to imitate another, often with disastrous results, and other random gags.
187	* ''VideoGame/ApeEscape 2'' has a number of Yonkoma that you can unlock and view.
188	* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' has a whole bunch done for the newer games, mostly the DS games and onwards. The only ones officially translated thus far are for ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' and ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood The Dracula X Chronicles]]''. Apparently, Dracula goes grocery shopping and even keeps dirty magazines.
189	* A complete ''volume collection'' of yonkoma exists for ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'', as well as ''two'' separate yonkoma collections for ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' (the latter including a literal yonkoma ''anthology''). This is especially remarkable as ''III'' has never had a formal ComicBookAdaptation and ''IV'' only had an anthology collection (which included both serious stories and longer-length {{Omake}}) until 2007 (fully [[FleetingDemographicRule seven years after the original video game was released]]). And yes, the official ComicBookAdaptation of ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' (recently completed by Mag Garden) also continues the tradition of ''Franchise/BreathOfFire''-related yonkoma in its "Behind The Cover Comics" (which are, logically enough, printed under the dust covers). Most are flat out parody {{Omake}} of events in the manga (which is ''considerably'' BloodierAndGorier than in the game, hence much MoodWhiplash could occur) but the very final yonkoma printed as a "Behind The Cover Comic" [[spoiler:featured Won-qu and A-tur--two shishi or foo-dogs--discussing what they would do now that there was no empire or emperor]].
190	* ''VideoGame/WarioWareDIY'' features a comic maker that lets you create your own yonkoma.
191	* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' has the [[http://goldensunwiki.net/4-Koma_Gag_Battle 4-Koma Gag Battle]].
192	* ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy'' has a series of comic strips titled "Grand Blues!", which are accessible in-game.
193	* The manual for ''[[VideoGame/SnowboardKids Snowboard Kids 2]]'' featured yonkoma that described the items. Atlus's English localization thankfully translated these, as they also did with the "Dodging Projectiles" and "Parachute" yonkoma of the original game's manual.
194	* VideoGame/{{Bonk}} (or "PC Genjin" [[DubNameChange in Japanese]]) actually appeared first in a regular 4koma feature in ''Gekkan PC Engine'' magazine. The original strips were digitized for the ''PC Engine Hyper Catalog 3'' Super CD-ROM.
195	* ''VideoGame/FortuneSummoners'': There are some 4koma about the characters, online at the official site: http://lizsoft.jp/4koma/.
196	* ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo''. Compile-era ones exist based off of ''Tsu'' and ''SUN'', as well as a Rulue-centric one named ''4-koma Gag Battle Spicy''. Also, a Sega-era 4-koma exists for ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoFever''.
197	* The continue screen for the {{Creator/Capcom}} arcade game ''VideoGame/EcoFighters'' features a 4-koma, where the player character's ship plummets to the ground of a nearby planet, and sees a vision of a beautiful girl in a bikini. Whether she turns out to be an ad from a billboard or a real girl that the hero barely misses depends on whether you continue or not.
198
199	[[AC:Webcomics]]
200	* In an omake from ''Webcomic/{{Megatokyo}}'', Piro talks about why the comics had their then-rigidly-true four square panel layout. it was a compromise between Fred wanting to do a 4-koma, and [[strike:Largo]] Rodney wanting to do a four-across American gag strip. Of course, both the format and Largo are long gone.
201	** [[http://megatokyo.com/strip/447 Some]] [[http://megatokyo.com/strip/419 actual]] [[http://megatokyo.com/strip/645 4-komas]] have appeared occasionally.
202	* ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'' is generally a Yonkoma, but now and again the author splits the single panel into anywhere from 2 to 6 subpanes.
203	* Some ''Webcomic/{{Consolers}}'' single-page strips are in this format (when they're not 3- or 2-panel...)
204	* ''Webcomic/LeifAndThorn'' during the [[http://leifandthorn.com/storyline/2017/16-4koma-in-black-i/ 4koma in Black]] storyline.
205
206	[[AC:WebOriginal]]
207	* This entry wouldn't be complete without the Gaijin 4-Koma (a.k.a. the "Reaction Guys" or the "IGN dudes"), a MemeticMutation of two photographs of one group of IGN reporters reacting to different exhibits at a video game convention with... different amounts of excitement. The meme traditionally represents the IGN gaijin as staring impassively at one photograph or scene, and then shouting with excitement at either an interesting development from the first scene, or something else that's ''much'' more interesting.
208	** This was taken to epic extremes with the composite of all their reactions to [[http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/162556 each individual episode]] of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', including [[spoiler:the time skip at the end of the last episode as well as a reaction to the epic last great battle]], as well as the reactions to the E3 trailer for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros. Brawl'', with their reactions being [[MundaneMadeAwesome amplified to epic levels]] with the announcement of [[VideoGame/MetalGear Snake]].
209	** It was also parodied in the anime ''Literature/{{Bakemonogatari}}'' during episode 9 after Nadeko strips down to show her [[BodyHorror snakeskin marks]]. [[http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/517800/ Koyomi and Suruga are amused.]]
210	** The reverse can happen too, when an exciting thing happened at first so they were excited... which is followed by a mistake by the game development, in which the gaijins started to look unamused.
211	* What do you get when you use the ''Souchaku Henshin'' action figures from Franchise/KamenRider to make a quick-and-easy series of Yonkoma? The meaningfully-named ''[[http://tokuasia.com/board/index.php?topic=764.0 Soucha-Koma]]'', of course.
212	** [[http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6392/advensckm0034.jpg The inevitable Reaction Guys tribute.]] (Warning: NSFW.)
213

Context Main / Yonkoma