​Welcome to a Basic Guide to Writing 4-koma, aka How I Wing It. For those who are curious, a 4-koma is a style of Japanese comic that has a simple format: four identical panels arranged vertically. Typically, these are gag strips but they can be used to tell all sorts of stories. Today though, we are going to focus on comedy.

​They’re cute, but they’re not to be underestimated. These girls have supreme power! Mahō shōjo, or magical girl, is one of the most popular genres in manga. It was initially targeted to young girls, but over time, it has entertained and captured the hearts of all people. Like its audience, magical girls have evolved during its 60+ years in media.