| Summary: | The main objective of this study is to develop a theoretical tool to analyze humor
elements in Japanese comic (manga). The authors narrow the definition of “tool†as a
theoretical framework that can be used in an inductive research. Developing this tool is
of importance since evaluating the quality of humor in comic is difficult and subjective,
due to the inclusion of humor as a cognitive and cultural product (Hurley et al, 2011).
The authors strongly emphasize that this study was a theoretical review one. We
aimed to develop a theoretical foundation pertaining to semiotic analysis in humorous
manga products. To achieve the aim, we applied qualitative content analysis to build
the foundation inductively. The authors identify that in order to analyze humor in
manga, Berger’s theory of humor techniques (1976, 1993) can be utilized to explore
comical effect in manga. Furthermore, Wilson and Sperber’s framework (2004) can
also be used to evaluate the context of situation pictured in manga. The former theory
is imperative since it highlights the function of drawing representation to build
humorous atmosphere, while the latter functions to decode the meaning and purpose
of humor created by manga creators. To conclude, a theoretical contribution can be
withdrawn from the discussion in this study. However, to really measure Japanese’s
cognitive and cultural values of humor expression, further application of this analysis
tool needs to be established in a wider and more comprehensive set of data.
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