#kransom

This particular sequence in Yotsuba in which depicted action is omitted inb/w panels and then later referenced and serves as a punchline (usually prompting the reader to go back a few pages and notice the location of the ladle through the pages) is a nice spin on certain techniques (and also subversive in a sense of how they are taken for granted) and reminded me of this lecture on visual composition and technique that Kransom & SDS translated by Kumi Kaoru.

The lecture is actually primarily concerned with the manga edition of Nausicaa and in some way is a follow up to certain previous lectures looking into why Nausicaa is difficult to "read", though it actually does feature panels from Yotsuba (as well as a host of other great comics.)

If this stuff is interesting to you, you can read the lectures here:

Manga Criticism Translation: “At First, I Wanted to be a Manga-ka”: Analyzing the Nausicaa Manga by Kumi Kaoru, pt 1

Again, one more thing I should've posted to coincide with Otomo's birthday. This is a great little lecture by Kentaro Takekuma who co-authored "Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga" translated by Kransom back in '09. It gives some great background into what the historical context that Otomo was working in was and also why some of his stuff is so influential and significant.

Also reading some of the manga that are mentioned will really help illustrate the points written in the lecture. Some of the manga mentioned in the lecture such as "Nothing Will Be As It Was" and "Fireball" can be read online.