Panel 2: Note the rare use of so-called “literal sound FX” with the “PAT PAT,” here. Normally, I’m strongly averse to this sort of thing, as I tend to despise the goofiness of FX such as “LEAP!” or “POINT!” This is very likely due to the fact that such theoretically humorous literalisms date back to 80s-era misinterpretations of manga FX, when comics folk attempting parodies of manga often slathered such alleged witticisms over their work. Ah, but the many, many sound FX in Japanese comics are absolutely not conceptual in that manner; rather, they really are supposed to be actual sound FX, even when the actions they accompany don’t technically produce a noise as such. (Famous examples: “TSURU” for cream blending into coffee, “CHIRA” for the flash of panties, “SHIIIIIN” for sudden, utter silence and so on.)

-Adam Warren