The Kishotenketsu is a common device that has been used in Eastern cultures for several centuries. It is a device of rhetoric with a variety of different uses. One of its many uses is as a plot structure in storytelling. This structure can be found in several forms of media such as films, light novels, manga, anime, etc. This guide will explain what the Kishotenketsu is in depth andhow it differs from the Western plot structure.
The Kishotenketsu structure consists of four different aspects. Ki, Sho, Ten and Ketsu. The Ki is the introduction of the story that establishes a premise. The Sho is the development that expands on the premise established in the Ki. The Ten is the twist that deviates from the Sho, similar to a climax. The Ketsu is the conclusion that ties into the other three parts in order to form the final result. In essence, the aim of the Kishotenketsu structure is to create stories that achieve definition. The following section will show how each part of the structure works together in order to accomplish this.
Ki
The Ki is the sequence that establishes an initial premise. At this point the story can technically go in any direction it wants. A thriller, a romance, a drama, action etc. It's simply a base that any idea can be built from. Most of the time the Ki is the smallest and least vital part of the story but if used right it can be a useful tool for establishing several important elements of a story and provide the audience with a strong understanding of the story's general premise. The issue withthe Ki is that on its own it doesn't accomplish much. Any premise can be established but without any depth to qualify it, it offers nothing in terms of value or deeper meaning. So in order to do this the story needs to develop further.
Sho
The Sho is the sequence that takes the Ki and expands upon it. It's the moment when the story chooses a particular direction to go in. The Ki can also establish direction in the story, however it's only when the story reaches the Sho that it decides to progress in that direction. If the Ki of astory is comparable to stepping into a vehicle and turning it on, then the Sho is the act of driving towards your destination. The Sho is the main essence of the story and provides it with substance. However, the Sho has a similar issue to the Ki in that the story is still lacking indefinition. With the Sho, the story could progress indefinitely, increasing in depth over and over again, but would never arrive at a conclusion, so in order to have a meaningful impact, the story needs another variable.
Ten
The Ten is known as the twist of the story and it occurs just before the Ketsu. While the Ten is often an unexpected development in the story, it doesn't necessarily have to be a plot twist. It is moreso a sudden change in direction that runs contrary to the progression of the Sho. While the Sho is what gives the story direction, the Ten is what gives it definition. The Ten is often referred to as the climax of a story but it can also be the unexpected event that sets up the climax in the Ketsu. The calm before the storm, if you will.
Ketsu
The Ketsu is the last section of the structure that connects all of the other parts together in order to reach a conclusion. Because the Ten is a moment that deviates from the story's direction in an unexpected way, its inclusion in the story must be justified by the Ketsu. It is for this reason why the Ten is the crux of the story, because the Ketsu shows what happens to the development established in Sho after the Ten takes it in a new direction. This is what defines the story.
To recap, The Ki establishes a premise, the Sho progresses in a direction from that premise, the Ten deviates from that direction, The Ketsu shows the result of the Ten being added to the Sho,thus reaching a conclusion. I typically like to think of the Kishotenketsu as an equation to make it easier to understand. 1+3+X=4The Ki is 1, the initial value that is established. The Sho is +3, the initial value is expanded on.The Ten is X, the random unexpected variable that adds unknown value to the equation. The Ketsu is =4, the result of the entire equation that reveals the value of X. A deleted caretaker village scene from the movie Star Wars The Last Jedi, is a perfect example of the Kishotenketsu as well as the rest of the movie as a whole. On my profile, I have the entire scene transcribed into text, you can either read from there or watch the scene online to use as a reference while I discuss the aspects of it in depth.
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In the moment prior to the scene, Luke informs Rey of the failings of both the Jedi Order and his own failings when training Kylo Ren. The scene then opens with Rey standing up and stating that she will not fail him like Kylo did. This short moment establishes that Rey has faith in both Luke and the Jedi religion despite the shortcomings of both of them. This portion of the sequence also ends with Luke and Rey noticing something in the distance and then proceeding to investigate it. This moment is the Ki because it establishes Rey's frame of mind, as well as establishing the direction of the scene.
The Sho section begins with Rey and Luke heading towards the nearby cliff and Luke identifying the ships sailing towards the island as raiders. The premise set up in the Ki is expanded upon as Luke tells Rey that a true Jedi knight would not save the villagers from the raiders if it meant acting out of emotion. The scene progresses further as Rey disregards Luke's words and sprints off towards the village, using her anger to run faster.
Ten. The story takes an unexpected twist once Rey reaches the village and realizes that the "raiders" are actually visitors to a celebration and that the whole thing was a false alarm. The Ketsu begins with Rey realizing that Luke was toying with her the entire time. Luke thenreiterates to Rey that the Resistance needs her and not the Jedi religion due to her desire to help the villagers despite acting out of balance. The scene ends with Rey expressing her frustration towards Luke and that her faith was misplaced.The Ketsu reaches definition in the story because it shows the result of the Sho (Rey running towards the village, convinced that they are in trouble) being met with the Ten (The realization that it was a party).
Kishotenketsu vs Freytag's Triangle
The Western style of storytelling is known as Freytag's Triangle and you are likely already familiar with its structure. It consists of five different sequences: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution. Freytag's triangle uses these sequences to establish and resolve conflict. The Kishotenketsu has some notable differences from it. While Freytag's Triangle centers itself around conflict, the Kishotenketsu does not. Because it is a device of rhetoric its structure is moreso trying to prove something rather than to solve a problem. Because of this lack of conflict, the structure can often lend itself to a much more natural type of storytelling more suited towards exploring characterization and theme in a way that feels less contrived because not every element of the story is tailored towards a central conflict. There are also major distinctions within the core elements of each style.
Ki vs Exposition
A Ki is a premise that can introduce anything, whereas Exposition typically implies conveying fundamental information about the setting, characters, and sometimes conflict.
Sho vs Rising Action
The Sho is a development that expands but doesn't necessarily establish conflict. The Rising Action continuously builds off of the central conflict of the narrative.
Ten vs Climax
The Climax is always the highest point in a narrative and more often than not progresses linearly from the Rising Action. The Ten is usually the highest point of the narrative and almost always deviates from the direction of the Sho.
Ketsu vs Falling Action and Resolution
The Ketsu can sometimes be the highest point in the narrative. The Falling Action and Resolution always deescalate in tension from the Climax.
Out of both of these story structures I prefer to use the Kishotenketsu for these very reasons. I also find the structure to be more versatile and less restrictive in its application because each of its parts is easier to use. For instance, the Ki is easier to use than exposition because exposition implies that a setting, conflict and characters needs to be established whereas the Ki is simply any introduction that doesn't need to establish a lot of information. One of the reasons why I introduced this as the first chapter of the writer's guide is because any person can become a proficient writer solely using Kishotenketsu. The structure lends itself well to short stories and many writers use it in sequences without realizing it. A story with a good twist in the Ten sequence alone, is enough to construct a good narrative.
However, the Western Style is not to be underestimated, and while I do have a personal preference, neither structure is inherently better. While the Kishotenketsu is more suited for creating less contrived narratives, the Western story structure is better for creating more engaging narratives. The use of conflict and tension that is carried throughout the narrative is often an excellent vehicle for generating investment in an audience as they yearn to see how problems are resolved and how different developments in the plot affect the characters. While the Kishotenketsu can be more immersive due to the plot feeling less contrived, it can also seem directionless and unengaging due to the lack of tension to make things more interesting. In essence, Kishotenketsu can be seen as better for character driven stories while Freytag's Triangle can be seen as better for plot-driven stories. If you're using Kishotenketsu, consider integrating tension into your story to make it more interesting. If you are using Freytag's Triangle consider focusing on character development to generate investment as tension rises. However it is also important to know that most stories do not fall neatly under one of these structures or the other. There is a lot of overlap between the two structures and it really doesn't matter whichis used or how it is used. All that matters is whatever aids in crafting a good narrative.