New Normal

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Japanese: ニューノーマル

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Dec 4, 2020 to ?

Genres: Drama, Romance, Slice of Life

Serialization: None

Authors: Aihara, Akito (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 6.83¹ (scored by 2,505 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #12266²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #2441

Members: 9,761

Favorites: 70

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6.83

Ranked #12266Popularity #2441Members 9,761

MangaAihara, Akito (Story & Art)

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Synopsis

"Shortly before we were born, an infectious disease changed the world."

In the near future, hiding your mouth with a mask has become the norm. Natsuki, a girl who secretly thinks about the world before the pandemic, and her classmate Hata suddenly become friends and share a small secret. The extraordinary story of two people living in the new normal begins to unfold.

(Source: Funguild, translated)

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Background

New Normal has been published digitally in English by Funguild since September 4, 2021. It has also been published physically in French by Kana since February 17, 2023.

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Characters

Natsuki, Emi

Main

Hata, Haruto

Main

Hinata, Erika

Main

Masato, Sagara

Supporting

Reviews

Nov 24, 2021

ChathukaInduwara

Recommended

Preliminary (9/? eps)

New Normal was something I discovered while gliding through the seemingly infinite database of pirated manga on my phone. Set in post-pandemic Tokyo, it’s a slightly different coming-of-age story. After not seeing each others’ faces for so long, masks have become an essential part of one’s attire. An era where the glories of unmasked freedom can only be felt through the movies of yesterday. It’s a weird concept that glorifies a little piece of fabric. But thinking about how society has perceived our bodies throughout history, and especially in this country, it isn’t too alien of a concept.

The illustrations on this manga are simply stunning ...

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Mar 11, 2022

AkifKovacs

Recommended

Preliminary (16/? eps)

First of all its not a cooking manga, you shouldn't expect something like that. New Normal is about an alternative near future in which pandemic spreads around the world so people hiding their mouth with a mask has become the norm. In this world, manga gives us a slice of life and romance story between high school students. It sounds pretty cliche I know but the writer is breaking this cliche in this alternative future. Unusual sexual appeals, national forbids and new humanity norms all of them make this manga great. I believe that one day, this manga is going to be a masterpiece in ...

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Aug 31, 2025

shutcardboard

Not Recommended

Preliminary (51/? eps)

tl;dr: Read this if you want a series with no identity and no respect for established characters and invested readers. This manga and author try a lot but nothing even remotely good enough. This is low effort throwing shit and praying some of it sticks.

This is one of many covid manga. Mask. Virus that changed earth forever. Seeing someone's face in person? Blasphemy. Criminal.

This one had a following behind it before ultimately falling into obscurity. The bit with the virus was properly used to establish an interesting setting with many ways to expand and tell a story. Even when dropping the covid bit, it was ... a rather good series.

Until the whole fad began to disappear from the public. Covid stuff IRL quietly went away (even if it still exists, clearly). The manga was dropped by the ex-publisher (I do not know the reason) and the series lost steam.
And here began the most bizarre and obvious Identity Crisis I've ever witnessed a manga go through.

I do not know if it was dwindling numbers or a fright that made the author choose to progress this series the way they did but they went away from COVID! and made it about ~more than that~ and ~different than the other stories~. Politics. Intrigue. A love triangle and drama. A massive shift in tone and some very fantastic elements that went even further beyond unrealistic than the initial setup.
But it just didn't work. The kids doing what they did fell flat. There was some interesting and relatable stuff happening but the message could only come across if you're someone believing in one of the extremes.
It wasn't BAD yet but rating this anything above 7 would be a lie. There factually and evidently was a lot of fuckery going on already.

And BAM! another kick in your face and whiplash. Another massive genre shift, everything is dropped and we are shoujo. Full on. Inconsistent characters to enable drama. Out of character (mostly the female main character Natsuki) asspull to push some of the worst known to mankind tropes and agonizing (and cringe..) interactions that couldn't exist without someone (mostly FMC) acting like a stupid brat high schooler kid!!!.. that she just isn't.
Too much was established. You can't have her be a super smart and strong beast that gets thrown into multiple traumatizing situations and show growth and develop her relationships to just pretend it all away in one single chapter and turn her into the most stupid underdeveloped tonedeaf zero love experience child possibly ever. Absolutely zero writing to go with it.

And all to enable a new annoying side char that sucks major fat d. Freakishly over the top, fully acting as and for the tool, by the tool and dying to be a tool- enabled only by another character being out of character.
2025 moment. Authors LOVE putting oshi characters into their stories at the cost of everything around. And it pretty much ruins whole series every. single. time.
But they also enable the aforementioned dogshit tropes and the opportunity to fit another genre! That must mean they are good!

You would most probably want to dent their skull in if you met them IRL and call the police on them, haha! But the FMC was changed in one panel of writng and it is non-negotiably absolutely necessary to the plot that she allows them around!!

The kinda interesting intrigue? The pLoT? The side chars that don't act only as cringe annoying tools? Not back yet. Been a while.
But we got a not annoying or cringe breakdancing, obnoxiously loud music in public playing criminal thief sexual harasser playboy flirt! Soooo good yummy, author! Hope enjoy your new toy at the cost of literally everything good.

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Why did it had to get political? Sid - Dec 28, 2024	2 replies	by danmast94 »» Jul 11, 11:14 AM
Poll: New Normal Chapter 6 Discussion Barrycade - Jul 3, 2024	1 replies	by dspr »» Feb 19, 7:32 PM
Poll: New Normal Chapter 1 Discussion Komlan_6 - Aug 8, 2022	2 replies	by dspr »» Feb 19, 6:46 PM
Poll: New Normal Chapter 19 Discussion Barrycade - Jul 3, 2024	1 replies	by Sid »» Dec 27, 2024 3:56 AM
Poll: New Normal Chapter 25 Discussion Barrycade - Jul 4, 2024	0 replies	by Barrycade »» Jul 4, 2024 7:53 AM

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