New Normal
New Normal (ニューノーマル, Nyūnōmaru) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akito Aihara. The story follows two high school students in a near-future Japan after approximately 80% of the world's population has died due to a viral pandemic. It has been serialized monthly by Funguild through its Comic Owl imprint on a variety of digital platforms since December 4, 2020. An official English translation began publication on September 4, 2021 through Book Walker.
Characters[edit | hide all | hide | edit source]
Main[edit | hide | edit source]
- Haruto Hata (秦 遥人, Hata Haruto)
- A second-year high school student, he has a crush on his classmate Natsuki.
- Emi Natsuki (夏木 咲, Natsuki Emi)
- A second-year high school student and classmate of Hata, she is curious about life prior to the pandemic.
Supporting[edit | hide | edit source]
- Masato Sagara (相良 雅人, Sagara Masato)
- An adult working for the Outbreak Prevention Ministry who encounters Hata and Natsuki.
- Erika Hinata (日向 エリカ, Hinata Erika)
- A first-year high school student and the younger sister of the president of Hata's club.
- Airi Mochizuki (望月 愛里, Mochizuki Airi)
- A second-year high school student who befriends Natsuki due to their shared interest in life prior to the pandemic.
Story[edit | hide | edit source]
Background[edit | hide | edit source]
The story takes place in a near-future Japan after approximately 80% of the world's population has died due to a viral pandemic. At the beginning of the story the virus has been brought under control due in part to drastic efforts such as walling off heavily infected areas such as Tokyo. However, despite these efforts the virus remains endemic within the population and risk of infection is a persistent threat. As such, societal norms have shifted, normalizing behaviors such as social distancing and hand sanitizing.
Most notably, continuous mask-wearing has become a social norm to the degree that it is exceedingly rare for those born after the pandemic to have ever seen the full face of anyone outside their family. As such, the lower halves of people's faces, especially the mouth, have become sexualized. Likened to the genitals, seeing someone else's mouth is considered a highly intimate act. Erotic images now include thinly veiled noses and mouths, and some individuals wear light facial coverings even at home, seemingly just for privacy rather than to prevent infection.
Synopsis[edit | hide | edit source]
Haruto Hata is a second-year high school student who has a crush on his classmate Emi Natsuki. They were born shortly after the pandemic and have grown up never having seen the faces of most of those around them. One day, after school, while going to refill his water bottle Hata sees Natsuki's full face after she drinks from the water faucet without her mask on. Embarrassed, she shoves him and runs away. However, Natsuki is very curious about the world prior to the pandemic and invites Hata to have a "picnic", something she has only heard of from her father. Hata, eager to get closer to her, agrees, and the two sneak into a park to have a picnic without their masks. Thus, the two begin to develop a relationship based on their mutual secret.
Publication[edit | hide | edit source]
History[edit | hide | edit source]
| Volume | Release (JP) | ISBN-10 (JP) | ISBN-13 (JP) | Chapter | Release (JP)[note 1] | Release (EN)[note 2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 19, 2021 | 4910617000 | 978-4910617008 | 1 | December 4, 2020 | September 4, 2021 |
| 2 | December 4, 2020 | September 4, 2021 | ||||
| 3 | December 29, 2020 | September 4, 2021 | ||||
| 4 | February 5, 2021 | September 4, 2021 | ||||
| 5 | March 5, 2021 | September 4, 2021 | ||||
| 6 | April 2, 2021 | September 4, 2021 | ||||
| 7 | May 3, 2021 | September 30, 2021 | ||||
| 0.5 | July 19, 2021 | |||||
| 2 | November 17, 2021 | 4910617019 | 978-4910617015 | 8 | June 11, 2021 | November 30, 2021 |
| 9 | July 19, 2021 | January 12, 2022 | ||||
| 10 | August 20, 2021 | January 31, 2022 | ||||
| 11 | September 22, 2021 | February 28, 2022 | ||||
| 12 | October 29, 2021 | April 4, 2022 | ||||
| 13 | November 5, 2021 | May 10, 2022 | ||||
| 14 | November 17, 2021 | June 15, 2022 | ||||
| 8.5 | November 17, 2021 | |||||
| 3 | July 19, 2022 | 4910617043 | 978-4910617046 | 15 | December 24, 2021 | June 29, 2022 |
| 16 | January 28, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | ||||
| 17 | February 25, 2022 | September 1, 2022 | ||||
| 18 | March 25, 2022 | October 21, 2022 | ||||
| 19 | April 28, 2022 | November 1, 2022 | ||||
| 20 | May 27, 2022 | November 30, 2022 | ||||
| 21 | June 24, 2022 | January 31, 2023 | ||||
| 18.5 | July 19, 2022 | |||||
| 4 | March 17, 2023 | 4910617086 | 978-4910617084 | 22 | July 19, 2022 | February 3, 2023 |
| 23 | August 10, 2022 | March 2, 2023 | ||||
| 24 | September 16, 2022 | April 11, 2023 | ||||
| 25 | October 21, 2022 | May 15, 2023 | ||||
| 26 | November 25, 2022 | June 6, 2023 | ||||
| 27 | December 23, 2022 | July 11, 2023 | ||||
| 28 | January 27, 2023 | August 7, 2023 | ||||
| 21.5 | March 17, 2023 | |||||
| 5 | February 19, 2024 | 4910617213 | 978-4910617213 | 29 | February 23, 2023 | August 7, 2023 |
| 30 | March 17, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | ||||
| 31 | April 28, 2023 | October 13, 2023 | ||||
| 32 | May 26, 2023 | December 8, 2023[note 3] | ||||
| 33 | June 23, 2023 | December 1, 2023[note 3] | ||||
| 34 | July 21, 2023 | January 15, 2024 | ||||
| 35 | August 26, 2023 | February 8, 2024 | ||||
| 35.5 | February 19, 2024 | |||||
| 6 | June 17, 2024 | 4910617264 | 978-4910617268 | 36 | September 23, 2023 | February 29, 2024 |
| 37 | October 28, 2023 | March 22, 2024 | ||||
| 38 | November 25, 2023 | April 25, 2024 | ||||
| 39 | December 23, 2023 | |||||
| 40 | January 27, 2024 | |||||
| 41 | February 24, 2024 | |||||
| 42 | March 23, 2024 | |||||
| Uncollected | 43 | April 27, 2024 | ||||
External Links[edit | hide | edit source]
- New Normal at Comic Owl
- New Normal at Book Walker (official English translation)