History Series / HikoninSentaiAkibaranger

** 2-4: Website/NicoNicoDouga + Website/YouTube = [=NicoNicoTube=]

** This manages to become inverted with season 2's episode 7: [[spoiler:Three new members were added into [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger the Seven Spears of Darkness]]. But since each of those were [[DayOfTheWeekName named after days of the week]], the end result in the real world is that the week now has ten days.]]

In April 2013, a second season called ''Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger Season Two''[[note]]A wordplay pun based on "Tsuu", meaning "painful".[[/note]] began airing. Taking place in an AlternateUniverse from the original series (and shamelessly {{Retcon}}ning several important events in the process), the Akibaranger have disbanded following their climactic victory over the Blatantly Evil Guerilla Marketing Firm B nine months previously. But all that changes when Nobuo discovers official ''Akibaranger'' merchandise for sale in one of his usual {{Otaku}} boutiques: have the Akibaranger somehow become an official ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' without them knowing?! Along with Luna Iwashimizu, an energetic wannabe IdolSinger who inherits the role of Akiba Blue, the Akibaranger must re-assemble to solve the mystery and battle a new arch-enemy, the "[[OverlyLongName Neo Dimensional Intellectual Remodeling Underground True Empire of Baros lol]]".

'''Nobuo''': Pain is power! Ready!\\

->''Akihabara, a town which floats in a sea of delusions. There, we find three warriors who believe "pain is power", and fight extravagant battles [[AllJustADream inside their own heads.]] They are:''

** [[spoiler: Yumeria's mother's role call as Akiba Yellow in #5 is more traditional (and in Nobuo's eyes, "better").]]

** #9 has [[spoiler: the team ''finally'' doing a proper role call, including Yumeria actually finishing one of her anecdotes. They get the customary explosion, then run full pelt at the monster-of-the-week whilst still holding their poses]].
** [[spoiler: Played completely straight in Episode #11, when Takuma is head of the team. The new temporary role call is basically a massive ShoutOut to the ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'' role call, but with lots of MeaninglessMeaningfulWords thrown in- also, the first characters in each phrase, when placed together, can be read as "Juumousou".]]
--->[[spoiler: '''Takuma''': Strength through flexibility, burning red! Intelligence! Akiba Red!]]\\
[[spoiler: '''Yumeria''': Gratitude to miracles, like a blind turtle finding driftwood! Practitioner! Akiba Yellow!]]\\
[[spoiler: '''Mitsuki''': A pearl within the blue, perfection through diligence! Fast Master! Akiba Blue!]]\\
[[spoiler: '''Takuma''': Shine on!]]\\
[[spoiler: '''All''': Hikonin Sentai... Akibaranger!]]

*** An actual heroic example occurs in S2 12 when [[spoiler: Malshina uses the Wolzaphone to make Super Akiba Red grow to take on Prism Ace.]]

** #2-9: [[spoiler: [=SHFiguarts=] for Itasshar Robo, or is that Itasshar Boy?]]

** #2-8 parodies the ever popular DuelToTheDeath [[spoiler: AgainstTheSettingSun no less]]

** #2-12 parodies [[spoiler: the IntercontinuityCrossover, the Super Hero Taisen movies, and Heroic Sacrifice.]]

* TransformationTrinket: The Moe Moe Z-Cune (MMZ-01), an "officially licensed" figure of Aoi that also transforms into the team sidearm and also acts as the communication device. It only works in the delusional world [[spoiler: until #9]].

* AbortedArc: [[spoiler: At the end of episode 11, after Nobuo gets the other Akibarangers to realize they're in a TV show, Takuma abruptly leaves the team even though Deluknight claims they're fated rivals, and Hiroyo is just as suddenly cured of the scorpion mark curse. The blatant obviousness of the ExecutiveMeddling means that the heroes can't really celebrate though.]]
* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler: Takehiro Tsuzuki/Doctor Z. Starting from his attempt from the beginning to curse his own daughter (Hiroyo) to ruin her seiyuu career, and also completely dismissing Malshina, whom has treated him like her own father and called him respectfully...]]

** In Season 2, Nobuo addresses a toy shop clerk that has a [[spoiler: [[Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger Bae]] doll riding his arm. Said clerk may have possibly been a [[Series/KamenRiderOOO mad scientist with an obsession for endings]] that had a creepier-looking doll riding his arm.]]
*** [[spoiler: Said creepier-looking doll is actually on top of the cash register]]
** [[spoiler: Creator/KatsuyukiKonishi voices a smartphone-themed [=MotW=] - which he used the [[Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger last time]] he was in a Sentai series.]]

* AlternativeCalendar: In season 2, one of General Pain's schemes turns the [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger Goraigers]] evil and adds a third member, making them Jakanja's 8th, 9th, and 10th spears of darkness. Since the original seven spears were named after the seven days of the week, this causes history to change in such a way that a week consists of 10 days instead of 7, with new days Uranday, Posday, and Hadday appearing between Saturday and Sunday. [[spoiler: As it turns out, this is much more damaging than it first seems. More days in a week means less weeks in a year, and with Sentai still airing only once a week, each Sentai series now only lasts 36 episodes instead of the usual 51. On top of that, the three new days each have strictly enforced anti-otaku laws: Uranday is otaku garbage day (otaku goods are forcibly seized and disposed of), Tokusatsu songs cannot be played on Posday, and cosplay is banned on Hadday]].

* TheArtifact: In season two, at first Marushina seems this. As the corporate dronery thing was ''literally'' SoLastSeason, one may wonder why the villainess whose name is basically a pun on a copyright symbol is still around. Turns out it's because she's [[spoiler: still herself from season one, knows exactly what happened to the show's world and the "real" world]], and is actually [[spoiler: in Saburo Hatte's world trying to take the reins of sentai itself.]]

* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: After failing to extend the storyline via {{Foreshadowing}}, being forced to engage & defeat the BigBad, and even ''attempting to destroy the [[TheEnd end title]],'' the Akibarangers still can't stop Saburo Hatte, represented as an in-universe god, from ending the series early. He finally shows up "in-person" and [[FilmTheHand covers the lens]]. There is eventually a second season, but this in itself turns out to be Malshina's plan.]]
* BaitAndSwitch: This gets pulled off in-between #3 and #4. At the end of #3, Mitsuki says that [[spoiler: she is leaving, only to add that she's just leaving for three days and isn't leaving the team.]]

* BerserkButton: [[spoiler: Sayaka being harassed by the MOTW in #9 triggers Nobuo's burst of manly spirit, enabling him to transform into Akiba Red in reality.]]

* CharacterDerailment: InUniverse, [[spoiler: Dr. Z's character and backstory is entirely rewritten when he seems to be going against the author's plans]].

** Also, [[spoiler: the scrolling giveaway text, and its habit of showing up during lulls in the action.]]
** [[spoiler: the pen name Saburo Hatte appearing at the beginning of the opening.]]

* ConvenientReplacementCharacter: Takuma Tsuzuki, Hiroyo's brother who debuted in Episode #10 as [[spoiler: an agent working for Interpol.]] Supposedly, he's to [[spoiler: replace Nobuo as Akiba Red]] after the former is [[spoiler: [[WrittenInAbsence summoned to the Pentagon to work at the Department of Defense.]]]] [[GenreSavvy This character's mindset and mannerisms established,]] [[ConscienceMakesYouGoBack conscience makes him go back.]]
** He comes back at the end of the next episode. Though just before Takuma leaves, his face shows what can be deciphered as [[spoiler: a TraitorShot]] that appears way too late to be a surprise. [[spoiler: He must have known about the ExecutiveMeddling from the beginning and was doing their bidding, if he wasn't a creation of it directly.]]

* CutShort: Parodied. Malshiina is very surprised when [[spoiler: Dr. Z suddenly and uncharacteristically decides to lay off the 40 remaining chief clerks.]]

** Also, [[spoiler: in what's both a real-life ''and'' in-universe example (see ActingForTwo above)]], the Z-Cune Aoi theme is performed by Maaya Uchida, who plays Hiroyo [[spoiler: and Aoi]].

** This becomes ChekhovsSkill in #7 when [[spoiler: she draws the Akibarangers and Malshina for Hiroyo so she can see them]].
*** Happens again in season 2 episode 4 [[spoiler: when she draws a manga that restores Akagi's delusional powers, giving him access his SuperMode.]]

* EternalHero: [[spoiler: At the end of season 2, the spirits of the recently deceased Akibarangers reassure the audience that they are eternal, and that they'll return if Hatte Saburo wishes it.]]

** [[spoiler: Malshina later takes Pain's knowledge, though, and combines it with her experience and Saburo Hatte's powers to become an even bigger threat, which includes turning flags of defeat into victory conditions and vice-versa.]]

* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Simultaneously {{Inverted}} and PlayedStraight. [[spoiler: In the final battle with [[BigBad DeluKnight]],the Akibarangers discover that no matter what they do, it is literally impossible for them to lose the battle. This is exactly what they ''don't'' want, since they're fully aware that they're in a TV show, and that it will end if they win the final battle]].

** Also, in #2-4, [[spoiler: Malshina's henshin actually strips her, like a magical girl transformation.]]

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The Akibarangers paid so much active attention to victory and defeat flags during the last few episodes of season 2 that when [[spoiler: Hakase tells them all to come back in the end it trips a suicide attack flag, causing them all to die stopping the alien invasion. The invasion is also their fault, having been the ExcusePlot for the VS movie against Prism Ace.]]

* HopeSpot: There are a few moments in episode 12 where it seems like [[spoiler:the heroes have succeeded in forcing the story to continue.]] Most obviously with [[spoiler: Dr. Z and Malshina arriving to stop the battle between Delu-Knight and the Akibarangers, with Dr. Z saying he won't be manipulated anymore, only to... be manipulated again.]]
* HostileShowTakeover: [[spoiler: Near the end of season 2, Malshina uses the knowledge of Super Sentai villains' defeats that she's learned throughout the show to defeat all the official Sentai heroes and take over their shows, turning the Super Sentai series into the Super Malshina series, where the villains win every time.]]

* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: Discussed in episode 4. Nobuo and Yumeria think Mitsuki has been brainwashed and try various methods to snap her out of it that have been used in various Sentai series. [[spoiler: Actually, it's not Mitsuki at all. Malshina's impersonating her... just like she did with Sayaka the previous episode. Nobody guesses, even after not seeing through such things was ''just'' a running gag. Admit it, neither did you.]]

** As of Episode #11, [[spoiler: it's gone completely as if it had never happened.]]

* [[spoiler: MediumAwareness]]: [[spoiler: This is actually a plot point, and happens when the main characters realize that they are indeed in a TV show. Believe it or not, it's PlayedForDrama.]]
** [[spoiler: And then they forget it all in the second season thanks to WordOfGod.]]

* MidSeasonTwist: [[spoiler: Continuing from the previous episode, Malshina is in the real world and it seems to know Hakase, evident from a drawing the latter had in a safe in the back of the cafe drawn up by her father. Later the Akibarangers, Machine Itashar, and the MonsterOfTheWeek appear and fought in the real world.]]

** In #5: [[spoiler: The team was deluded enough for Yumeria's deceased mother to appear.]]

** In #10: [[spoiler: Akibas Yellow and Blue ALSO gained the ability to transform in real life in order to assist against Delu-Knight, despite the plot clearly establishing that Nobuo is the most deluded out of the three of them. (And thus the only one that was capable of pulling the feat off.)]]
** In #11: [[spoiler: While not a power per se, Nobuo suddenly gains enough perception to realize that he is in fact in a TV Show, despite being completely unaware of it, or being able to perceive it, prior.]]

** In #2-4, Nobuo [[spoiler: inspires Malshina to use her dark Aoi-tan and henshin. Yumeria and Luna unhappily lampshade this]].

* NoticingTheFourthWall: Used as a PLOT POINT of all things in #11, in which Nobuo finds out that [[spoiler: the world he and the Akibarangers are living in is in fact a TV Show called [[TitleDrop Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger]] and that someone [[RealLife on the Toei production staff in the real world]] is modifying the show's tone for their own satisfaction.]] [[FlatWhat What?]]

* OhCrap: [[spoiler: At the end of #6, Malshina has crossed over to reality. None of the heroes take this discovery well.]]

* OppositeDay: [[spoiler: in 2#11, victory flags become defeat flags and vise versa.]]

* PintSizedPowerhouse: [[spoiler: Itasshar Boy, the size of a child's toy.]] So small it's invisible when compared to a giant monster. [[spoiler: It still kicks its ass, helped in part by a victory flag.]]
* ThePowerOfHate: [[spoiler: What allowed Malshiina to retain her memories of the real season 1 ending was her seething hatred for Hatte Saburo and the way he wrote her.]]

* SeriesContinuityError: One that is deliberately put in place. Season 1 most definitely ''didn't'' end the way first episode of Season 2 depicts it to end. Blame [[spoiler: Saburo Hatte, ''again]].'' Or rather, blame [[spoiler: his injury]].

* ShowWithinAShow: ''Nijiyome Gakuen[[note]]2D Wife Academy[[/note]] Z-Cune Aoi'', which is tied into the main show's plot; the Akibarangers' morphing devices are transforming action figures of Aoi-tan, and all 3 of them are fans of the show. [[spoiler: It later turns out Malshina is actually a rejected design for the main villain of the show by Hakase's father, that he ''also'' happens to be the head of Stema Otsu, and that Hakase herself is Aoi-tan's voice actress.]] Season two has an Aoi movie coming up.

* AWizardDidIt: Any inconsistencies between season 1 and 2 (or even any inconsistencies in the series at all) can be easily explained [[spoiler: as being the result of [[AuthorPowers rewrites]] by [[AuthorAvatar Saburo Hatte]]]]

** In Season 1, [[spoiler: Malshina manages to appear in the real world halfway through the season, soon followed by bringing monsters over as well, and the Akibarangers being able to transform in reality.]]
** In Season 2, [[spoiler: changes made to Sentai characters in the Delusion World have the power to [[RetCon alter the history of Sentai in the real world as well.]]]]
** Subverted at the end of Episode #2-12. The Akibas [[spoiler: sacrificed themselves to save Earth from an invasion, but are implied to be in the delusion world during.]] (Making it a delusion, despite it being treated as an actual, real event) However, their [[spoiler: deaths in the Delusion World are confirmed to have killed them in reality.]]

* WidgetSeries: Pops up in Super Sentai from time to time, but this series takes it up to eleven.

* ShowWithinAShow:
** ''Nijiyome Gakuen[[note]]2D Wife Academy[[/note]] Z-Cune Aoi'', which is tied into the main show's plot; the Akibarangers' morphing devices are transforming action figures of Aoi-tan, and all 3 of them are fans of the show. [[spoiler: It later turns out Malshina is actually a rejected design for the main villain of the show by Hakase's father, that he ''also'' happens to be the head of Stema Otsu, and that Hakase herself is Aoi-tan's voice actress.]] Season two has an Aoi movie coming up.
** The ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' franchise (including ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' on occasion) also exists as an in-universe show, which is another reason the children aren't supposed to watch ''Akibaranger'', as it will break the illusion.

* FusionDissonance: In the first episode, the Akibarangers encounter two {{Meido}} cosplaying as the ElegantGothicLolita {{Dark Chick}}s [[Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger Nai and Mea]] who, instead of combining into the more thematically relevant vampire Vancuria like the originals, combines into the male aphid-themed Shibuyaseitakaawadachisohidenagaaburamushi.

* HonestAxe: 2-10 plays a variation with a plastic spatula or a golden spatula (a very obvious setup for General Tsu's variation of the Alpaca brothers). [[WhatAnIdiot Luna chooses the golden one without batting an eyelid.]]

** Turned up to eleven in episode 4, the cosplay episode. Let's see: Yumeria cosplays as [[Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger Mele]], then in Nobuo's delusion, we see Mitsuki as [[Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger Kaze no Shizuka]], and [[Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger Jeanne, with Yumeria as Lije and Hakase as Lijewel]], then Hakase as [[Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger Swan]], then Sayaka as [[Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger Tetomu]], [[NamesTheSame Sayaka]]/[[Series/DengekiSentaiChangeman Change Mermaid]] and [[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman Shelinda]], followed by Malshina as Shelinda, [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger Wendinu]] and [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger Kegalesia]]. Whew!

* TheOneGuy: For the first time in Super Sentai history, girls outnumber boys when it comes to being a ranger. Nobuo/Akiba Red is TheOneGuy in a team of four, counting the HotScientist mentor Professor Hiroyo.

* {{Gainaxing}}: Happens with Yumeria (amusingly ''only'' her) during the henshin sequence.

* BreastExpansion: When Yumeria transforms into Akiba Yellow, her breasts expand in a none too subtle manner (albeit not to {{Gainaxing}} levels in the slightest).

* WeaponOfChoice:
** {{Handguns}}: The Moe Moe Z-Cunes are the standard weapon used by the Akibarangers.
** ShapeshifterWeapon: The Inordinate Powers are created from transforming one or more Sentai Rangers:
*** Dekaranger: Deka Wapper
*** Boukenger: [[ShovelStrike Bouken Scooper]]
*** Jetman: [[JetPack Jet Winger]]
*** Dairanger: Dairen Bomber
*** Zyuranger: Zyuren Buckler
*** Hurricaneger: [[EpicFlail Hurricane Ball]]
** Super Akiba Red: Munyu Munyu Z-Baan. When [[BifurcatedWeapon combined]] with the Moe Moe Z-Cune, it creates the [[HandCannon Munyu Moe Zubakyuuun]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/akibarangers_2081.jpg]]

* LoudOfWar: in s2, [[spoiler:Kibaranger]] delivers a sound attack that basically summons [[Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger Yukio Yamagata]] and [[Series/BattleFeverJ Ichiro Tomita aka MoJo]] to ''sing you into submission''. Imagine summoning Music/OzzyOsbourne and [[Music/{{Aerosmith}} Steven Tyler]] to fend off [[{{Film/Armageddon}} asteroids about to obliterate the Earth...]]

* '''{{CAMP}}''': Being a Franchise/SuperSentai parody, the suit battles take every campy element and takes it UpToEleven.

** Turned UpToEleven in episode 4, the cosplay episode. Let's see: Yumeria cosplays as [[Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger Mele]], then in Nobuo's delusion, we see Mitsuki as [[Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger Kaze no Shizuka]], and [[Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger Jeanne, with Yumeria as Lije and Hakase as Lijewel]], then Hakase as [[Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger Swan]], then Sayaka as [[Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger Tetomu]], [[NamesTheSame Sayaka]]/[[Series/DengekiSentaiChangeman Change Mermaid]] and [[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman Shelinda]], followed by Malshina as Shelinda, [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger Wendinu]] and [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger Kegalesia]]. Whew!

** This Rule is taken [[UpToEleven up to eleven]] in Episode #11. See the "Noticing the Fourth Wall" entry.

* WidgetSeries: Pops up in Super Sentai from time to time, but this series takes it UpToEleven.

** Season 2 introduces the Moya Moya Z-Cune (MMZ-00), a repaint used by General Pain to transport his creations into the Delusion World and by Malshina to transform, and the Munyu Munyu Z-Baan (MMZ-02), a new figure with AbsoluteCleavage that doubles as a knife and enables Akiba Red's SuperMode.

* RantInducingSlight: Mitsuki calls [[Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger Boukenger]] "Boukenranger". Nobuo flips out.

** Super Akiba Red: [[KnifeNut Munyu Munyu Z-Baan]]. When [[BifurcatedWeapon combined]] with the Moe Moe Z-Cune, it creates the [[HandCannon Munyu Moe Zubakyuuun]].

* PantyShot: Akiba Blue has a pair of [[GoofyPrintUnderwear polar bear print panties]] molded into her suit.
** And in Season 2, [[spoiler: Akiba Yellow's panties have the word 'housewife' written on the backside.]]

[[folder:Recurring Franchise/SuperSentai tropes]]

!!The Akibarangers:
* Nobuo Akagi, '''Akiba Red''': Eccentric {{otaku}} deliveryman for Sasaki's Ponpoko Delivery Services who has dedicated much of his life to being a die-hard ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' fan, although his faith has recently been slipping thanks to the {{moe}} main character of ''Z-Cune Aoi''. As the leader of the trio, his vast and intricate knowledge of ''Super Sentai'' tropes is vital to their success against Malshina and her cronies.
* Mitsuki Aoyagi, '''Akiba Blue''': Reserved and sometimes {{tsundere}} high-school student who aims to be a master martial artist, but secretly loves ''Z-Cune Aoi'' as well. The [[StraightMan straight woman]] of the group, she's really only in on it to hone her martial arts skills on Malshina's mooks. [[PutOnABus In season 2, she's left the team]], replaced as Akiba Blue by...
** Luna Iwashimizu, '''Akiba Blue II''': A schoolgirl who wants to become a popular IdolSinger, joining the team under the impression that she can use a ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' series as a vehicle for her own career.
* Yumeria Moegi (a StageName; real name [[spoiler:Yuuko Yamada]]), '''Akiba Yellow''': A bouncy, happy-go-lucky [[CosplayOtakuGirl cosplayer]] (and closet YaoiFangirl) who joined the team simply because she thought it would be fun. Sometimes [[CloudCuckoolander drifts into daydreams about her next adventure at Comiket]], but she can easily handle herself when need be. In ''Season 2'', [[spoiler:she gets married and changes her name to Yuuko Yokoyama]].

* TakeThat: In the technical finale of the first season, Delu-Knight says his response time is a hundred times faster than the Japanese government's response in a crisis, referencing the slow response to the Tohoku Earthquake.

** ''Weaponized'' when [[spoiler:General 2 orchastrates things so it's 'winter', and thus the time for the new toys...meaning the Akibarangers are weak because the Christmas toys will be coming out and thus the new stuff needs to look cool. This resulted in [[CurbstompBattle him demolishing them]] in the resulting fight. They turn the tables with Itasshar Robo, who demolishes his monster for the same reason.]]

** MiniMecha: Rather than the usual HumongousMecha, Itasshar Robo is extremely small by Sentai standards, transforming from a normal car and remaining the size of a normal car. It's bigger than the Rangers, at least.
** Second Mecha: [[spoiler:Itasshar Boy.]] Complete with CurbstompBattle.

* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: After failing to extend the storyline via {{Foreshadowing}}, being forced to engage & defeat the BigBad, and even ''attempting to destroy the [[TheEnd end title]],'' the Akibarangers still can't stop Saburo Hatte, represented as an in-universe god, from ending the series early. He finally shows up "in-person" and [[FilmTheHand covers the lens]]. Of course, with a second season on its way, they may have yet extended their stay yet]].

* TheEnd: One can argue that TheEnd is the final boss! [[spoiler:The combined force of Akibarangers and Malshiina fails to defeat it.]]

* TropeOverdosed: This is intentional, as it references and plays around with all the Sentai tropes.

* CosmicRetcon: Aside from [[spoiler:the AuthorPowers displayed by Saburo Hatte]] in season 1, in season 2 the villains have the power to alter history. Early in the season, they [[spoiler:replaced ''Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger'' with ''Gosei Sentai Akibaranger'' as an official Sentai series, and changed the history of ''Nijiyome Gakuen Z-cune Aoi'' so that it was full of blood and gore- which also resulted in Hakase, Aoi's voice actress, getting into deep financial trouble.]] The source of the changes is in the delusion world, but the real world is affected as well, so the Akibarangers have to transform and defeat the MonsterOfTheWeek in order to restore history to normal.