Anime ● Review: Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You

English Title: Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You

Japanese Title: スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり

Director(s): Suzuki Tadato, Mori Aoi

Screenwriter(s): Inoue Mio

Studio: Asahi Production

Released: 2026

Runtime: 12 episodes, ~10m each.

Starring: Hoshiki Seena, Satou Takuya

● This slice-of-life anime is based on the ongoing manga of the same name by Jinushi that started in 2022.

● I have not read the manga so this brief review is of the anime only.

● Sasaki is a salaryman in his mid-40s. He is overworked and often tired. He gets a little pick-me-up at the local supermarket after work by lining up at cashier #2 because of Yamada, the lovely young woman who is often behind it. Yamada is always smiling and seemingly innocent.

● One night, when struggling to find a place to smoke, he is invited by an attractive woman in her mid-20s who suspiciously looks like Yamada to use the supermarket’s employee smoking area. She identifies herself as “Tamada”, a mere reversal of the kanji from 山田 to 田山. She is cool, confident and a little mysterious.

● Of course, Tamada is confirmed to be Yamada but Sasaki does not know that. Whilst that seems unrealistic, that is the premise. One likes it or not.

● The series follows Sasaki and Tamada/Yamada’s friendship as they, like the title states, continue to smoke behind the supermarket on a regular basis.

Sasaki

● The story is very much slice-of-life. Sasaki is a “fan” of Yamada but he is not a pervert stalker. He admires her within the narrow context as a cashier, obviously having a very limited view, and that’s it. To other people, including Tamada, he is kind and considerate without being naïve. He is simply a likeable guy.

● As they smoke and talk about everyday things and life issues, Tamada teases and plays with Sasaki in a good-natured way, which he knows and accepts.

Tamada

● The comedy is not laugh-out-loud, nor is it meant to be. Apart from Sasaki not being able to tell that Tamada is Yamada, they experience and talk about realistic everyday things.

● To avoid oversaturating the two main characters, the series does gradually introduce and show those around them. For example, Yamada’s manager, Goto, meets Sasaki one night whilst she is vaping outside so she finds out about Tamada and Sasaki.

● Visually, the designs are deliberately simple but not too simple. There is enough detail without being cheap. The linework is sharp and although there could be more sophisticated color graduations, there is good use of strong highlights. Overall, it looks slick.

● The music by Kono Shin and Yoshida Kohei is mostly fitting. Thankfully, it is not heavily “emotional” by abusing sweeping orchestral themes. It tries to be more amusing by using sparse synths or blues or jazz to fit Tamada’s personality and the situation in general.

● The romantic undertones are, so far, apparent but not too strong. After all, given the circumstances and their age difference, neither is particularly interested or have any expectations. They talk and their friendship develops organically.

● So, on balance, despite the unhealthy habit, it is mostly a wholesome and amusing slice-of-life series, just as Yamada/Tamada finds Sasaki amusing.

● The 12 mini-episodes are supposed to be the first 6 full episodes with the full release scheduled for July 2026.

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