Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You: Manga Review (Manta)

*PR material, image provided by Manta Comics as part of Manga Reviewers Club

Title: Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You

By: Jinushi

Publisher:Manga UP!

Available on: Manta

Status: Ongoing

Age Rating: 12+

Rating: 4/5

Rated 4 out of 5

Genre

First Impression Review

An Anime adaptation of this manga is currently running this summer 2026 season on Crunchyroll.

Synopsis from Manta:

Meet Sasaki, an overworked, middle-aged office worker. His days are marked only by the passing of more unrewarding corporate drudgery. Smoking helps take the edge off, but other than that, the only bright spot of his day is when he goes to the nearby supermarket and sees Yamada’s smiling face. So, one evening after yet another exhausting day, he heads to the supermarket to find he missed Yamada’s shift. Dejected, he decides to go find a smoking area but discovers there isn’t one to be found. Just as he’s about to leave, a girl in a biker jacket named Tayama asks him to join her at a secret smoking area!

Please note that this work is a fictional portrayal and does not endorse or encourage smoking in any way.

Review

Sasaki is so dense and adorably funny. Yamada is a smiley cashier on the job and her smile soothes Sasaki’s soul. However, off- the job she is Tamaya the complete opposite to her Yamada persona and finds comfort conversing with Sasaki whilst they smoke together at the back of the store. She also likes to tease him and he gets all flustered.

Their rapport is funny and also endearing like in the panel here, he offers her comforting words after she had a bad day at work and she also puts her jacket around him when he’s cold, it’s such a cute scene and wholesome how they comfort and support each other.

Art Style

I love how the various expressions are depicted of the characters showing their personality. For example Yamada’s soft and simple hair strokes with flowers around her to show her bright side and then a more dark, bold look with lots of lining in the hair when she’s Tamaya mode when smoking with him showing the contrast in her persona.

Yamada’s expressions when he blushes or laughs is so endearing, especially during moments with her when she makes him laugh.

Is it worth a read?

Is you are looking for a light-hearted adult life comedy with an essence of comfort I would definitely recommend giving this manga a read. Overall, I would rate it a 4/5.

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