Sometimes the most compelling stories aren’t built in grand halls but in the small, overlooked spaces where real life actually happens. Finding a refuge to disconnect from the suffocating routine of adult life is almost a miracle â especially when that corner of peace appears in the least expected place and with the most unexpected company. The second official promotional video for the anime adaptation of Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You (ăšăźăăźăŽčŁă§ă¤ăĺ¸ăăľăă, Super no Ura from Yani Su Futari) understands this implicitly. It doesn’t shout; it observes. And what it reveals is a premiere date: .
This isn’t just another promo â it’s a tonal statement. Where the first trailer introduced the premise, a weary salaryman finding unexpected connection with a supermarket cashier, the second delves into the visual and emotional language of their burgeoning, quiet relationship. The animation from Asahi Production leans into intimate framing and the kind of nuanced character acting you might see in a nakige, where every glance carries weight. The atmosphere is the plot. The trailer presents a much more intimate look at the daily routine of its protagonists, serving as a window into the kind of silence and small gesture that defines this story.
Music and Early Episodes
The trailer introduces a fragment of Ichijiku Kemuri
(Fig Smoke), the opening theme performed by the acclaimed rock band ZUTOMAYO, promising a soundscape as textured as the visuals. Additionally, a batch of 12 mini-episodes already began a digital advance broadcast from , preparing the ground and building rhythm before the full premiere on streaming platforms. The ending theme will feature the song Fiction
performed by popular Japanese musician imase.
The Voice Cast â A Symphony of Familiar Voices
The voice cast reads like a masterclass in character design through audio â a deliberate mix of iconic voices and fresh talent, where each selection tells you something about the role before a single line is spoken.
New Additions
- Shinya Takahashi as Suzuki â recognized for his versatile work in Assassination Classroom.
- Toa Yukinari as Goto â Casca’s unmistakable voice in Berserk and Velvet Scarlatina in RWBY. A voice that conveys profound vulnerability and formidable strength, perfect for navigating subtle emotional shifts.
- Megumi Toyoguchi as Ono â the iconic Winry Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist and the explosive Revy in Black Lagoon. Her presence brings a layer of grounded reliability or sharp edge, depending on the role.
- Rikuya Yasuda as Obata â a young talent known for his participation in Shin Chuuka Ichiban!.
- Yoko Hikasa as Maezawa â the legendary Mio Akiyama in K-On! and the imposing Rias Gremory in High School DxD. Her casting here is a fascinating pivot, suggesting Maezawa might have more hidden dimensions than her initial appearance.
Previously Confirmed
- Takuya Sato as Sasaki â famous for playing Caesar Zeppeli in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Albert James Moriarty in Moriarty the Patriot. His resume speaks to a charismatic authority, implying our tired protagonist’s exhaustion is a shell over a more resonant core.
- Seena Hoshiki as Yamada / Tayama â the charismatic voice behind Riamu Yumemi in The Idolmaster franchise.
Behind the Scenes â The Production Team
Project management is shared between Suzuki Suzuki and Aoi Mori under the shelter of the studio Asahi Production. The scripts that adapt this slow, tender relationship are the work of Mio Inoue, while Yasuka Otaki is responsible for transferring the character designs to screen. To wrap every evening conversation in the ideal atmosphere, composers Shin Kono and Sayaka Aoki handle the music, working hand in hand with sound director Kohei Yoshida. The creative team seems deeply focused on preserving the source material’s gentle pulse.
About the Manga â From Twitter Thread to Award Nominee
The original story began its journey independently on X (Twitter) in from its creator, Jinushi. The enormous reception from readers meant that Square Enix soon brought it to the pages of the magazine Big Gangan in . It managed to position itself in eighth place in the prestigious Manga Taisho awards in 2023. The manga continues to expand strongly, with the launch of its ninth compilation volume scheduled for â just weeks after the anime debuts, indicating strong confidence from Square Enix.
The Story
The plot introduces us to Sasaki, a middle-aged office worker completely consumed by the exhausting corporate rhythm of his daily life. His only consolation when leaving the office is running into Yamada, an always cheerful cashier at the local supermarket. However, one night things change when he can’t match her shift and, while looking for a space to smoke behind the store, he meets Tayama â a girl with a biker jacket and a rebellious style who invites him to share a cigarette. From those brief minutes shared in the darkness, a tender and mature complicity begins to blossom between them, without Sasaki suspecting the true identity of his new partner.
A Quiet Revolution in Romance
This series positions itself as a direct contrast to the high-volume, high-drama romances dominating the charts. There are no sudden confessions under cherry blossoms, no contrived misunderstandings stretched across twelve episodes. These types of slow and mature romances are completely different from the typical school drama full of endless misunderstandings that abounds in today’s industry. The connection between Sasaki and Tayama is built in stolen minutes behind a fluorescent-lit supermarket, through shared cigarettes and the comfortable silence of strangers. It’s a romance of ma â the Japanese concept of negative space and pause â where what’s left unsaid does the heavy lifting.
Does this slower, more observational form of romantic storytelling offer a more authentic mirror to adult relationships than the trope-driven dramas that often define the genre? And in an age of constant noise, is there a deeper appeal to narratives that value silence and small gestures over grand declarations?
Leave a Comment