Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, Vol. 1

スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり [Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari] #1

by Jinushi, Amanda Haley (Translator)

An overworked salaryman and a mischievous cashier with a dual personality form an unexpected bond in this sweet-and-sour comedy!

At age forty-five, office worker Sasaki has had enough of the corporate grind. His only solace is smoking-and the friendly smile of supermarket cashier Yamada. When Sasaki can't find Yamada after a particularly trying day, a striking woman invites him to smoke with her. The despondent man thinks he's made a new smoking buddy in the cool, teasing Tayama, but Sasaki doesn't realize he already knows her!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Slice Of Life, Comics, Contemporary, Graphic Novels, Fiction

242 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2022

About the author

地主

Reviews

[⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ mimi ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ [semi-ia] · Rating 3 out of 5]

im not ashamed to admit that this overworked awkward middle aged man who wears reading glasses and still uses a flip phone is doing it for me anddd he’s respectful 👀





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let’s ignore the fact that im currently reading two books at the moment and decided to pick this up because the b&n employee said this was wholesome and I’ve been excited to read it since I got home 🥹

[Lisanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yamada 🤝 me
hot for awkward old men with reading glasses who still use a flip phone

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait but why was this so unexpectedly cute?!?

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sasaki’s lone pick-me-up from his soul-crushing job is buying something at the supermarket from the friendly Yamada. One day he ends up smoking out back with another employee, the far sharper Tayama, but this only brings him much closer to Yamada than he realizes.

Okay, no, look, we first have to address how brutally unbelievable this premise is. It is the absolute stumbling block of doom (tm) to somehow think that Sasaki doesn’t recognize that Tayama and Yamada are the same person. She’s a cashier, not Lon Cheney, Jr.

Once we acknowledge that elephant in the room, and I further advise you that this story glorifies smoking to hell and gone, I am happy to say that everything else here is absolutely wonderfully realized and I just relished every other ounce of this well-written story.

These two are great; they are just weary and jaded enough to be perfect together. Sasaki is just gliding through life, with nothing to really show for it minus an encounter with Yamada now and then to boost his spirits. And he is well aware how that looks, given how much younger she is, so he even feels bad about that.

Tayama, meanwhile, is more than a little sadistic and takes great pleasure in tormenting poor Sasaki about just about everything and being more than a little flirtatious about it. If he cares too much about things, she might just care too little and they begin to meet in the middle.

Their growing attraction is really quite fun and this reads a lot like the early, brilliant, volumes of Call of the Night, minus the vampirism. These two are more aware of sex at least, but the general feeling of lost souls is still similar.

It doesn’t hurt that, even with the age gap, these two are at least both several years past legal age so it’s not like Sasaki is putting the make on somebody just out of high school. More to the point, Tayama is way more aggressive than Sasaki could ever hope to be. That’s a classic trick with these stories but it does make them easier to take, for me at least.

So it goes, both the silly and the sexually charged and the mundane. The store manager gets involved, lots of awkward ensues, but with a real undercurrent beneath it that sometimes rises to the surface. The part where Sasaki accidentally reveals his body part preferences is funny and flirtatious all in one.

There is a vibe here that I just ate up with a spoon, as they say. Two mismatched people finding solace in one another is one of my absolute favourite tropes and this is just written with a confidence and verve that I was all about.

That it mostly takes place in the same spot for 240-odd pages and features a ‘gasp, they met one another years ago’ backup feature that is one of my LEAST favourite tropes and still reads so well says it all for me. If this kind of enjoyable banter and characterization sounds fun, I assure you it is that and a little more.

4 stars - heck, I would almost go to 4.5, maybe higher, if it wasn’t for how stupid Sasaki comes across with facial recognition. No matter how much the story tries to hang a hat on it, it’s the one down note in an otherwise cracking first volume. But, highly recommended anyway.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I shouldn't like this series as much as I do.

First, it's about smoking. Filthy habit! Ugh! Why?!?! Fortunately, it's not a scratch-and-sniff book.

Second, it has an age-gap, May-September romance and that usually causes a knee-jerk "nuh-uh" from me. But the slow burn of it crept up on me like a frog sitting in a gradually heating pot of water.

Third, this is a manga built around a really thin and stupid premise stretched way beyond credibility, like Clark Kent's decades-long fooling of Lois Lane with a pair of glasses bad. But, I don't know, I just liked the characters so much that as with Kent and Lane I'm just gonna run with it.

Happily, my library has the next two volumes on hold, so I'm getting in line for them.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically about a guy who's just smoking behind a supermarket and meets a really chill girl. Little does he know, this girl is the same one he loves seeing in the supermarket at the cash register. But since her look and style is completely different he doesn't know it's the same girl. This leads to a lot of cute moments that I enjoyed. It's also nice to see two full grown ups chit chatting and not a bunch of high school students.

[Luthfi Ferizqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pilot!

The premise of the story is simple, but for some reason, many of the topics discussed while they smoke are very relatable to me, as someone who is also a mediocre office worker.

I dunno, maybe this will be “The Office” of manga?

[❀ Tina ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[spalanai ⛤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i need me an awkward, middle-aged, overworked office man who uses a flip-phone and wears glasses. please.

[vi.isreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you didn't want me to read it, don't make him handsome.

[Knigoqdec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Звучи повече като компилация от случайни срещи около супермаркета, много чаровни по японски. Цялата атмосфера е донякъде трудна за разбиране, ако човек не е свикнал. Лесно мога да си представя някой да каже "Абе как радостта в живота на тоя чичка ще е да ходи след работа в супермаркета само за да види Ямада от каса 2?!" Ами ето как :D Прегръщам идеята да се разтоварваш с простички, глупави на пръв поглед неща. Да ти става навик да минеш да разгледаш в магазина или да си купиш нещо, или да се разходиш някъде ей така. Признавам си, че и аз имам любими касиери на някои места - влизаш да размениш една дума с тях, просто за да се почувстваш отново "човек", както се казва. Не вярвам когато самата аз съм била зад касата да съм имала такъв клиент, ама карай, тогава още не обмислях посланията на манги като тази :D
Това да цениш простичките радости от живота е разпространен урок в мангите. Оценявам го, защото всъщност работи. Дори у нас добрата дума прави много повече - съвсем същото е.
Сасаки с цел е направен абсолютно недосетлив, но въпреки това изключително искрен. Играта на Ямада е точно същото "отърваване от стреса", каквото търси и той... просто по нейни правила. Позитивността, която лъха от тези страници, е на много високо ниво.

[Sławek (Żółwie Książkowe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ależ to było przyjemne do czytania i komfortowe tak ogólnie. 🚬😌

[Ольга К. · Rating 4 out of 5]

зайобаний офісний працівник, єдина втіха якого це продавчиня з супермаркету (всі ми)

[Nathalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only bought it because of the title and didn’t really have high expectations. But I was certain that there would be more to it than just how it was summarized in the synopsis. Well - there is not, and it is probably my fault to have hoped .

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This first volume had an interesting premise, but it didn’t quite hold my attention. The pacing felt slow, and while the interactions between the characters were meant to be quiet and atmospheric, they often came off as repetitive. I found myself waiting for a spark—either in plot or character development—that never fully arrived. The art style is pleasant, but the story lacked the emotional punch or intrigue I was hoping for. Overall, it was a bit boring for my taste, and I doubt I’ll be continuing the series.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 28/04/2025 – Zbog ovog i još jednog naslova odlučila sam da uvedem sebi novo pravilo – ništa ne pišem dok ne završim treći tom. Prvi broj mi je bio odličan, drugi se još držao solidno, a treći... Možda je novitet koji me je privukao konačno izbledeo, dok je priča ostala prijatna za publiku koja ceni (veoma) sporo razvijanje radnje i svakodnevne događaje.

Vol. 1: ★★★★
Vol. 2: ★★★
Vol. 3: ★★

Paralelno, sve manje mi se sviđa ideja da se između njih razviju romantični odnosi, a deluje kao da se zaista krećemo u tom pravcu (brzinom puža). Ne sećam se da je tačan broj godina između njih bio jasno određen u prvom broju— ili nisam obraćala dovoljno pažnje. Sada me svaki put rastuži projekcija raspleta, i gde on ostaje sam i gde završe zajedno, jer dvadeset godina razlike nije zanemarljivo.
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Zabavan slice of life sa šašavom premisom – gospodin Sasaki ne shvata da su sve kasirke s kojima razgovara zapravo ista osoba. Nije još uvek age-gap romansa, ali pošto je Sasaki smotan i emotivan, Tayama će ga smotati očas posla ako bude tako želela.

[Marc D. ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 estrellas.

Me gustó muchísimo. Tiene un dibujo lindo, unos personajes agradables, un ritmo muy ligero y una historia que no sé para dónde va, pero acompaño(?).

Seguiré leyendo a ver cómo siguen estos dos.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*

[MargReadsManga · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and fun! I haven’t laughed and giggled this much reading a manga in quite some time!

[Omnya Ali (Free Palestine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just smoking 🚬

[aamna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has potential , but the plot felt stagnant 👽

[Drew Pitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using this to review the series up to chapter 32. Very enjoyable and touching story that manages to pull off an age gap romance without ever feeling creepy (imo). The art is excellent and carefully drawn, the characters are exceedingly charming, though some are a bit too trope-y (not necessarily a negative for me personally) and clearly there to round out the main duo with some comedy. Altogether very enjoyable and well worth adding to your romance manga reading list. 4/5

[Audrey ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I think slice of life mangas are where it's at! On top of that, this is an old man who doesn't know anything about anything other than working and smoking...sorry, that does it for me. Both main characters are beyond enjoyable to read and for my own selfish reasons, the age gap is doing it for me!

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot suspend my disbelief sufficiently to accept he doesn’t recognize it’s the same girl but as an allegory, I can appreciate it. Artwork is wonderful, plot very thin. I will not be reading volume 2 and I’m puzzled why I requested this from the library.

[Fny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this slice of life. I’m really looking forward to read more soon.

[Olivia Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

me and my evil alter ego (a nicotine addict)

[Zibbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This manga had me giggling like an idiot the whole way through! It’s one of those rare times I didn’t regret picking up a romance slice-of-life read—maybe I just caught it at the right moment? There’s so much to enjoy here: it’s refreshing to see a middle-aged protagonist and the unconventional, sometimes quirky dynamics they share with younger characters. The contrast between the two leads is especially charming—one a strong, independent woman, the other a warm, grounded guy. The supporting characters are a delight too.

While the plot leans a bit toward the ridiculous, it works well enough to create a cozy, easy, feel-good read, like a warm cup of coffee. I am curious to see where the story will go from here, given its rather thin storyline. I’m hoping future volumes bring a bit more depth to the characters as they develop.

[Dandy ˙ᵕ˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

new favorite manga series just dropped perhaps.

i am nothing if not a slut for a lanky man with glasses who smokes and gets dominated by a red head. also, the legal age gap is very yummy

picking up volume 2 ASAP i need yamada & sasaki to kiss rn

[Jen (thisbeereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT’S SO CUTE

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

proof that the customer service voice makes u unrecognizable