Smoking Behind the Supermarket 5

スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり [Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari] #5

by Jinushi, Martin Bachernegg (Translator)

Sasaki, ein überarbeiteter Angestellter, hat am Ende seines stressigen Arbeitsalltags nur einen Lichtblick: Yamada, die immer gut gelaunte Angestellte in seinem Lieblings-Konbini. Eines Tages nimmt die Firmenbesprechung besonders viel Zeit in Anspruch und als Sasaki ankommt, hat Yamada bereits Feierabend gemacht. Enttäuscht zückt er seine Zigarettenschachtel und bemerkt eine junge Frau mit Piercings, die hinter dem Laden raucht; der Rest ist Geschichte…

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

230 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2024

About the author

地主

Reviews

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

there’s only two volumes left — say it ain’t so 😭💔

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The status quo here is an exquisite torture, with little hints here or there that something is about to change . . . sometime.

We spend a lot of time with the supermarket staff this time around.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Smoke 34 -- Smoke 34, Interlude -- Smoke 35 -- Smoke 35, Interlude -- Smoke 36 -- Smoke 36, Interlude -- Bonus Smoke: The Long Road to Friendship -- Smoke 37 -- Smoke 38 -- Afterword -- Back-Page Cosplay #5 -- This Is the Supermarket Manager's Dream -- Sneak Peek at Volume 6

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great little idea bumps up against the demands on ongoing serialization and that means this volume sinks under the weight of keeping its premise, already stuck on some pretty thin ice, rolling forward.

Which is the ‘many words make good review’ style of saying that it’s boring. This is a rather dull entry in a series that has been anything but. Regrettably, its insistence in going nowhere, to the extent that they hang a hat right on that idea, weakens it severely.

It doesn’t help that we get a new character out of nowhere, Kami, who is totally into Yamada, but is otherwise utterly dull. Despite this, she features in many, many scenes throughout the volume.

The ongoing bonding between Sasaki and Yamada just putters around the obvious and goes in some weirdly hard to parse directions. I still have no idea who was saying what to whom during the latter part of the storm sequence.

The attention to the small things, like Yamada’s change to her cigarettes and such, are welcome. But to what end? Sasaki should have figured this out ages ago and the pretence is not strong enough to stand this much scrutiny.

It sucks because I want to enjoy this as much as before, but it stays brutally wedged into its lane to the point of diminishing returns. It needs to grow and change, but it chooses to stagnate.

3 stars - overly nice score for a review that’s closer to my feelings. There’s nothing especially different from the previous volumes, but that’s kind of the issue in this case.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leider, leider, nicht so gut wie die anderen Bände :/ und das alles nur wegen nem neuen Charakter, der aufgetaucht ist. Ich kann Kawa leider überhaupt gar nicht leiden, typische GenZ-Char, der alles falsch versteht, sich überall reinsteigert und meint sich überall einzumischen, mit ner krankhaft nervigen Overhyping von Yamada. Das hat mir ziemlich den Spaß am Buch verdorben.
Sasaki und Yama sind weiterhin super süß und ich mag die beiden total gerne, aber ja leider dann deswegen nur 3 Sterne.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was by far my least favorite volume. It has a couple of good scenes but mostly felt like filler. Some of the dialogue towards the end got confusing on who was saying what. Hoping the next volume is better.

[Sophia Toperim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy slice-of-life mangas. They allow me to immerse myself in a world that isn’t too heavy or intense — perfect when I just need a break from my own reality.

It’s heartwarming to see how Yama and Sasaki are gradually growing closer, regardless of whether Sasaki is interacting with Yama or Tama.

I’m also really glad the manga didn’t end after just three volumes — it still feels fresh and engaging.

I like that Obata is getting more attention now, especially in terms of how he feels about Goto. I’d love to learn more about them, too, since they play a significant role in the story as well.

[Mersi · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO...FREAKING....CLOSE!
DANG IT!!!!

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s wild how you can put on a bandanna, change how you smile slightly, and a man will have no idea who you are

[☆ Mya ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i can’t believe this is almost over…i’m having such a good time, i don’t want it to end :(

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/3.5 stars. This volumes deterred quite a lot from the main storyline and felt like it was building-up side characters??? I didn't care enough about them to begin with, so it was boring. The small bits with the mains seemed like it was teasing development, but with the majority of the volume not being the two mains and their interaction, it felt a bit mean and side-eye inducing (like, sure, you gave this us this one piece of steak in a steak salad. Oh, wait, there is a second piece, and they're both seasoned correctly but it's basic steak. Which is good, but without the next volume, I can't see how well these were cooked).

[Heather D-G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wait…does this mean?!?
Aieeeee! I wish I had the next volume available!

Ahem. Anyway. This was a lovely volume which subtly ended up diving deeper than ever into the growing smoke surrounding our main characters.
Surely what we’re all hoping for is finally close at hand. The manager’s dreams can only sustain us for so long.

Good stuff.

[ToBooksWithLuv · Rating 5 out of 5]

obata soy tu fan

[Casually Bookish Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this arc of the story as much as the rest of the series ❤️ somehow every interaction between our main characters feels new and leaves me yearning for more. Until next time.

[Linda]

Just as good as the previous volumes. This slow relationship building is just *chef's kiss..

As of the time of this review, next volume is going to be in Jan 2026... that is not coming soon!!!!

[Zibbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Does everybody get this dumb and cute with age?” Kyaaaah... But also, eh?

I’m honestly not sure how much longer I can suspend my disbelief about Sasaki still being completely oblivious to the Yamada–Tayama situation. At this point, it feels less like dense and more like deliberate narrative stalling. Or maybe he does know, and the story’s playing coy?

There are some tender, charming moments tucked in here, but they’re fighting for space with a few too many “wait, what?” moments. The new character’s obsession with Yamada felt way too abrupt for a series that usually trades in subtlety and slow burn.

Also... Those thought and dialogue bubbles are absolute chaos. I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel emotionally moved or just mildly disoriented. Half the time, I wasn't even sure who was talking, which, given the manga’s emotional beats, is a bit of a problem.

Still, I’m invested enough to keep going, mainly because Sasaki is adorable. But I’m hoping the next volume smooths out the clutter and brings back the quieter magic that made the earlier chapters shine.

[Pandaaaaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

we are making progress people, sasaki isn't all that clueless 😭

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

As expected, the pace slows down, with the first part focusing on a new, unsympathetic character who serves no purpose other than to slow down the story. Alas, a classic rom-com trope.
The second part is a bit better, without getting carried away either.

[Bee C · Rating 5 out of 5]

😩😩😩😩 I love this series. The front pages in color just make me excited for the anime coming out next year. I feel that Yamada is learning little by little her feelings for the oblivious Sasaki. She’s showing a bit more vulnerability near him and he always has some words of comfort or encouragement when she’s in a slump. The face touching is what got me right in the heart. So simple as moving a hat or cigarette out of the way or helping shield a person’s ears from the sound of thunder because of their fear made everything feel more intimate. 😩😩😩😩 the blushing from Sasaki at the end probably would have ended me if I didn’t know that there were more volumes to come.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In questo vediamo una nuovo personaggio Kawasaki che dopo 1 anno e tornata nel supermercato come caporeparto di pescheria.
Lei ha fatto conoscenza di sasaki e non lo vede di buon occhio perché pensa che sta costringendo Yamada a fumare con lui ma poi Yamada gli dice la verità.
Anche questo volume Sasaki e Tamaya parlano ma è inoltre si stanno avvicinando molto di più.
C'è anche uno piccolo spazio sulla storia di Aoba.
Posso dire che questo volume mi e molto piaciuto!
Non vedo l'ora di vedere come proseguirà la storia di Sasaki e Yamada.
Adesso vado a leggere il volume 6

[Jack Syron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tired phrase while reviewing this series "Best volume yet" but this one was a case study on how excellent it was:
1) It gave the newer characters some time in the fray
2) It perfectly balances the comedy, romance, and drama
3) The comedy just catches you off guard in the best way
4) Dem cute moments
5) The manager and old coworker carry so much.

The back panel cosplay is immaculate, and Jinushi's message was much needed in my life.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues to slow burn. I think I want a little more of Sasaki now, i think we have gotten a lot of Yamada with her work and a lot of her growth in this volume.

But awww I think our babies are really seeing how much they like like each other and it is just oh so very sweet.

Continues to be respectful in its art and thoughts about Yamada and Sasaki. But I do have a hard time believing he still doesn't know they are the same person...

[Abril Roldán · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume still had some of the charm of the earlier ones, but since the story is being very stretched some of the conflict feels forced (like Yamada feeling bad for not remembering a memory Sasaki treasures of them) and Kami's character felt overly annoying. I enjoyed it less than the other ones but I still want to watch as Yamada's and Sasaki's romance very slowly unfolds.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series SO much, I actually cherish it and can’t relax till I have the next volume in my possession. Beautiful, funny, my heart skipped a beat in expectation on one panel but ofc on the over,eat the anticipation was maintained. Slow burn like dangling ciggy ash. Oh my heart can’t take these two.

[G. Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full o' feels

One of those SOL, nothing much happens, slow-moving romantic stories. Alternately funny and touching. Excellent artwork, great at communicating expressions. Love it.

[Adhara Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I constantly get frustrated with this manga for its slow burn, but whenever I feel this frustration, the author manages to do something that immediately melts my heart, and I'm content and patient again. But seriously if they won't end up together I don't believe in love

[John Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best volume so far

It took a long time,but the relationship is starting to heat up. The volume also includes some short stories following some of the minor characters. Not my personal favorite but the rest of the book makes up for it

[TheElder36 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You" is a slice of life, slow burn rom-com. The characters are great. I love Jinushi's art. it glorifies smoking, but other than that, I think it's a great series.

[shunnaoaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly cute and warm, not at all what I expected. Main hero is my fav flavor of mess, and I really like that heroine is not some tsundere or extremely shy or any other kind I got tired of in shojo/slice of life.
Also, I'm a sucker for good may/december romance.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

😭 es demasiado bueno este tomo

[Sheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

All this comfort being thrown at me at 100mph makes me think something bad's gonna happen next volume istg