by The fourth episode of the TV anime Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You (Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari), titled “Learning Alone Behind the Supermarket,” aired on July 30, 2026, delivering one of the funniest episodes of the season.
Packed with awkward misunderstandings, old-fashioned habits, romantic comedy, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Episode 4 quickly became a trending topic among anime fans. Viewers flooded social media with reactions such as “Too funny!”, “Sasaki is unbelievably innocent!”, and “I can’t stop laughing!”
About Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You
Based on the manga by Jinushi, Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You first gained widespread attention after debuting on X (formerly Twitter) on March 9, 2022.
The manga’s first chapter received over 280,000 likes, quickly becoming a viral hit before beginning serialization in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan.
Rather than focusing on dramatic romance, the story presents a gentle slice-of-life relationship between two unlikely companions:
- Sasaki, a weary 45-year-old office worker exhausted by corporate life.
- Tayama, a 24-year-old supermarket employee with an unconventional appearance and playful personality.
Their nightly conversations during cigarette breaks behind the supermarket slowly develop into one of the most wholesome adult romances in recent manga.
The TV anime premiered on July 9, 2026, animated by Asahi Production.
Episode 4 Begins with Sasaki’s Outdated Lifestyle
The episode opens at Sasaki’s office, where his colleague Suzuki notices him reading a physical newspaper while wearing reading glasses.
Suzuki jokingly points out that spreading out a newspaper at work feels incredibly old-fashioned and suggests switching to reading the news on a smartphone.
Sasaki’s response immediately became one of the episode’s funniest moments.
Instead of pulling out a smartphone…
He proudly reveals an old flip phone, explaining:
“It hasn’t broken yet.”
Fans immediately burst into laughter online.
Popular reactions included:
- “A flip phone in 2026?!”
- “That’s so Sasaki.”
- “He’s adorable.”
- “He’s living in another era.”
Ironically, moments after defending the device, the phone finally breaks.
Sasaki’s Smartphone Adventure Is Pure Comedy
Forced to buy his first smartphone, Sasaki quickly discovers that modern technology is far more difficult than expected.
His struggles include:
- Not knowing how to return to the home screen.
- Accidentally opening the wrong apps.
- Taking selfies with the front camera instead of normal photos.
- Looking completely confused while riding the train.
The scenes perfectly capture the frustration many first-time smartphone users experience, making Sasaki surprisingly relatable despite the exaggerated comedy.
Social media exploded with comments like:
- “He’s basically a grandpa.”
- “Someone please help him.”
- “This is painfully realistic.”
Tayama Comes to the Rescue
Unable to figure things out on his own, Sasaki turns to Tayama for help.
As always, Tayama patiently teaches him how to use his new phone.
After successfully setting up the digital newspaper, Sasaki asks for one more favor:
He wants the text enlarged because it’s difficult to read.
However, Tayama secretly loves seeing Sasaki wearing his reading glasses.
Reluctantly helping him, she gently adjusts his glasses and tells him:
“Don’t take them off.”
The brief interaction became one of the episode’s sweetest moments.
Fans responded with comments such as:
- “That scene was adorable.”
- “Tayama pushing up his glasses melted my heart.”
- “Please let Sasaki keep wearing glasses forever.”
Yamada’s Morning Routine Charms Viewers
Another memorable scene shows Yamada getting ready for work.
The beautifully animated sequence reveals how she styles her appearance before arriving at the supermarket.
Many viewers were surprised to discover that her hairstyle changes significantly after getting ready.
Even more amusingly, Yamada happily looks at a secretly taken photograph of Sasaki, hinting that her feelings for him continue to grow.
Fans praised the sequence, saying:
- “She’s so cute.”
- “It’s like a magical transformation scene.”
- “I never realized that’s how she styled her hair.”
The Ridiculous Cigarette Fortune-Telling
Later in the episode, Suzuki introduces Sasaki to a bizarre fortune-telling method that supposedly reveals someone’s personality based on their preferred cigarette brand.
Although the explanation sounds completely unreliable, Sasaki believes every word.
Assuming that “young people love this kind of thing,” he enthusiastically suggests trying it with Tayama.
Tayama immediately realizes the personality test is probably nonsense…
…but decides to play along anyway.
The results become increasingly ridiculous.
According to the fortune telling:
- Sasaki supposedly looks down on others while secretly enjoying being dominated.
- Tayama is described as having a dual personality and an unexpectedly strong romantic drive.
The absurd personality descriptions left viewers laughing throughout the scene.
Online comments included:
- “This escalated quickly!”
- “The dual personality part actually fits.”
- “Who made this ridiculous fortune-telling?”
Sasaki Completely Misses the Obvious
After the awkward reading, Tayama asks Sasaki:
“You only did this because you thought it would help me, right?”
For a brief moment, it seems as though Sasaki might finally realize Tayama’s true feelings.
Instead…
He smiles brightly and innocently replies that the personality test was right because she is:
“Cool but kind.”
Once again, Sasaki completely misunderstands the situation.
Fans couldn’t believe his density.
Social media quickly filled with reactions including:
- “He’s hopeless.”
- “He’s unbelievably dense.”
- “How can someone miss the point that badly?”
- “Poor Tayama.”
Even the Store Manager Notices
The following day, the supermarket manager notices the awkward atmosphere between Sasaki and Tayama.
Being a hopeless romantic, the manager immediately suspects that something happened between the two.
Sharp-eyed fans also noticed a clever production detail during this sequence.
The supermarket’s background music features an arranged version of the anime’s opening theme, “Ichijiku Kemuri.”
Many viewers praised the subtle musical reference, especially those who compared it with the earlier ABEMA pre-release version.
Sasaki’s Love for Short Sleeves Sparks Another Viral Moment
The episode’s biggest comedy arrives near the end.
One evening, Sasaki unexpectedly visits the supermarket and discovers Yamada wearing short sleeves for the first time.
Instead of calmly continuing his shopping…
He becomes overwhelmingly excited.
Satisfied after seeing Yamada’s summer outfit, Sasaki immediately leaves the store without even finishing his shopping.
The scene left viewers completely speechless.
Social media quickly filled with jokes including:
- “He’s excited over short sleeves?!”
- “I could understand sleeveless—but short sleeves?”
- “A 45-year-old getting this excited is hilarious.”
- “He’s so pure it’s unbelievable.”
Although some viewers jokingly called his reaction “too much,” most interpreted the scene as another example of Sasaki’s innocent personality and long-hidden crush rather than anything inappropriate.
Tayama Immediately Teases Him
Unfortunately for Sasaki, Tayama witnesses his suspicious behavior.
Never one to miss an opportunity for playful teasing, she immediately begins questioning him.
To make matters even worse, she playfully lifts her jacket and jokingly exposes part of her stomach, leaving Sasaki completely flustered once again.
The sequence perfectly captures the playful chemistry that has made the series so popular.
Voice Cast
The anime stars:
- Takuya Sato as Sasaki
- Seina Hoshiki as Yamada / Tayama
- Toa Yukinari as Goto
- Megumi Toyoguchi as Ohno
- Rikuya Yasuda as Obata
- Yoko Hikasa as Maezawa
- Shinya Takahashi as Suzuki
Production Staff
The series is produced by Asahi Production, with the following staff:
- Directors: Rihito Suzuki & Aoi Mori
- Series Composition: Mio Inoue
- Character Design: Naka Otaki
- Prop Design: Mahiru Shintani
- Art Director: Masaru Sotoya
- Color Design: Shuji Uemura
- Director of Photography: Ryo Kujirai
- CG Director: Hidenori Fujitani
- Editing: Ami Ishii
- Sound Director: Kohei Yoshida
- Music: Shin Kono & Sayaka Aoki
- Music Production: Nichion
- Animation Studio: Asahi Production
Theme Songs
TV Broadcast Version
Opening Theme
- Ichijiku Kemuri by ZUTOMAYO (Zutto Mayonaka de Ii no ni.)
Ending Theme
- Fiction by imase
ABEMA Early Streaming Version
Opening Theme
- Kuzuri Nen by ZUTOMAYO
Ending Theme
- NIGHT DANCER by imase
Episode 5 Release Date
The next episode, Episode 5, “Two People Running Behind the Supermarket,” is scheduled to air on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
Final Thoughts
Episode 4 of Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You perfectly showcases why the series has become one of the standout romantic comedies of Summer 2026.
From Sasaki’s outdated flip phone and disastrous first experience with smartphones to his hilariously innocent excitement over Yamada’s short-sleeved outfit, the episode delivers nonstop comedy while continuing to develop the heartwarming relationship between its two leads.
Combined with Tayama’s playful teasing, clever visual gags, and subtle romantic moments, “Learning Alone Behind the Supermarket” strikes the perfect balance between humor and heartfelt storytelling. As Sasaki and Tayama’s relationship continues to evolve one awkward conversation at a time, fans are eagerly waiting to see what unexpected moments Episode 5 will bring.
