The Spring 2026 anime season is almost over, and the new Summer lineup looks as exciting as ever. 2026 has been one of the best years for anime fans in recent years, with the return of beloved shows such as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, and more. Additionally, several anticipated new series, such as Witch Hat Atelier and Daemons of the Shadow Realm, have already made their debuts. Just like every other season, Crunchyroll will be adding dozens of upcoming series to its library and streaming new episodes weekly after the Japanese broadcast. The Summer anime season kicks off in July, during which almost all of the series will premiere and begin streaming on the platform.
The streaming service will share a Summer 2026 schedule before the end of June to list down the series that will be available on the platform, along with the timing and the regions. One of the anticipated series of the season, Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, is also set for a July premiere, but it released special new episodes on June 3rd. The first six episodes of the anime have been adapted into 12 mini-episodes that were broadcast on the Japanese TV network, ABEMA. It didn’t take long after the broadcast for Crunchyroll to begin streaming it, and now fans can get an early glimpse at this anticipated romance anime.
What Is Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You About?
Image Courtesy of Asahi Production
The anime is based on the acclaimed manga written and illustrated by Jinushi, which debuted as a webcomic published on X in March 2022 (known as Twitter at the time). The manga later began serialization in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan magazine in July 2022. The story centers around Sasaki, a middle-aged office worker who is stuck with a hectic job that drains him every day. The only thing that brings him happiness is seeing the cheerful smile of Yamada, a beautiful young woman working at the 24-hour supermarket he frequently visits.
Fed up after being berated by his boss almost every day, he stops by the supermarket to get a glimpse at his favorite cashier. After another grueling day, he decided to stop by the store and found out the woman’s shift had already ended. Although disappointed, he searched for a place to smoke and didn’t expect a woman to ask him to join her. The bold and playful Tayama is the opposite of sweet and cheerful Yamada. Tayama unhesitantly calls out Sasaki for being interested in Yamada. In addition to visiting the store to see Yamada, Sasaki also looks forward to meeting the mysterious Tayama.
However, as an unlikely relationship begins to blossom, he learns about the connection between the two women. The series has released eight volumes so far, out of which six have already been released in English and are available on the official website of Square Enix. The English translation of Volume 7 will be available on July 7th, 2026, and it’s already available for pre-order.
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