Smoking Behind the Supermarket Anime: Episodes and Streaming

Crunchyroll's indexed series record currently exposes the 12 subtitled mini-episodes. Do not count those shorts as the complete 12-episode television season or assume that “Mini-Episode 12” is the TV finale.

Last checked: September 17, 2026 against the official anime schedule and Blu-ray catalog, TBS's current program guide, Crunchyroll's mini-episode announcement and catalog, Netflix's official trailer, and Square Enix's English manga catalog.

Current anime status

Our interactive anime release calendar explains Japanese television clocks. The 2026 release tracker keeps cross-title schedule changes together.

Mini-episodes versus TV episodes

The early release created the main source of confusion. On June 3, ABEMA released a special advance version in Japan. Crunchyroll then published that special cut internationally.

The official broadcast page says the advance version takes TV Episodes 1–6, edits them into roughly ten-minute shorts, and divides them in story order. Crunchyroll's announcement describes the same structure: the first six full episodes became 12 mini-episodes.

This means three tempting conclusions are wrong:

• Mini-Episode 12 is not TV Episode 12.
• The June release did not make the complete TV season available.
• Twelve shorts plus twelve TV episodes do not equal a 24-episode season.

The formats can coexist in a service catalog. Check the season label and runtime before deciding which version you opened.

Episode 11 and the remaining TV schedule

The series normally airs Thursdays at 11:56 p.m. JST across 28 TBS-network stations. The current TBS guide places Episode 11 at 12:01 a.m. JST on Friday, September 18, a five-minute shift after midnight.

The regular cadence would place Episode 12 in the September 24 television window, but this page does not turn that pattern into a confirmed minute. TBS shifted Episode 11, and the official schedule warns that broadcast times can change.

The official Blu-ray page proves the season order without relying on an entertainment database. Volume 1 contains Episodes 1–3, Volume 2 contains 4–6, Volume 3 contains 7–9, and Volume 4 contains 10–12.

Where to watch each version

Crunchyroll announced that it would stream the anime and its indexed series page exposes “Season 1 Mini Episodes.” All 12 entries are labeled subtitled and run approximately 8–17 minutes.

Netflix Anime's official trailer announced a July 10 Netflix launch. In Japan, the production committee lists ABEMA and Netflix as the fastest regular streaming services from July 10 at 12:30 a.m. JST, followed by other Japanese platforms from July 16.

Availability still depends on country and account. Use this check:

1. Inspect the season name before pressing play.
2. Confirm whether the title says “Mini-Episode.”
3. Compare the runtime: the shorts are substantially shorter than a normal TV episode.
4. Check audio and subtitles on the playback page.
5. Do not use a Japanese platform clock as an unannounced Crunchyroll upload time.

Our legal viewing guide covers country, season, episode, and language checks. The streaming-service comparison helps after the exact title is confirmed.

What the series is about

Sasaki is a 45-year-old office worker worn down by corporate life. His small comforts are smoking and the friendly service of Yamada, a cashier at his usual supermarket. One difficult evening, Yamada is absent and Sasaki cannot find a place to smoke. A pierced woman named Tayama invites him behind the store.

Sasaki does not recognize that Tayama and Yamada are the same person. Yamada's polished customer-service manner and Tayama's teasing off-duty personality create the central misunderstanding. The story develops through repeated breaks, small disclosures, and the emotional distance between two working adults.

Smoking is part of the setting and character routine, but it is not a health recommendation. The attraction of the series is the private pause from work and the slowly changing relationship, not a claim that tobacco provides healthy stress relief.

That boundary matters when deciding whether the show fits. The dialogue repeatedly uses the smoking area as a place where Sasaki and Tayama can drop their workplace roles, but the central question is whether they will recognize and trust each other. Viewers looking for fast plot turns, action, or a school romance will find a deliberately quieter series. Viewers interested in adult exhaustion, hidden identities, awkward conversation, and incremental affection are closer to its intended experience. The short edition preserves selected exchanges; the full television cut supplies their complete episode context.

For other adult-oriented relationship stories, browse our romance anime guide. The anime genre explainer separates romance, comedy, slice of life, and demographic labels.

Staff, cast, and music

The official anime site credits Masato Suzuki and Aoi Mori as directors at Asahi Production. Mio Inoue handles series composition, Tomoka Otaki designs the characters, and Shin Kono and Sayaka Aoki compose the music.

The dual Yamada/Tayama credit is intentional: Seena Hoshiki voices both identities. Zutomayo performs the television opening “Ichijiku Kemuri,” while imase performs the television ending “Fiction.” The advance mini-episode version has its own presentation, another reason to keep the formats labeled.

English manga editions

Square Enix Manga & Books licenses Jinushi's manga in English. Its series page currently lists eight English volumes in paperback and digital formats, with an Older Teen rating.

The Japanese anime site lists nine Japanese manga volumes. That does not make Volume 9 an English release. Edition availability must follow the English publisher's catalog.

The anime's final adaptation endpoint also remains unverified while TV Episodes 11 and 12 are unfinished. The advance shorts only cover the first half of the season, so they cannot establish the final manga chapter. Readers who want the complete setup can begin with English Volume 1; readers seeking only unadapted material should wait for a scene-level comparison after the finale.

Our where to buy manga guide explains publisher, ISBN, format, and retailer verification.

What remains open

This page should update after Episode 11 airs, when TBS publishes Episode 12, if Crunchyroll changes its season catalog, or when Square Enix publishes another English volume. The anime announcements tracker records broader status changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes are in Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You?

The full television season has 12 episodes. A separate advance edition also has 12 mini-episodes, but those shorts are recuts of TV Episodes 1–6.

Are the Crunchyroll mini-episodes the full anime?

No. Crunchyroll says the 12 mini-episodes are a special cut of the first six television episodes. Check the catalog's season label and runtime.

When is TV Episode 11?

TBS schedules Episode 11 for September 18, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. JST. That is five minutes later than the regular Thursday 11:56 p.m. slot.

Is the anime on Netflix?

Netflix Anime officially announced a July 10 launch. Availability and language options should be checked in the viewer's own account and country.

Is there an English dub?

The checked records do not establish an English dub. The Crunchyroll mini-episode listings are labeled subtitled.

Where can I read the manga in English?

Square Enix publishes the official English manga and currently lists Volumes 1–8. The precise post-anime continuation point must wait until the television season finishes.

Current viewing decision

Treat the 12 mini-episodes as an early short-form cut of TV Episodes 1–6. Treat the regular TBS production as a separate 12-episode season. Episode 11 is scheduled for September 18 at 12:01 a.m. JST, and Episode 12 remains in the official order without a rechecked broadcast minute. Crunchyroll exposes the subtitled short edition, Netflix announced the anime, and Square Enix is the verified English manga publisher. Use the anime news index for the next sourced update.