Also Read: Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Episode 11 Review
“I am not exactly sure as to how you’d describe us. We’re not so distant as to be mere acquaintances, but there’s enough that we don’t know about each other that we’re not quite friends.”
Sasaki actually describes his relationship with Tayama perfectly when talking to a colleague. And if one had to put a label on it, right now, they’d probably be best described as smoking buddies.
The holiday season is over, and Episode 12 of Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You opens with Sasaki being swamped with work at the office, as usual. Suzuki, his married co-worker who almost always pops up during these office scenes, sneakily tries to pass an office trip off onto Sasaki. Meanwhile, an email from an older colleague asking to catch up throws Sasaki off and eventually leads to an interesting turn of events between him and Tayama/Yamada.
Since Episode 12 wraps up the first season of the anime, I was definitely expecting a little more. But honestly, given the leisurely, casual pace of the show so far, in some ways, this was a great way to end things: both lead characters become a little more reflective about what they mean to each other. But does that mean things will change between them? Well, I’m perfectly fine with them just remaining friends who share a smoke every now and then.
The story also almost comes full circle in this chapter. Sasaki is usually the optimistic one, even though he’s always nervous and extra careful about how he conducts himself around Yamada/Tayama (or anybody really), being overly gentlemanly, maintaining his distance and even displaying a slightly self-deprecating attitude about his age. But this time, he expresses some genuine insecurity about his work, and Tayama gives him an earful for putting himself down. It’s a nice little nod to how, once upon a time, Sasaki did much the same for her when she was a lost, under-confident new store employee.
The finale for ‘Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You ‘ also has a post-credit scene and ends on a wonderfully light-hearted note, with Tayama and Sasaki smoking and chatting away on a cold winter night. Their casual banter about this and that, as cigarette smoke drifts through the chilly air, makes for a simple but warm ending to the anime.
Watch ‘Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You’ on Netflix/ Crunchyroll.
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