The fourth episode of TVアニメ 『スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり』 (Smoking Behind the Supermarket Together), subtitled “Learning Alone Behind the Supermarket,” aired on Thursday, July 30, 2026, across TBS and its 28-station network, with simulcast streaming on ABEMA and Netflix. The comedy-heavy instalment kept social media in stitches from start to finish, with viewers flooding timelines with “best episode yet” and “can’t stop laughing” posts.

About the Series

Based on the manga by Jinushi — which debuted on X on March 9, 2022, and racked up 280,000 likes on its very first chapter — the series now runs in Square Enix’s Monthly Big GanGan. It follows Sasaki, a worn-out 45-year-old salaryman, and Yamada/Tayama, a quirky 24-year-old supermarket employee, as they gradually grow closer over shared cigarettes behind the store. The anime adaptation, which launched July 9, 2026, is directed by Suzuki Masato and Mori Aoi, produced by Asahi Production, with Sato Takuya voicing Sasaki and Hoshi Kinari voicing Yamada/Tayama.

⚠️ Spoilers for Episode 4 Below

The Flip Phone Incident

The episode opens with Sasaki reading a newspaper at the office while wearing reading glasses. Colleague Suzuki ribs him about looking ancient and suggests switching to a smartphone — only for Sasaki to produce a flip phone and mutter, “It’s not broken yet…” Viewers erupted: “He’s still on a flip phone?!” “Of course Sasaki-san uses a flip phone — it fits him perfectly.” Fate intervened immediately, however, as the phone broke right after that conversation, forcing Sasaki into his smartphone debut. The results were catastrophic: he couldn’t find his way back to the home screen and accidentally took selfies on the train, prompting comments like “Is he too old for this world?” “That’s grandpa-level” and “One wrong move and he’s getting arrested.” He eventually turns to Tayama for help.

The Glasses Scene

After Tayama sets up a digital newspaper for him, Sasaki asks her to make the text bigger too. Tayama, who has taken a liking to Sasaki in his glasses, looks mildly displeased but complies — and gives his glasses a little nudge upward while saying, “Don’t stop wearing these.” Fans melted: “I love this scene,” “I want Tayama-san to adjust my glasses,” and “Thank you for keeping Sasaki-san in glasses.”

Yamada’s Morning Routine

A brief cut to Yamada getting ready for work sparked a wave of affection online — “So cute~!” “It’s like a transformation scene,” “Oh, so that’s why her hair looked different!” Meanwhile, Sasaki sneaks a photo of her and is later seen gazing at it with a satisfied smile.

The Cigarette-Brand Fortune-Telling Disaster

Suzuki tells Sasaki about a supposed fortune-telling method based on cigarette brands. The eternally naive Sasaki takes it at face value and passes it straight on to Tayama. She sees through the nonsense immediately but plays along — and the results are spectacularly inappropriate: Sasaki gets “looks down on others but is secretly masochistic,” while Tayama gets “two-faced and has a strong libido.” Social media howled: “The two-faced one is actually accurate lol” and “This turned into an S&M reading somehow.”

When Tayama says, “You did it because you thought it’d be good for me, right?” Sasaki murmurs, “The two-faced part might be right…” Viewers tensed up, thinking he’d finally caught on — but Sasaki beamed and declared, “Cool on the outside but kind on the inside!” The internet collectively lost it: “Wait — THAT’S what he got from it???” “This dense man!!!” “He’s impossibly oblivious.”

A Hidden OP Arrangement

When the romance-loving store manager spots the awkward atmosphere between the pair, eagle-eared viewers noticed that the in-store background music was an arranged version of the OP theme “Ichijiku Kemuri” by Zutomayo. Those who had watched the ABEMA advance-screening version were quick to point out: “The OP is arranged differently here!” “This version is different from the ABEMA exclusive!”

Short Sleeves Send Sasaki Over the Edge

On a summer evening, Sasaki makes a rare trip to the supermarket and spots Yamada in short sleeves for the first time. He is so overwhelmed that he abandons his shopping and hurries home. Viewers were baffled and amused: “Why though???” “He’s reacting to short sleeves of all things?” “A 45-year-old excited by short sleeves… lol” “His reaction is a little creepy honestly.”

Tayama, who witnessed the whole thing, corners him for an interrogation — then peels off her outer layer to show her midriff. Fans screamed in delight, but Sasaki’s response was a concerned “Won’t you get cold? Are you okay?” A flustered Tayama, annoyed that her arms got a reaction but her stomach only earned worry, lies down and mutters, “Maybe I should cut back on ramen for a while.” Fans immediately protested: “Don’t cut back — eat more!” “Please don’t give up ramen, I’m begging you,” and “The little bit of softness is exactly what’s good about it.” On that note, Episode 4 came to a close.

Next Episode

Episode 5, titled “Calling Each Other Behind the Supermarket,” is scheduled to air on Thursday, August 6, 2026, on TBS and affiliated stations, with streaming on ABEMA and Netflix.

Broadcast Information

• TV: Every Thursday at 23:56 JST on TBS and 28 affiliated stations nationwide (from July 9, 2026)
• Streaming: ABEMA (free advance-screening version available), Netflix, and other platforms to follow

Cast

• Sasaki — Sato Takuya
• Yamada/Tayama — Hoshi Kinari
• Goto — Yukinari Toa
• Ono — Toyoguchi Megumi
• Kobata — Yasuda Rikuya
• Maezawa — Hikasa Yoko
• Suzuki — Takahashi Nobiya

Staff

• Directors: Suzuki Masato, Mori Aoi
• Series Composition: Inoue Mio
• Character Design: Otaki Naka
• Music: Kawano Nobu, Aoki Sayaka
• Animation Production: Asahi Production

Music

• TV OP: Zutomayo — “Ichijiku Kemuri”
• TV ED: imase — “Fiction”
• ABEMA Exclusive OP: Zutomayo — “Kuzuri Nen”
• ABEMA Exclusive ED: imase — “NIGHT DANCER”