#sbtswy

Yesterday I watched ‘Smoking behind the supermarket with you’ on Crunchyroll and binge-watched the whole thing in one go. There aren’t that many josei manga/anime out there, especially in the romance/josei genre; so I’m all the happier that this one was really, really good and the emotions come across really well. (PS: RE:LIFE is also very good, in case anyone needs a recommendation! :D)

I always love it when stories contain hidden messages, and that’s exactly what makes this story so special. It’s not just about two people having a smoke together after work or during a break – it’s about so much more! It’s about simply letting your guard down in Japanese culture, opening up when you’re not feeling your best, about slowing down, about personal connection… I can’t even begin to list it all! Every now and then, you’re taken by surprise when the main protagonist suddenly has a cherry blossom in his hair – which symbolizes the beginning of ‘something new’ (in this case, a new love, I think). Yes, the characters are from different age groups, which bothers some people; but as someone in my mid-thirties, it doesn’t bother me and I actually think it’s perfectly legitimate.

And the way the two of them sit there and grow closer even has a slightly wicked, erotic quality to it. I love it! <3 The branch manager, who cheers on their romance, is brilliant too, by the way. (I would have done exactly the same XD)

The anime and the story have totally blown me away so far. I’m looking forward to everything that’s still to come! This is absolutely unpaid promotion. It’s a proper feel-good anime that really makes you laugh. A real gem, and I hope the anime will get even more hype (which I’m sure it will). I realize it might be a bit too boring for some people – but it’s really about so much more than ‘having a smoke’. And the main character really does come across as a proper ‘husbando’ for a bloke.