We are in the final month of the Spring season, and preparations for the Summer season have already begun. It is shaping up to be a fantastic season for anime as well. Summer will continue the trend established by the first two seasons of the year, bringing back several returning series while also introducing many new anime. While much of the attention is on the return of one of the Big Three anime, Bleach, with its final installment, some of the new anime arriving this season are particularly interesting as well, especially two series that share a similar trope.
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The two anime are Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You and Chainsmoker Cat. From their titles alone, it is clear that the central premise of both series revolves around smoking, something that is undeniably harmful to health. This alone suggests that these anime may not be suitable for younger audiences. However, the appeal of these series lies in how deeply their slice-of-life elements are rooted in everyday human experiences. Through their narratives, they reflect many aspects of real life and human nature. For better or worse, these anime are shaping up to be intriguing watches this Summer.
2 Summer 2026 Anime Are Embracing Smoking and Adult Struggles
Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You is particularly interesting because it brings adult themes into the slice-of-life romantic comedy genre, which is refreshing when so many similar anime focus on teenagers in high school. The series follows a man in his 40s stuck in a draining job who finds a sense of joy through his interactions with a supermarket clerk in her 20s. However, there is a twist: the same woman also dresses up as a hipster, whom the male lead meets behind the supermarket. The two quickly bond over sharing cigarettes. The themes explored by the anime are mature and heavily rooted in adult experiences, allowing it to tell a story that feels different from most modern romance anime.
While the use of tobacco may not be ideal, Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You uses it to paint a more realistic and emotionally grounded picture of adult life. It is clearly aimed at an older audience. Meanwhile, Chainsmoker Cat centers on a cat girl, implying that cat girls are common in its world, who is addicted to smoking and spends the last of her money on cigarettes. What makes the anime so unusual is how it combines the fantasy appeal of an anime cat girl with fan service while also revolving around such a self-destructive habit. Another notable aspect is its crisp and polished animation, which already makes it one of the best-looking anime of the year.
This has sparked debate among fans online, with many questioning why anime based on such unusual premises are receiving adaptations with this level of dedication. That said, shows like these represent something the anime industry often lacks. As strange as Chainsmoker Cat‘s premise may seem, it also explores the struggles of adult life and is clearly targeted toward a mature audience, with smoking serving as a central theme. Thus, while these two Summer 2026 anime may initially appear purposeless or bizarre, they have the potential to broaden the medium’s range of storytelling. If smoking is the element used to attract older viewers, that is a creative choice these series have made, but younger audiences should approach them with caution, as they could be interpreted as endorsing smoking, something that should never be the goal of entertainment, despite how revolutionary it is trying to become.
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