Last Updated: THU Aug 7th, 2026 — NOTE: these guides have been written by Humans, not AIs.
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This EPISODE adapts THREE MANGA chapters of VOL#1» Smokes #12 + 15 + 11 (in that order) and is equivalent to the miniepisodes 9+10.
EPISODE 5 - PART 0 » Before the "Days of hell"What time of the year are we in?
This original scene (anime only) depicts a hot June 15 in the city: yes, technically almost summer, a season that’ll arrive during this episode. 🍉
Suzuki tries to convince himself that everything is “cool” in the smoking room… but it doesn’t hold water. The air conditioning isn’t working, and it’s more like a sauna than a room.
TRIVIA: The signs in the room are notices for employees, such as “Keep it clean, keep it pleasant.”
“Work with all your effort…” 🧹⛏️
Sasaki’s Superstition
We’ll see it happening again in this episode—it’s basically like a “let’s see what I get” lottery based on how many cigarettes strick out of the pack when you tap it.
«A cool future is upon us, he predicts». More for him than for Suzuki hahaha.
Will we ever see this superstition passed on to Yamada?
Yes, later in this very episode. But tapping the pack is a smoker’s habit —that will come up quite a bit throughout the anime and manga.
A “fresh conversation” with Goto
Splashh 💦
Goto is going to help him because he’s a client, but also because she’s very gossipy… and is looking for any excuse to find out what’s going on between Tayama/Yamada and him.
OPENING TRIVIA – their lighters
Pay attention to the color of the lighters that Sasaki (black) and Yamada/Tayama (blue) use during the episodes!
Sasaki-kun?
Goto starts using -kun (more close and semi-formal honorific) instead of Sasaki-san. She wants for him to be less formal with her… what are her intentions for this, though?
» ONLY ON THE MANGA [Extra Story]. In the «After Smoke 12» Goto insists that Sasaki calls her “Goto” on a more casual way, because they are around the same age. She even suggests if he likes to use nicknames (something Maezawa always does at the Super).
GOTO is already forty years old.
And she’s spent more than 16 of those years working at the supermarket—even back when it wasn’t known as “Super S.” Sasaki is impressed by this highly competent woman, who is now the manager of this bustling supermarket.
Sasaki doesn’t know Tayama’s age (or Yamada’s, hahaha).
And yes, he’s very respectful—he almost always avoids asking her overly personal questions. He’s very tactful and doesn’t want to pry information out of people without their consent. What a great guy Sasaki is…
Goto, on the contrary, doesn’t quite get it and keeps asking to pry romantic information from Sasaki. He almost lets his tongue slip…
Speaking of gossip, that’s Yamada eavesdropping.
She went out to buy something out there and here she is again —not via the back door, but seemingly through the fence around and hiding behind one of those big panels. 👂🏼
Today’s summer colors for Yamada are orange with a “new black” short.
GOTO gets a message through her earpiece: she has to handle a complaint—the perfect moment to leave the “happy couple” to their conversations.
Repeat it: 2+4
In some manga translations the phrase Tayama whispers into Sasaki’s ear is really: “TWO and FOUR”, a more mysterious way to tell him her age.
As Sasaki is 45 at this time around, which means the age gap is indeed 21 years between them.
WARNING: SPOILER FROM THE MANGA. WHEN IS TAYAMA/YAMADA’S BIRTHDAY? Is it anytime soon? (click to reveal)
In Smoke 29 they’ll tell each other their birth dates, it’s February 24th for her, and February 25th for him! (just one day apart).
Since it’s past that time of the year, this will happen later on —next season of the anime!
END of the mini episode 9 and manga chapter 12.
PART II — The 14 straight days of death14 days without the Boss and…
It’s June 20: the boss is away for two weeks (in Taiwan), and on top of that, the office is in chaos—no one knows who’s supposed to do what anymore…
The rookie is also there, but who is Itou?
One of the newbies (the Rookie Nitta we know and love) is also quite stressed. There are also some new hires that aren’t used to this kind of work environment and pressure. One of them is Itou, which not only is missing and hasn’t come to work. He’s even taken some importan documents home with him!
No one goes on vacation until your boss does: a quite “cliched“ work situation in Japan.
He missed the last train at almost 00:00 poor Sasaki!
Last train to Moromoro…
Sometimes he probably has to call for a ride (a taxi) if he misses it. As seen on the new ENDING —see below.
Sasaki’s apartment.
Late June in Japan is in the middle of the tsuyu (rainy season) in some regions, also called “plum rain”.
6:31 and he’s got to wake up… nowhere near to an 8-hour sleep, and even his nicotine can’t help him as the box is empty that day. He’ll buy plenty more for these stressful days though.
Black lighter + Bon Stars brand = Sasaki, yep!
This next scenes might remind us of the movie Groundhog Day (1993), where Phil Connors wakes up at 6:00 a.m. every morning, with the alarm playing “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher.
Did you notice…?
Not only each passing day they are even more down at the office… it takes longer for Sasaki to awake and stop his morning alarm. And all the litter around his room marks how messy his life is right now.
Chaos is still reigning supreme at the office, with Sasaki taking even more work from his colleagues.
Now our blue-suited guy’s home looks like a war zone (June 27th)
The boss is back so now it’s July 4th… Independence Day! (Sorry, bad movie reference)
We can see plenty of cans of energy drinks and small bottles of LD (a typical stimulant) on the desks of the hardworking employees at Genko Trading.
Fun Fact (old opening)
The little bottles labeled LD, are probably a parody of an energy tonic called Lipovitan D: a drink that drives away sleepiness and contains caffeine.
Lots of those bottles appearing on Sasaki’s desk in the old Opening sequence.
Manga chapter 12 had only one page dedicated to this hell 14-day period, that has greatly been expanded on the anime.
From now on we can follow the “chunk and meat” of that 12th Smoke.
PART III — TERU TERU BOZU charmsDid you know…
These are handmade weather charms hung by windows in Japan to wish for sunny weather or to stop the rain. Teru means “shine” and bozu “shaved-headed monk “, so literally they are “shine-shine” bald dolls.
UGG DOG, is that you?
Tayama is a fan since childhood of this doggie plushie, so it’s no wonder she knows exactly how to draw it.
Sasaki hasn’t lost all his drawing abilities thanks to his habit of doodling during meetings… much like a some students during classes. But don’t you dare to be an art critic if you don’t know who that character is!
Sasaki’s furtive gazes at Tayama have really made him notice some features… but not her similarities to Yamada (yet).
Awwww… that little Yamada is the cutest thing on earth, with her mouth shaped like a heart (almost) and those mischievous eyes…
On the next morning: the message on Sasaki’s hand
(Tayama has probably called a taxi for him to get him home BTW as he probably wouldn’t be able to walk there in his state).
The flower shape with the spiral inside is a Hanamaru (はなまる), a traditional Japanese mark used by teachers to grade excellent work (similar to a gold star). It first reminded us of the Ramen spiral fish topping, just because Yamada is such ah uge fan of Ramen haha… 🍜
The 100 must mean “perfect” or “excellent score”. And then the Japanese “Erai” means “Good job” or “Well done” —”Proud of ya” is an approximate translation.
Worked like… charms?
On July 7th, seem like the charms have worked and brought a sunny day off for Sasaki… even if he has a permanent ink drawing on his hand that will not come off easily.
On the office the Teru Teru are there hanging, alongside the July 7th Tanabata celebration poster (sometimes both coincide in time even if they are different customs).
The dolls: Ugg dog, Sasaki by Tayama‘s side, then Goto and Ono…
WARNING: SPOILER FROM THE MANGA. WILL WE GET TO SEE the TANABATA CELEBRATION next season? (click to reveal)
Yes, as told in smoke 40th —and we recommend you all manga fans to re-read it.
» ONLY ON THE MANGA [Extra Story]. In the «After Smoke 15» GOTO checks on the «Teru Teru Bozus» that Yamada has drawn with Sasaki —and find them quite goofy. But the redhead girl has a last joke to tell here…
This last part of the episode adapts manga chapter (Smoke) 11
PART IV - The shining Yamada (in short sleeves) strikes againReally? EXTRA Large Ramen Yamada?
She sets a timer to wait for when it gets heated and ready. Then a thank-you-for-the-Ramen is in order!
But as Goto puts it… weren’t you going to cut back a bit on Ramen, girl? (see the end of the last episode).
Yamada is also quite flexible with shifts.
A valuable worker, so now if the Super is not so busy, she better get some rest. No need to be overstaffed on those moments, when probably a lot of customers are on vacation too!
Yamada is buying something (with her employee discount) and then heading back home… but not before getting in a little dig at his old favorite. What new tricks do you have up your sleeve, you red-haired little devil? 😈
Sasaki is shopping his usual items: beer, OKAKI crackers… and a TV guide magazine. But suddenly: here she is!
(Yamada has taken off her long jacket and quickly fixed her hair for this “teasing purpose”).
She’s your luminous angel Sasaki, brighter than ever in casual clothes!
Don’t look at her she will blind you off!
MANGA vs. ANIME
A RAKUGO story?
Yes! Jugemu Jugemu is a Rakugo story about a newborn baby boy and a local buddhist priest that his parents consult about possible names. The priest offers a list of various names, words, and blessings that all symbolize long life or good fortune. Unable to decide which single name to choose, the father decides to use every single name and phrase the priest suggested, combining them into one massive name.
The joke is how ridiculous and hard it is to use. Whenever someone tries to say hello or report an emergency—like the boy falling down a well—they have to say the entire long name from memory. By the time they finally finish pronouncing all, the emergency is already over!
It is best known as the ultimate Japanese tongue-twister, consisting of that absurdly long, comical name. No wonder Sasaki has memorized it to use it like a mantra here, to avoid the temptation to stare at Yamada and feel a bit too much “picked-me-up”.
The ill-founded technique to choose for you
Yamada pays attention to it, and as a smoker herself will use it at the end of the episode (with some comical consequences).
So, third is the charm?
Sasaki almost confesses: a third cigarette coming out of the pack… it’s destiny calling you to the supermarket Sasaki!
What are you wearing today?
Tayama’s outfit is also cute, isn’t it? With a checkered long jacket, beige t-shirt, calf-length turquoise pants, and those lovely patent leather lace-up shoes.
…and four is misfortune!
Hmm… Dogs are always howling at that time of the night… is Daigoro one of them?
The No.1 Selling TV Magazine!
Which means Sasaki is also quite the “grandpa”: watching TV as entertainment at home, in the “Internet era”?
GOTO just want to scare him so he does not make that mistake again (most likely?)
» END of miniEPisode 10 and MANGA Chapter 11
END of EPISODE 05NEW ENDING »
Late at night, taxi drivers still work “aplenty”, helping unfortunate night creatures like Sasaki to get home after those extra hours schedule —yep, and when they miss their last train too.
NEXT EPISODE 6️⃣ will adapt manga chapters 16 and Smoke 0 (also known as 16.5 in some places).
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Wait for the GUIDE of EP6: around AUG 14th 2026.