Two Smoking-Themed Manga Get Anime in Same Season
Chainsmoker Cat and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You both received anime adaptations this season, as Japan's smoking rate declines.
Two manga series centered on smoking—Chainsmoker Cat and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You—received anime adaptations in the same season, according to Anime Herald. The coincidence highlights a niche theme in a country where smoking is becoming less common.
Japan's smoking prevalence among adults was 16.09% in 2022, and the government's Health 21 Japan initiative aims to reduce that to 12% by 2032. Japan Tobacco, which holds 66% of the cigarette market, listed health concerns and regulatory development as key factors in its 2025 Investor Meeting.
The legal smoking age in Japan is 20. Chainsmoker Cat ranked twelfth in the Next Manga Award print category in its release year and appeared on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga for male readers in 2024. Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You has over three million copies in circulation and was nominated for Best Manga at the Japan Expo Awards.
No public connections between the anime's production companies and tobacco company funding were found at the time of writing.
Quick answers
What is the smoking rate in Japan?
Japan's smoking prevalence among adults was 16.09% in 2022, with a government goal to reduce it to 12% by 2032.
How many copies has Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You sold?
The manga has over three million copies in circulation.
Are the anime adaptations funded by tobacco companies?
No public connections between the production companies and tobacco company funding were found at the time of writing.