With more people reading manga and Webtoons (aka vertical scroll comics) than ever before, Beat’s Bizarre Adventure gives three writers an opportunity each week to recommend some of their favorite books and series from Japan, Korea, and elsewhere. This week we have supermarket smoke breaks, more Junji Ito, and, of course, Fish-men.
Version 1.0.0Smoking Behind The Supermarket With You
Writer/Artist: Jinushi
Translation: Amanda Haley
Lettering: Kyla Aiko
Cover Designer: Ti Collier
Editor: Jennifer Sherman
Publisher: Square Enix Manga
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You is a slice-of-life manga written and illustrated by Jinushi. It began as a humble Twitter webcomic in March 2022 before gaining traction and moving to Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan in August 2022. The manga won the 2022 Next Manga Award in the web category.
The story follows Sasaki, a weary 45-year-old salaryman whose only joys in life are smoking and exchanging small pleasantries with a cheerful cashier named Yamada at his local supermarket. One day, after working late, Sasaki stumbles into the smoking area behind the store and meets a bold, enigmatic woman named Tayama. What he doesn’t realize at first is that Tayama and Yamada are the same person; his everyday angel has a smoky alter ego. Their brief smoke breaks become a quiet yet meaningful ritual, offering them both an escape from societal roles.
The manga’s charm lies in its pacing and tone. The conversations between Sasaki and Tayama feel authentic, often ending as soon as the cigarette burns out, yet revealing just enough to make you crave the next encounter. Their chemistry builds very slowly but naturally. Tayama’s dual personality—both teasing and secretly vulnerable—adds a delightful tension. And Sasaki, while your typical awkward middle-aged man, slowly learns and adapts through their everyday chats. A scene where they take a personality test, with Tayama hilariously getting the “two-faced with a high sex drive” result, is one of many humorous standout moments between them.
What makes their dynamic so compelling is that it’s not one-sided. While Sasaki leans on Yamada’s presence to survive the dullness of his life, Tayama feels challenged by his affection for Yamada. Beneath her confident, cool exterior lies a vulnerability that surfaces the more he compliments “Yamada.” This layered relationship between appearance and authenticity, complemented by Jinushi’s expressive artwork, makes their evolving bond feel real and emotionally textured.
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You isn’t a story about heavy romance or big plot twists. It’s about how two people—strangers who meet in the brief, quiet margin of their exhausting lives—help each other feel just a little more seen, a little less alone. With its beautifully drawn panels, grounded humor, and unspoken emotional tension, the manga masterfully captures the magic that can happen in everyday moments. It reminds us that even in the dull repetition of life, the people we meet can change us in slow, subtle ways. If you’re in the mood for something heartfelt, mature, and quietly captivating, light a cigarette (metaphorically, of course) and step behind the supermarket. — Ilgın Side Soysal
Version 1.0.0Fragments of Horror
Writer/Artist: Junji Ito
Translation: Jocelyne Allen
Lettering: Eric Erbes
Publisher: VIZ
Another entry, another Junji Ito collection. I’ll never tire of them, and I hope you don’t either; he’s one of my faves. Fragments of Horror is a shorter anthology collection, but it’s stacked with great stories such as “Tomio – Red Turtleneck,” “Gentle Goodbye,” “Blackbird,” and “Whispering Woman.” Every one of these are bangers, although the story “Magami Nanakuse” doesn’t really hold up in certain aspects.
It’s astonishing that you can pick up nearly any book this man has created and you’ll find a solid story somewhere. Not all of them are incredible; I think the weakest in this collection is either “Futon” or “Wooden Spirit.” But the other stories are wonderful and will blow your socks off.
The way that Ito finds terror in the mundane makes my head spin. I would never conjure some of these ideas up myself so I’m very glad he did. There’s always a bit of silliness in his stories as well which I appreciate. I will critique “Blackbird” for a second, though, because I think it went on a bit too long. The last handful of pages after the reveal are unnecessary and could have been cut. It’s still a solid horror story though.
If you’re looking for a good introduction to Ito’s stories, perhaps for yourself or for someone you know, Fragments of Horror is an excellent place to start. It highlights different aspects of his work, so if you are on his wavelength, you will know it by reading this collection. Definitely seek it out, you won’t be disappointed. — Derrick Crow
World in the Waves
Story and Art: GoodDraws
Platform: WEBTOON
I don’t remember exactly how I discovered GoodDraws‘s art on social media. But once I discovered that the cool character art I was seeing online was from a webtoon they had created, I had to check it out.
World in the Waves (originally titled Sword of the Sea) began publication in 2023 on WEBTOON CANVAS. The story centers around No’e, whose goal is to become the Grand Champion of the Sea. She is washed ashore on an island during a rough storm and is separated from her turtle Dragon, Honu.
The story kicks off when she is rescued by the locals, who are in the midst of some trouble caused by the Shark King. To defeat him and become Grand Champion, No’e seeks out magical scales that grant immense power..
The art and character designs are what hooked me first and foremost. GoodDraw’s art style reminds me of cell-shaded Zelda titles like Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. While it might look “simple” at a distance, there is a lot of thought put into the designs, like how No’e’s long red ponytail contrasts with her blue clothing and gold accessories. The pufferfish grunts and the Shark King also remind me of the Fish-men in One Piece.
While World in the Waves is mostly an action comic, it does have some well done moments of comedy sprinkled in. Most of it involves No’e easily blowing a hole in a villain with the equivalent of Pokémon’s Water Gun move, or being shocked when a giant trout jumps from the ocean water to land just to get at her. GoodDraw’s art draws out emotions from the characters to sell these moments, whether the mood be comedic, serious, or just chill.
World in the Waves recently reached the milestone of over 2,000 subscribers. It is well earned; I see the potential, and in my honest opinion, it deserves even more readers. You can read it right now on WEBTOON CANVAS for free, or support the artist directly on their Patreon. Set sail for adventure, my adorable birb nerds! — Justin Guerrero
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