It takes place in the present day, in and around a neighborhood police station (kōban) in the downtown part of Tokyo, and revolves around the misadventures of middle-aged cop Kankichi Ryotsu.

[a] The manga has been adapted into an anime television series, produced by Studio Gallop and broadcast in Japan by Fuji TV, three theatrical animated films (by Tatsunoko and Gallop, respectively), two live-action movies, several stage adaptations, and a live-action television series.

The KochiKame plot involves Kankichi "Ryo-san" Ryotsu coming up with a money-making scheme by inventing a new gadget or capitalizing on a fad, achieving great success, calling on Keiichi Nakagawa's help as things turn sour, and finally losing it all as the fad runs out of steam or out of control.

While the plots are gag-driven, much of the humor comes from the combination of mundane characters with those that are bizarrely out of place; such as Nakagawa who has wealth and Ai Asato who is transgender.

Nakagawa and Reiko Akimoto have special licenses (such as for wearing personal clothes instead of uniforms to work) from police headquarters because of their skills in linguistics.

[2] The plot consistently evolved with the times and most of the main characters do not really age, despite the fact that the series started in the 1970s and is later clearly set in the 2010s.

However, some characters do age, like the grandchild of Buchao, who was a baby in the early volumes, but is now close to junior high, which the author has self-mocked in a few "look back" chapters/episodes.

The stories are generally innocent in content, and what little violence appears is comical, while the occasional risqué subjects are included strictly for laughs rather than to titillate.

KochiKame's immense popularity has led to guest appearances in the strip by real-life Japanese celebrities such as Tetsuya Komuro.

[16] A live-action TV series starring Katori Shingo as Ryo-san began airing on TBS on August 1, 2009.

Titled Vs. Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo: Novelization Anthology (VS.こち亀 こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所ノベライズアンソロジー), the other series are Girls und Panzer, Osomatsu-san, Haruchika, Cheer Boys!

[citation needed] In February 2006, two life-size bronze statues of Ryo-san were erected at the north and south gates of Kameari Station.

[20] In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo's serialization, several special events were held.

[23][24] In November 2014, readers of Da Vinci magazine voted Kochikame as the seventh Weekly Shōnen Jump's greatest manga series of all time.

He called it "Kochikame at its best, a zippy combination of daffy comedy and solid action set pieces," with one of the funniest false endings ever.