Though the series was popular in its initial run, Aoyama placed it on hiatus in late 1988—after two tankōbon volumes had been published—in order to focus on Yaiba and later Case Closed.

Notwithstanding this, Kaito Kid has (along with several associated characters) made numerous appearances in Case Closed and various spinoff media, achieving much wider recognition through them.

By day, he maintains the guise of an ordinary high-schooler and his friendship with Aoko, all while knowing her father is a police inspector long-obsessed with capturing Kid.

[2] After many outlandish adventures, Kaito eventually discovers that the killers belong to a mysterious crime syndicate pursuing a legendary jewel known as Pandora.

Per their sources, Pandora is a doublet—a gem hidden within a larger gem—that glows red under moonlight and sheds "tears" during the passing of the Volley Comet, every 10,000 years.

[12][4] However, the story's unexpected popularity inspired many more Kid appearances throughout Case Closed, and even a Magic Kaito storyline guest-starring a full-grown Jimmy Kudo.

[15] Despite this, Aoyama has repeatedly stated that the two series exist in separate continuities, in particular citing Akako's sorcery as an element that cannot coexist with Case Closed.

[16][17] He has also denied longstanding fan theories that Snake belongs to the "Black Organization" serving as Case Closed's main antagonists, and maintained that—with the one-time exception of 2012's "Mystery Train" arc—Kaito Kid would not have any story involvement with the latter.

[18][19] In 1985, having been convinced by university friends to pursue a professional manga career, Aoyama drafted a 40-page one-shot titled Nonchalant Lupin (さりげなく ルパン, Sarigenaku Rupan).

The following year, Aoyama approached Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday, which made no such stipulations; heartened, Aoyama quickly expanded Lupin into the basis for an ongoing series, renaming its lead characters Kaito Kuroba and Aoko Nakamori and converting its mostly-metaphorical Arsène Lupin motifs into an actual phantom thief identity.