Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (partially found film based on manga series; 1977)

Theatrical poster for the film.

Status: Partially Found

Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所) is a manga series written by Osamu Akimoto that ran in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1976 and was the longest running manga series in the magazine until its conclusion in 2016. The manga series is very well known in Japan and is nicknamed "KochiKame." One year after its serialization, KochiKame was already adapted into a live-action film for the first time. This film was also screened simultaneously with Otoko Ippiki Momojirō, the sixth installment in the Truck Yarō film series. Directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi and written by Tatsuhiko Kamoi, the film was released by Toei on December 24, 1977.

Premise

Production of this film began after Kurenai no Tsubasa, which was to be screened simultaneously with Otoko Ippiki Momojirō, was cancelled and a comedy that could be produced in a limited time frame was suggested as a candidate. At this time, Toho was preparing to produce a live-action film of KochiKame, directed by Tsugunobu Kotani and written by Nīsan Takahashi, but the film Ore no Sora, which was produced by Toho, did not perform well, and the production was canceled due to that^[1], so the film rights were transferred to Toei.

The general storyline of the movie is based on the first episode, Shimatsusho no Ryo-san (始末書の両さん, "Ryo-san of Written Apology"). The main difference from the original story is that Ryotsu's first name had not yet been established at the time of release, so he was given the original name "Heikichi." Reiko and Honda did not appear in the film because they had not yet appeared in the original manga. Also, Terai is more senior than Ryotsu, and the department head Ohara appears simply as "section chief," members of the TV series G-Men '75, which Yamaguchi directed, also make guest appearances^[2].

Plot

Heikichi Ryotsu is a police officer working at the Kameari Koen-mae Police Box in Katsushika-ku, Tokyo. One day Ryotsu hears of an incident involving Takichi, an employee of a yakitori store in the shopping arcade, and rushes to the scene with his colleague Mitsuo Tozuka, only to be caught by the owner of the liquor shop on the way for non-payment. They manage to get away with it and arrive at the riverside where the incident took place. There they find a bearded man wearing a hat, coat, and eye patch. When they searched his belongings, they found that he was carrying a gun, so they arrested him. However, the man was a detective on a stakeout. As a result, the two were reprimanded by the section chief and received a pay cut, and Ryotsu threatened Takichi with a gun in retaliation.

Another time, Ryotsu was listening to a live horse race on the radio with his horse racing friends in town. Ryotsu destroys the radio when the horse he was betting on loses. Ryotsu turns the horse racing friends away and tries to steal Terai's lunch. Then a man from the countryside came to the police box to ask for directions to company. Terai, who was in the middle of eating, was giving Terai some guidance, but Ryotsu intercepted his lunch while he was in the middle of eating. That night, Tozuka returned to the police box and reported with satisfaction that he had eaten beefsteak. Ryotsu asked Tozuka how he was able to eat the food when he and he had received a pay cut, and Tozuka told him it was because the proprietress of the "Snack Yuki" bar on 3-chome had taken a liking to him. Ryotsu is shocked because he also liked her, but Tozuka had asked her to give him a full meal because Ryotsu would be there later, so Ryotsu is thrilled and heads to the bar. At the bar, Ryotsu is just chowing down on his food while Aiko, the proprietress, sings. As Ryotsu listens to the landlady sing and reminisces about the women he used to date, the landlady hands Ryotsu the bill and tells him that Tozuka told her that Ryotsu would come back later and pay his share of the bill with her. Meanwhile, Tozuka is at the police box, reading a pornographic magazine and drinking. At that moment, Ryotsu, who has been stripped of his belongings in exchange for payment, angrily fires a machine gun at Tozuka, wreaking havoc. Ryotsu and Tozuka are sprayed with a fire extinguisher by two policewomen who rush to the scene, leaving Ryotsu and Tozuka completely white. Then a bright red sports car pulls up in front of the police box, and out steps Nakagawa, a new police officer who has just arrived today. Tozuka teaches Nakagawa the ins and outs of police work and the importance of doing one's job without antagonizing the residents. Tozuka teaches Nakagawa the ins and outs of police work and the importance of doing one's job without antagonizing the residents. Ryotsu tells Nakagawa that he has been going to a strip joint with a police officer's connections while on patrol, and Tozuka reprimands him. Ryotsu intrigues Tozuka to go to a strip joint under the guise of patrolling. In the meantime, Ryotsu and Nakagawa pass the time by playing a dice game.

One night at the police box, Terai was playing chess with a homeless man named Futaro. At that moment, a couple about to give birth came into the police box. In the midst of the panic at the police box, Tozuka returns with a bottle of sake, and under Terai's direction, Tozuka troublesomely makes a phone call to the hospital. Then a woman named Sayuri further came to ask for directions. Sayuri sees the chaos in the police box and runs up to the pregnant woman, encouraging her. Sayuri had been attending nursing school for about six months but had never witnessed a birth before, but she rushed over to help out. Then Futaro ran up to her even more, his voice rising as he instructed Tozuka to prepare hot water, a washbasin, and a futon. Kazataro demanded Sayuri's help, and then he kicked Tozuka, Terai, and the pregnant woman's husband out of the police box. In the morning, the baby's birth is heard. Tozuka and Terai are thrilled to learn that Futaro is actually a former doctor. He tells them not to tell anyone that he is a doctor, and leaves, satisfied.

Tozuka asks Sayuri, who had come to ask for directions. She told him that she had come to Tokyo from Yamagata to see her older sister, who lived in an apartment across the park, but unfortunately the apartment was not open and she had waited outside but had not returned. The sister's name was Mariko Mizuki, and Tozuka and Terai had an idea of her name. It was the most popular stripper in the strip joint. Terai is convinced that she should be home by now and asks Nakagawa to drive Sayuri to her sister's apartment. Sayuri and Nakagawa walking in the park. When Nakagawa asks Sayuri why she came to Tokyo, Sayuri says that she left Yamagata to become a singer after quitting nursing school. Just then, Ryotsu arrives on a bicycle. Ryotsu follows Mariko's whereabouts at Terai's request and reports to them that he has located her. Mariko was at the Nishi Asakusa Police Station's detention center. According to Ryotsu, the strip joint where she was performing last night was raided for indecent exposure, and all the strippers were taken away. At the Nishi Asakusa police station, Tozuka was making an impassioned speech about what was indecent about a naked woman. The chief insisted that they were enforcing the law, and threatened to file a protest with the chief of the Katsushika Police Station if he said any more nonsense. Tozuka took the threat in stride, showing the embroidery on his back in return, and Tozuka further revealed that the chief had been at the strip theater last Saturday, slobbering over the strippers. The chief can't say anything back, and he loses his head. Tozuka then calmly and politely requests Mariko's release, finally rounding the chief up. Tozuka comes out of the police station with Mariko. Sayuri, who had been waiting for him, is happy to see her sister again, thanks Ryotsu, Tozuka, and Nakagawa, and leaves.

Next day at the police box, Nakagawa was practicing shooting. At that time, a man from the countryside who had visited here before came to the police box again to ask for directions. Nakagawa gave him lax directions and the man left. It seems that Nakagawa had been instructed by Terai to give lax directions. Nakagawa felt that he was gradually being poisoned by this police box. Then Sayuri came to the police box. She brought flowers as a token of her appreciation for yesterday's visit. She told them that she had a singing lesson starting today, and Nakagawa and Terai offered their support. Ryotsu, meanwhile, is watching over the elementary school students on their way to school. Ryotsu is in a good mood after receiving the flowers from Sayuri, and bumps into a bicycle ridden by a master carpenter. The master carpenter seems to have been drinking, and Ryotsu arrests him for drunken driving. Then Takichi rushed to the police box to report another incident. The owner of the sushi restaurant and his wife came running in with a knife. Apparently, the owner had been having an affair, and his wife was furious. After a brief scuffle in the police box, it passed like a storm.

On the bank of the Sumida River, Ryotsu is called by Mariko for advice. Ryotsu asks her why, and she tells him that Sayuri has found a man she likes, and that he has a somewhat yakuza-like appearance. Upon further investigation, it turns out that the man is Kinya Sakai, a 30-year-old criminal with three previous convictions for fraud and other crimes. Ryotsu, Nakagawa, Tozuka, and Terai realize that Sayuri is in danger and collude with each other. At night in downtown, Sayuri is waiting for Sakai when she meets Ryotsu, who is on a stakeout. Ryotsu warns Sayuri that Sakai is a bad man and you are being deceived, but Sayuri refuses to believe him, saying that this is a lie. According to Sayuri, Sakai is best friends with a famous composer teacher who introduced him to her. Then Sakai comes and takes Sayuri away. While Sakai and Sayuri are in a good mood at Snack Yuki, which is crowded with customers, Ryotsu intervenes, splashes beer on Sakai, and tries to arrest him. Sakai tries to go outside to make a phone call somewhere, and Ryotsu follows him, but is caught off guard by Sakai's gang in a back alley. Sakai orders the gang to kill Ryotsu. Ryotsu is in high spirits, saying that he has revealed his true nature, but he is no match for the multitude, and is beaten to a pulp. As Sakai pulls a gun on Ryotsu, G-Men '75 members arrive. In a panic, Sakai and his gang try to escape, but the G-Men defeat Sakai and his gang and handcuff them. The G-Men see Ryotsu and suspect him of being a fake cop and try to arrest him, but when they see the badge on his uniform collar, they realize he is a policeman from the police box in front of Kameari Park and let him go. The next day, Ryotsu is summoned to the Kameari police station. The chief compliments Ryotsu on his good work and says that the man, Sakai, was a liaison for a human trafficking ring on the Hong Kong route. If they could get Sakai to tell the truth, they could get the whole picture of the syndicate and save many girls who were about to be sold to Hong Kong.

In a shopping district bustling with Christmas sales, Sayuri arrives at the police box with a cake. Ryotsu tells her that he is going to have a Christmas party at the police box and invites her to join him. Nakagawa, Tozuka, and Terai return from shopping for ingredients for sukiyaki, and the party begins. At that moment, three men with a machine gun come into the police box. They were the militant "Kameari Armed Front: Daichi no Mogura" who took Ryotsu and Sayuri hostage and drove out the other three. Many police cars gathered from the Katsushika police station where the call came in. The section chief got out of his patrol car and instructed the riot police to get into position. Mariko comes from the crowd, worried about Sayuri, and the chief consoles her. Tozuka and Terai suggest to the members of Daichi no Mogura that they take Sayuri's place, but they are not listened to and dynamite is thrown at them. Tozuka takes it and hurriedly gives it to Terai, who passes it to Nakagawa, who dumps it into a police car, which explodes. The police car is burned to a crisp. When the chief asks the members of Daichi no Mogura what they want, they demand Sakai's release within 10 hours and a ransom of 100 million yen, threatening to kill Ryotsu if they cannot. When they brought Sakai, the members released Sayuri in exchange for Sakai. Sakai grabbed Ryotsu, saying that he had almost gone to jail. The members then demanded ransom of 100 million yen and a car to Haneda Airport. However, the section chief does not listen to their demands and decides that Ryotsu is an exemplary police officer and is already prepared to die, so he moves in for an all-out attack. Ryotsu cries and begs for his life. Sayuri and Mariko plead with the Chief not to kill Ryotsu, while Tozuka, Terai, and Nakagawa also accuse the Chief, and the three try to storm the police box. Sakai holds up a gun and resists, while Ryotsu ignites dynamite behind him. Sakai and the members of Daichi no Mogura are in a hurry, but the three secure them in the nick of time, and Ryotsu thanks the three for their help. Ryotsu throws the dynamite outside, but someone throws it back and it comes flying back inside the police box. They all panic, and the police box explodes in a huge explosion.

New Year's Day. The town is filled with lion dancers and a festive mood. Ryotsu, Tozuka, Nakagawa, and Terai, all wearing bandages, stand on the site of the exploded police box. There, Sayuri, dressed in a kimono, came to wish them a Happy New Year. She happily informed them that she was going to audition for a record company. She gave each of the four a kite with their faces on it to cheer them up. The four of them flew the kites with indescribable smiles on their faces as they thanked her.

Staff

Original Creator - Osamu Akimoto (Name at the time of film release "Tatsuhiko Yamadome")
Planning - Akio Anzai
Writer - Tatsuhiko Kamoi
Director - Kazuhiko Yamaguchi
Photographer - Yoshio Nakajima
Recording - Tadayuki Komatsu
Lighting - Shigeru Umetani
Artist - Shuichiro Nakamura
Music - Hajime Kaburagi

Cast

Mitsuo Senda as Heikichi Ryotsu
Mitsuo Hamada as Gorō Toduka
Chu Arai as Tadashi Terai
Yuma Kusakawa as Keiichi Nakagawa
Yuko Katagiri as Mariko Mizuki
Chieko Matsumoto as Sayuri Mizuki
Ryuko as Chief Tomida
Tadashi Naruse as Tetsuya Sakai
Kunie Tanaka as Futarō
Takao Yamada as Takichi
Tōru Yuri as A Man from country

VHS

It is reported that this film was not released on VHS after the film's release, but it is confirmed that the title was listed in a catalog in the early 1980s and was sold in the form of made-to-order. The catalogs with confirmed titles are Video Eiga Collection Daizenshū (published by Kisōtengai-sha in November 1981), Video Collection 1982 (published by Tokyo News Tsūshinsha in December 1981), Video Collection 1983 (published by Tokyo News Tsūshinsha in December 1982)^[2]. The Video Collection 1983 lists the price as 49,000 yen, and the title has been removed from the catalogs issued after that, suggesting that it was discontinued at that time^[2]. However, it has not been confirmed whether anyone purchased the VHS at the time, and the cover is unconfirmed.

Availability

As of 2024, the entire film is extremely difficult to view. The reason why the film will not be adapted to home media or televised has not been clearly disclosed, but it is believed that the most likely reason is that permission cannot be obtained from the original author, Akimoto's side. Incidentally, Twitter user Konosheet (@video_vhs) actually watched the entire movie when he was working on his research book about the film Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo: Tettei Kenkyu (こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所徹底研究), and the plot was also sourced from that book. However, it is not clear where or how he was able to see the film. A clip of this film was partially shown on a TV show (show name unknown) in which film critic Haruo Mizuno introduces films to be released in the New Year. From July 11 to August 7, 1998, the Umeda Kagetsu Theater (currently, Umeda Kagetsu) in Osaka hosted "Japanese Comic The Movie. Part. 2," an event to screen movies based on manga, and this film was shown from July 25 to 31^[3]. On March 3, 2006, this film was screened specially at the opening of the Ario Kameari shopping mall in Katsushika-ku, Tokyo^[4].