The series follows the antics of a five-year-old boy Shinnosuke Nohara, his parents, neighbours, and friends. This story is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The manga is called "Crayon Shin-chan" because "crayon" signifies the fact that it is a tool commonly used by kindergartners and that Shin-chan goes to kindergarten. "Shin-chan" is the affectionate name for the main character.