In a world where certain individuals called shamans can see and communicate with ghosts, spirits, and divine beings invisible to ordinary people, a major event occurs every five hundred years. This is the Shaman Fight, a tournament where shamans from around the world compete for dominance. The winner becomes the Shaman King, gaining the power to summon the Great Spirit and reshape the world as they see fit.
Manta Oyamada, an ordinary middle school student, is late for class one evening and takes a shortcut through a nearby graveyard. There, he meets a lone youth sitting on a tombstone, who invites Manta to stargaze with "his" group. When Manta realizes the group includes ghosts, he panics and runs away. Later, the youth reveals himself as You Asakura, a novice shaman. To prove his abilities, You teams up with Amidamaru, a six-hundred-year-old samurai spirit, to defend Manta from bullies. Recognizing Manta's rare gift for seeing spirits, You forms a friendship with him. Together with Amidamaru, they set out on You's journey to become the Shaman King.