Shamans are individuals with a unique ability to communicate with ghosts, spirits, and gods that remain invisible to ordinary people. Every five hundred years, the Shaman Fight, a prestigious tournament where shamans from around the world compete, takes place. The winner is declared the Shaman King and gains control over the Great Spirit, allowing them to reshape the world as they wish.
One evening, Manta Oyamada, an ordinary middle school student, cuts through a nearby graveyard to avoid being late for class. He encounters a lone boy sitting on a tombstone, who invites Manta to look at the stars with "them," revealing that "them" includes the boy's ghostly companions. Terrified, Manta runs away. Later, the boy introduces himself as You Asakura, a Shaman-in-training, and demonstrates his abilities by teaming up with Amidamaru, a six-hundred-year-old samurai spirit, to protect Manta from a group of bullies. You befriends Manta because of his ability to see spirits, and together with Amidamaru, they set out on You's mission to become the next Shaman King.