Shamans have an extraordinary ability to communicate with unseen spirits, gods, and ghosts, which are beyond the perception of ordinary individuals. The renowned Shaman Fight competition takes place every five hundred years, where shamans from all over the world compete to become the mighty Shaman King. The title bestows the winner with the authority to manipulate the world as per their desires by summoning the Great Spirit. One day, Manta Oyamada, a regular middle school student, is in a hurry to attend his class, so he takes a shortcut through the local graveyard. As he passes by, a boy sitting on a gravestone invites him to witness the stars with "them." However, Manta realizes that "them" refers to the boy and his ghostly companions, which terrifies him. The boy introduces himself as You Asakura, an aspiring Shaman. With the support of his spirit friend Amidamaru, You rescues Manta from a group of bullies. You recognizes Manta's ability to see spirits and invites him to be his partner to achieve the goal of becoming the next Shaman King.