Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit and fan-based work of fiction not affiliated with the original product. Shaman King is owned and created by Takei Hiroyuki, Shueisha, Madman Entertainment, and Viz Media. Please support the official release.
Story Notes: There may be some scenes and themes that are disturbing to some readers. Please be advised. The following story is both a novelization and Alternate Universe Fic based on both the source material manga, anime, and supplementary materials. There are changes to the universe, characters, abilities, and plot for the narrative written. This fanfiction will be updated every Monday until further notice. For more information, thoughts, and updates, please head to my main profile on and the Author's Notes at the bottom. Please enjoy the story.
Update #1: Some grammar fixed, and replaced some em dashes with commas to remove emphasis.
It was on the thirtieth of June in the early summer of 1998 that the world around Oyamada Manta shifted in a direction unheard of to the young student boy.
It all began when he began to realize that he lacked the time needed to get to his train home if he remained on his usual path thanks to cram school lessons and, with some, but little thought, decided to take instead a shortcut through a local graveyard nearby to reach the station in time.
He had heard of some others in his class take the same route in times of desperation, but it was obviously less popular than other paths to take due to its morbid atmosphere, and the fear of breaking some of the old graves on the hill due to the centuries taking their toll on the stonework.
Some of the more religious folk seemed to just desire to not disturbing the spirits that laid under the earth, and a few of the class representatives had to announce that some would be punished for disturbing the area thanks to an incident that Manta failed to recall which angered the staff when complaints came in.
Whatever the case was, however, he knew that if he missed the train, he would be stuck at the station for hours to come, and such a thought was not appealing to the thirteen-year-old. As such, he decided to run for it and managed to hop one of the shorter fences to enter the cemetery.
Upon entering the place did he feel a certain emotion known as dread. It followed him as he sprinted past the resting place of hundreds if not a thousand, but the knowledge that he was to be stranded otherwise kept him moving.
By the time he had reached the middle of the cemetery he had felt a bit out of breath thanks to the size of the place being larger than anticipated. He panted as he forced his short legs to make the final stretch, but it was the glimpse of a figure on top of the hill which made him stop in his tracks.
Believing it to be nothing more than a shadow originally, Manta became stunned upon taking a closer glance at what he saw. There, sitting upon one of the stone markers adorned underneath a tree, was a boy wearing orange headphones upon his head.
Like most his age, the boy stood taller than Manta by a good few feet with a slim build and spiky brown hair with a strand of it hovering in front of his face. His brown eyes did not notice Manta's existence, but instead the Moon, staring at the celestial body in peace.
As he stared at the fellow human being, Manta felt the urge to call out to him, but a fear in his heart kept any noise from being emitted. In this moment of internal exchange did his own eyes take a gander at the watch on his wrist and he realized a specific show that night, a comedy serial, was about be aired not too long from then.
Once more did he make his feet move and once more did they stop upon hearing the movement of the boy's body from his right. Looking up, Manta soon found himself in the sight of the mysterious person, a small smile plastered on the face. The moonlight gave way to a better look at his features, all of which indicated he could not be any older than he was.
A brief exchange was given around the concept of stargazing and the benefit of the elevated position on top of the hill before he began to walk downwards. Manta—trying to avoid any confrontation with the person—questioned who would want to watch the stars or something relating to the subject matter.
He couldn't remember how the conversation went from there, but upon the boy saying that everyone there appreciated the sight of the faraway lights did Manta correct him by arguing that one usually wouldn't refer to two people as everybody.
Then all his friends showed up in a moment's instance to prove his point pointless.
The day after that incident on the hill did Manta reveal the event to his fellow students in Class C what had just occurred the night prior with all details given.
He was met with an audience who laughed and proclaimed that what he saw must have either been in his mind, or that he was simply pulling their leg. After all, the statements given fail to have any basis in reality, something everyone agreed to with ease.
Manta, for all his anger towards his peers for the attitude given to him, understood where they came from. Rationally, it made no sense that his story could happen in real life. It just doesn't happen and any time someone who argued it did usually were proven the liar at the end of the day.
But he knew what he saw, and he knew that the boy was most assuredly not pranking him or anything. The tone and even his smile seemed far too genuine, too inviting and nonchalant that it could indicate something on that nature.
Even if he was a good enough actor, when his friends showed up it was clear from the get-go that it was no special effects, no nothing on those lines. But he could not figure out how to explain in a way that would convince them while at the same time not making a fool of himself.
As he pondered on what to say did his teacher announce that an exchange student from the west had arrived from Izumo of Shimane Prefecture. He paid no attention to the student who would be sharing the classroom with him, instead still thinking on what to make of the situation last night.
Then the student was told to take a spot next to Manta, and he, with the desire to be courteous, decided to forgo of his problem for now and instead greet the new student.
Then he saw the familiar sight of orange headphones and the look that was created from the emotions of Manta could be described as a mixture of shock, terror, lament, and an odd bit of excitement.
A thud noise echoed throughout the classroom as student and teacher alike took gaze at the now fallen seventh year with concern and wonder. The new student only gave a brief smile before sitting down in his assigned seat. Manta on the other hand, with great vigor, erupted one statement on the ground.
"Y-Y-YOU'RE THE ONE! THE ONE FROM LAST NIGHT, THE ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT! YOU'RE THE GHOST BOY!"
Chapter One: Asakura Yoh
"Why is this guy so difficult to comprehend?" thought Manta as he sat on the hill in the graveyard. He remembered that night how he had just undergone the entire day in school, mostly his homeroom period, just trying to figure out who the new arrival—whose name Asakura Yoh as stated by himself—really was.
It wasn't as if he didn't talk at all or was an aggressive person that intimidated him. The problem was that in all his thirteen years of life had Oyamada Manta ever experience a person with as little drive as Yoh had.
In the entire homeroom period was a mess as Yoh had managed to bring himself to a slumber within the first five minutes, managing to avoid any punishment from the teacher by waking up at the right time as to not reveal what he had been doing the entire hour.
When math started, he found himself asleep again, but this time the teacher caught wind of his actions and personally reprimanded him. Rather than an awkward or humorous situation, the people inside Class C found themselves baffled by his inability to process his own name in his stupor.
These events seemingly repeated themselves for the next classes until lunch finally started. As many left the room to eat in the cafeteria or took out their food to eat, Manta, who had a lunch personally made for him by his folks' staff, found Yoh walking outside by his lonesome.
Curious as to what he was doing, Manta left his meal in peace and followed him in secret with the intention of getting a better feel for his character. Once more did this plan fail spectacularly.
Instead of getting anything out of him, Manta only got the knowledge that Yoh was more than interested in being one with nature, taking in the sunlight while observing the wild animals play around in their respective homes.
The most interesting thing that he did there was smiling and giggling at a small baby duck that waddled out of the pond and picking at his shoes, but there was no indication once more that he had any connections with spirits of any kind.
That trip lasted the entire lunch period and it was safe to say that he was also not a fan of failing to get his daily meal. By the later periods of the day, Manta decided to call it quits, feeling that if he was to continue this personal mission he would find himself wasting more time than getting actual information.
As he walked home—this time without the issue of cram school taking up his hours and the kendō club he was forced to be a part of not meeting that day—the faint smell of smoke managed to catch the attention of him. He turned around to see just where it was coming from before the sirens of a firetruck indicated this was a rather large flame.
Walking around some homes, he along with a large crowd of pedestrians, surrounded what seemed to be an engulfed apartment complex with smoke that managed to cover some parts of the sky with the intensity of the fire being that great.
He coughed as some of it entered his lungs and small tears formed around his eyes from the smoke as well. Wanting to figure out what was going on, the conversations from those surrounding him revealed the flame to originate from a cigarette on the second story floor managing to engulf the building when igniting some leaking gas, or at least that was the story they agreed upon.
The perpetrator of the fire was burned, but managed to escape with rather minor injuries compared to the damage the infrastructure was taking. After the alarm went off did the staff manage to get the residents outside in record speed.
Still, there were also murmurs about there being some people still inside despite the majority managing to get out in time, but with the firemen still needing time to arrive along with the inability to enter the place as of right now because of the damaged doorway made it difficult to go and check.
"How horrid," muttered Manta, staring at the building with feelings of pity for anyone trapped inside. Looking around, the only person of note he saw was a rather short boy with spiky blue hair and a rather expensive looking yellow jack with a case containing what was presumably clothes.
He seemed to not be from the area and a had a feeling of an alien presence surrounding him. Notably, he also saw what seemed to be the silhouette of a large man next to him, but he ignored him for the most part as the smoke was obscuring most everybody with how much was now engulfing the street.
Cars began to slow down, making it more difficult to get the hoses to combat the flames. As if to make matters worse, the cry of children now began to reach both the people and Manta on the streets, revealing that not only were there people still inside, but they were also of young age.
Manta and the rest gasped as a brief opening in the smoke reveal that on one of the highest floor wailed out three children—a lone boy and two girls. Some of the more emotional folks began to weep as the tragedy played out in front of their very eyes. Some looked away while others screamed at those in their cars to make way for the firemen.
A few lacked any emotion towards this revelation and instead went on with their very lives, pretending that this incident never happened. One of these fellows was the boy in yellow and the large man, both of which walked away from the scene, much to Manta's disappointment.
As the people began to panic, a few people took their glances away from the flame and instead towards one of the restaurants that also ignited by the fire. Manta—wondering what was going on—turned his gaze as well to see Yoh soaking himself with water used to cook the rice in the once existing food establishment.
Then his fellow student rushed into the building through a broken window which bypassed the now ruined entrance. The entirety of the witnesses began to cry out for him not to go, but a few souls stayed silent as they patiently awaited his return.
Manta himself was shocked by the act, and both his mind and words became nothing as he tried to piece together what Yoh had decided to do. If there was one thing he managed to get out of everything, it was that Yoh seemed to lack any form of arrogance or aggression, instead enjoying what the world gave him rather than be mad at it.
Despite knowing he was far from an evildoer, it pained Manta to wait for him to come back if he did at all. The firemen by this point had managed to reach the area and quickly they moved, managing to attack with their hoses.
The concentrated fire of water against the flaming building began to show results as the doorway was soon extinguished. Some of them concentrated on the buildings that caught on fire as a result of the apartment to avoid spread, leaving Yoh and the children in a still burning building, although even concentrated efforts probably would take hours at best.
A feeling of dread—even more so than the one yesterday—went through Manta as his mind began to wonder into territory he rather not enter. He combated his rational side with the knowledge that Yoh was not an ordinary student, that he was seemingly someone of extraordinary background if he could speak and see spirits.
But reality was that, and Manta began to ponder why he had thought so negatively of the person that day, why had he put so much attention on the fact that he was associating with spirits rather than getting to know him through direct conversation.
Just why did he go in to begin with? Perhaps he would know if he decided to be more trusting with him earlier, but now it was too late.
"I didn't want anything to bad to happen with him. I mean, it's not like he did anything wrong really..."
As the depressing thoughts entered his mind did they disappear when a cry of joy rang out from the crowd. He turned his gaze from the ground and towards the front entrance where Yoh—carrying all three children—exited through the now hazardless entrance thanks to the efforts of the firemen.
Dropping them off into the arms of their mother and father, Manta watched as the figure of a man exited Yoh's body. He was far larger than Yoh and stood at a height that indicated he was an adult with the fact that he was floating giving him the impression that he was a ghost like the ones from before.
It then became obvious that it was a fireman's spirit who seemingly exited Yoh's body, the man smiling as he floated towards the firetruck. Yoh gave his silent thanks as he walked away from the scene, managing somehow to escape the attention of the civil workers.
Manta then noticed that Yoh was coming directly for him, and tried in vain to think of something to say to him. Before anything of worth came to him, he found himself in the gaze of the smiling boy once again for the second time that week.
"Come with me," Yoh asked. He grabbed Manta's hand and the later found himself walking alongside the savior of three lives back to the cemetery. He didn't know why he went along, but he made no complaints.
They managed to arrive at the place in a short period of time, walking through the small patches of grass before making it up to the top of the hill. Manta noticed that one of the grave markers had been smashed in by some object of substantial strength and turned into rubble, the same one Yoh sat upon last night.
Yoh, noticing his gaze, smiled sadly at the sight. "Yeah, it seems someone came after both you and I left the area. According to the spirits, it was some rather tall guy wearing a white suit or something. Done in by a wooden sword of all things."
"That's just disrespectful," noted Manta. "Why would anyone even do that? I mean, yeah, some people lack respect for the dead, but why would they even be here. I mean, you're the only person I've met who knows about ghosts and stuff, although we just met yesterday."
"Yeah, speaking of which, sorry about ignoring you in class," chuckled Yoh, remembering how he proclaimed that there no such thing as ghosts before zoning him and the rest of the student body earlier. Manta felt no need to say anything, instead sitting upon the grass of the hill.
A silence passed between the duo as the day started to shift into the night as the evening sky had a tint of red with some smoke from earlier still covering parts of it. The two simply stared at it in ease, ignoring for the most part the spirits who seemed to come out.
The shorter of the two recognized that his family, or at least the staff, would question why he stayed out so late, and decided to tell them that he had to go to his club to discuss future events, even though that said club was for the most part empty thanks to the president moving away not too long ago.
"So, what are you exactly?" finally spoke Manta. There was more confidence in his voice than before. "You somehow used the ghost from earlier to save the children's lives, right? How did you do that?"
"Oh, him." Yoh continued to gaze upwards as the conversation shifted. "He died in a fire that took the lives of a few civilians and he failed to move on because of the guilt of not saving them. He seems to stick around to the truck he was assigned to make sure the new people do a better job than he."
"And if you really want to know what I am, well, it can be summed up as I'm a shaman, but I have a feeling you don't even knowing what that is, do you?" The feeling of confusion that formed on Manta's face gave Yoh the answer.
"Well, we're people who can bind this world and the next. We have the ability to work with the deceased to use their abilities here and all sorts of stuff. Some can heal, some can summon spirits, and there are even tales of those bringing the dead back to life, but I have some skepticism on that as I've never seen that done before, although someone I know argues they exist."
Feeling overwhelmed by the information granted to him, Manta tried to ask him to slow down, but stayed quiet as a serious expression grew on Yoh's face. The later looked towards the grave before picking up what seemed to be another grave marker—which he plucked from the ground with the permission of the marker's owner—before walking downhill.
"Sorry, it seems that our conversation will have to wait a bit, Manta." He took a stance directly towards the front entrance of the cemetery. Some of the ghosts in the area took notice and began to crowd about him.
Manta, with curiosity, looked at the name of the broken marker. Upon realizing who it was, he became even more astonished that someone would tarnish the resting place of who was the most renowned warrior of the general area before a large number of footsteps alerted him that they weren't alone.
"Um, Yoh," Manta began. "Why exactly did we come back here again?" Nervousness began to take a hold on him as the footstep were accompanied by loud shouting and other sorts of frightening noises. Given the fact that Yoh seemed to be swinging the marker to test it out in the air like a weapon, he assumed the worst.
He slowly walked over to Yoh's position before spotting a rather large group of teenagers and young adults. Each other them carried something that can be interpreted as weapons—baseball bats, long rulers, and anything else for bludgeoning—but one of them—a rather tall fellow with a pompadour that reached absurd lengths—carried with him a wooden sword, the only formal weapon among the group.
Remembering what Yoh said earlier about the grave, Manta tried to hide by using his short stature behind one of the larger graves, but a jeer from one of the men gave him the impression that he was already spotted alongside his peer.
The two stood side by side against a group that went into the dozens in quantity, at least thirty men in the gang. The pompadour man—most likely the leader of the group—stepped forward with a grin stuck on his face.
"What do we have here now," he spat out excitedly. "We just found this spot yesterday and declared it our Best Place if you don't mind. If you value personal health we would advise you to go away before you boys get hurt."
"And if I don't," declared Yoh. Manta looked at him in shock, wondering if he brought over here because he wanted backup for a fight, something Manta felt he had no ability in whatsoever. Some of the gang members laughed upon hearing the answer to Manta's fears.
The man gave out a bellowing laugh in the evening sky. "Well, that is a good question. If you don't scram within the next few moments, I'll have to show you why the entirety of Tokyo fears me as "Wooden Sword" Ryu. Don't tell me you're here to challenge me?"
"Well, I did want to meet the person who was here from last night," Yoh replied. He took a stance with the wooden marker and stared down the group. "The grave you busted up was that of Amidamaru, correct? The legendary samurai?"
"Of course he did!" declared one of the henchmen, enthusiasm crawling out of his teeth. "They say that he was a monster from six hundred years ago who slaughtered around a hundred men within a single night after betraying his lord. They say those in the past created the grave to keep his spirit from haunting the land, but I doubt that even if he did come back would he be able to trump Ryu!"
Manta, like most in the area, knew of the tale of Amidamaru, a samurai who betrayed his lord in the fifteenth century who decided to cut down those said hundred men in combat. The ruler was that of Izu Province, and the incident was said to be the reason behind the fall of the ruler's clan thanks to the sheer destruction of lives and morale by the samurai warrior.
Despite his notorious reputation, the sword master was the most renowned person in this part of Japan, meaning he was of great importance for the area's name. The fact that they could tarnish what acted as a reminding legacy of his life was quite astounding to say the very least.
All the gang members let out a great cheer in agreement as they continued to praise their leader. As this went on, a great man of huge stature began to form behind Yoh. Soon his body began to manifest into the world with long white hair and a ruined outfit adorning his body.
"Some friends of mine told me about him," Yoh said. "Seeing how you're a friend of mine, I decided that I would show you just what I do, but try to stay back to get yourself hurt."
"Friend," muttered Manta out loud. Shaking his head to pay attention, he took a closer note at the new spirit who had appeared to stand by Yoh. Even compared to the giant that was Ryu, compared to him the white-haired man was a giant, a great scowl marked on his face.
Holding out his hand, the large man behind Yoh suddenly materialized fully. Two swords were attached to his hips with red lamellar acting as shoulder guards.
Manta with slow realization understood just who was with Yoh at that very moment. Ryu seemed tired of this entire charade and nudged for two of his goons—Apache and Space Shot—to knock the two students out cold.
Yoh only smirked as the two of them slowly approached him and Manta. The later was horrified as their smiles became wider and wider, falling onto the grass in terror.
"Amidamaru!" Yoh called out, surprising both Apache and Space Shot. "Do you truly wish to fight alongside me today against these guys?"
"Of course, Lord Yoh!" the large spirit called out in response. "I truly must thank you for this opportunity to rid myself of these people who have granted me such humiliation on this day."
As the two tried to process what the younger boy was doing, Yoh brought out his hand to his side and swept it at Amidamaru, turning his body into a small ball-like form with his face on it. Manta stared at the action with interest and surprise, wondering what was going on.
"First I turn him into his Hitodama Mode and then…" He placed the sphere that was the legendary samurai directly into his chest, creating a large shine of light to emerge from his body.
The rays of white light nearly blinded Manta as he desperately attempted to get a better look at what was happening. While the two thugs seemed to be unfazed, Ryu on the other hand seemed to have noticed something as he himself winced back slightly.
Suddenly, before the two henchmen could react, one of them took the brunt of the wooden marker to the face, being sent flying towards one of the graves with ease. The other attempted to attack in response, but was jabbed twice in the gut before landing on his back.
Ryu, shocked at what had occurred, watched as some of his gang became tense at the sight and started to form up in little pocket groups. "Muscle Boy! Keep them from interfering in the fight! Leave the brat to me."
"Huh, I guess you're either overtly confident or you actually care about your guys," noted Yoh. He took position once more, but found himself taking the full force of Ryu's swing of his wooden blade, making the younger of the two stumble backwards.
"Amidamaru seems impressed by your strength, but it isn't enough to beat me," smirked Yoh. Ryu once more slammed his sword at Yoh with great determination, but was thrown back himself by a parry.
He managed to get a footing on the ground, but now Yoh was on the offensive. Angered, Ryu cried out, "Don't mess with me! I'll show you why I'm known as "Wooden Sword" Ryu!" before charging at him.
The cockiness of Ryu, however, proved fatal as Yoh managed to land a strike on his rib, smashing into him with enough force to send him flying back similarly to his henchman. Unlike the later though, Ryu was prepared to be hit and got back onto his feet in record time.
"Incredible…" muttered Manta as he and the rest of Ryu's gang watched the fight unfold. Even though Ryu was someone who seemed to earn his namesake, he was most definitely being trumped by his junior opponent.
Upon Ryu decided to attack once more to end the fight in its entirety, he felt wind brush against his face which culminated in him falling onto his knees. His face gave way all his emotions, that being sorrow and fear.
The tip of his pompadour was cleanly sliced off by Yoh and the wooden marker, leaving a rather flat tip behind. Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched what seemed to be his most prized possession become scattered to the wind.
Some of his fellow gang members also felt true agony watching their leader be defeated so swiftly. A silence was exchanged between both sides before Ryu managed to bring himself onto his feet.
Standing still, he turned to face Yoh with a grimace on his face. Sweat beads fell down his head and before anyone could react did he throw his wooden sword to Muscle Boy. "I will not fight a battle that will get my guys hurt…"
He turned around and walked towards his group. "It seems that this cemetery of yours is not to be our Best Place. I'm sorry for what I have done to the grave and if his spirit is watching, I apologize to him as well. But hear this everyone! We shall find a Best Place one day for ourselves, and on that day, we shall find true happiness!"
"Ryu…" cried out his supporters, every last one of them having tears in their eyes. Before either Yoh or Manta knew it, all members of the gang solemnly left the premises, going somewhere unknown to the two, and probably unknown to the travelers themselves.
"Is it bad that I feel somewhat piteous towards them?" Yoh question out loud. The group had by this point vanished for parts unknown, leaving behind both Yoh and Manta along with the spirit of Amidamaru behind in the cemetery as if the battle had not taken place.
"Well," said Yoh after a few seconds. "It seems the Oversoul was a complete success at any rate. I hope your happy with the results, Amidamaru."
"Y-you." Yoh turned around after having Amidamaru leave his body and faced his shorter friend. "You bound yourself with the ghost to gain his abilities… Is that what you meant earlier?"
"Pretty much." Yoh smiled as Amidamaru gave a thoughtful nod before the later returned to his broken grave on the hill, leaving the shaman to the mass of ghosts who shouted and congratulated him on the victory against Ryu.
It was an amazing sight as Manta watched from afar. All the dead began to seemingly bring out drinks from who knows where, drinking themselves drunk even though they were already dead and without the physical capacity to enter such a stupor.
Yoh only seemed to joke around with some of them as they thanked him for his actions, handwaving off any suggestions for him to become a guardian of the place twenty-four seven.
Sitting down on the top of hill, he wondered to himself, "Why is this guy so difficult to comprehend?" Turning back down at the now party of dead and sole member of the living, a small smile grew on his face.
"Well, I guess it really doesn't matter right now," he agreed to himself as the night went on. He would have to go home sooner than later, but for now he was perfectly content to be here alongside the dead as much as they disturbed him.
Little did he truly know that this was the beginning of a friendship with a man who would warp the way of not only himself, but many others lived their lives in not only Japan, but all parts of the world.
But on that night, all he did was quietly appreciate his new friendship with the mysterious boy who could commune with the dead.
Author's Notes: Shaman King is—to me—one of the nostalgic works in the shōnen style of work. While I grew up with many different anime, manga, cartoons, movies, and whatnot, Shaman King just interested me for some unknown reason. Perhaps it was the characters or the concept, but to this day I have fond memories of the series as a whole.
Now, there is a lot of issues that really keep the manga from aging as well as others, but I personally find it fine for what it is, although all complaints are legitimate. As this is a semi-novelization and Alternate Universe Fic, there will be differences based around how I think some things could be better, but don't assume I hate things I change. It's more based around how my own story flows rather than the original, and you may find the story to be incredibly similar in how it progresses and ends to the original work.
I am also going using more things from the manga rather than the anime as there's a lot of good material not used for more anime original aspects which allowed it to have its own individual tale by the end, including Shaman King Zero and the other works that were published after the series end.
In terms of how characters will be written, as seen with Ryu's fight some may be more competent than others and some may lose their general strength to keep the gap from feeling too wide to surpass, something by the end of the manga most readers will know did occur, but for reasons that if one thought about made sense given how highly built up the villain was from the start. That's not to say it was a bad thing and I personally enjoyed some parts of that specific fact, but the story will have characters with powers closer in efficiency and ability to one another more so than the original work.
I know that as Shaman King's fandom is rather miniscule nowadays and this story will get little to no attention, but to those who still read the manga, watch the anime, or browse sites for fan works, I thank you for taking time from your day to read one of the first things I have finished in a year or so. I hope that you'll continue reading until the end and give your personal feelings on how my work was—good or bad. As such, I'll hopefully see you next update.