YEAR 1985, IZUMO
-He's coming! -So we will have to kill him, after all.
But what if she's having twins?
What did you say?
If they're identical twins,
it will be impossible to tell
which one he is.
It doesn't matter. I'll kill both of them!
As long as the Asakura Family is in this world,
we will stop your ambitions!
Shikigami!
Kill the child!
Forgive me,
my grandchild!
So small.
It can't be! He reincarnated with his Spirit Ally?
There's no doubt.
This is the child!
Father! Look out!
Kararincho-kararinsowaka!
Great Mountain Gods!
He vanished!
It'll take more than that to catch me.
When did you…
It's…
the Great Onmyoji who suddenly disappeared 1,000 years ago!
Hao Asakura!
You have done a great thing by giving birth to this child, Keiko.
-What did you say? -Don't!
You still have another child to give birth to.
This half of mine will likely choose to be a king.
And if he does,
I'll claim this half of me back.
Then I will possess even greater power!
You cannot escape fate.
This child will surely suffer,
but he has no choice but to fight!
He is the only hope we have!
The wandering souls of the dead,
the higher spirits that lurk in the forests of the land,
and divine beings…
There are those who commune freely with them
and command a power in this world that ordinary humans cannot.
They were called the Shamans!
13 YEARS LATER
Thanks to cram school, I'm running really late!
EPISODE 1 THE BOY WHO DANCES WITH GHOSTS
I'm pretty sure cutting through here saves a lot of time.
Even if it does look a little creepy.
What are you in such a hurry for?
Who is that?
What on earth is he doing by himself in a place like this at this time of day?
Don't tell me it's a ghost!
Hold up!
It's a great night for stargazing tonight.
Since you're here, come and join me.
Let's all look at them together.
Stars? What's the point in looking at stars?
Besides, there's only two of us. "All together" doesn't make sense.
No, there's all of us.
All of us in this graveyard!
Hey, don't look so surprised!
These guys are all my friends!
Even if they are all useless idiots
who never managed to pass over to the next world!
What's the matter?
AMIDAMARU
I'm telling you, I really saw it!
In that graveyard!
Ghosts!
There's no such thing.
It was just your eyes playing tricks on you.
You studied too much
and your brain was tired, surely?
Hey, I bet this guy is possessed by a spirit right now.
-What? -Keep it down, Oyamada.
You should be at your desks when homeroom starts.
So everyone…
What the hell was it that I saw yesterday?
Was I dreaming or something?
This is Yoh Asakura.
His family situation in Izumo has meant
he's had to move here by himself.
What's with the funny face, Oyamada?
Guys! It's him! He's the ghost guy I was telling you about!
Ghosts? There's no such thing.
Anyway, who are you?
What?
Damn!
I can't focus on my schoolwork with all of this!
I have to expose who he really is!
How long is he going to stand there, staring into nothing?
It sure feels great being at one with nature!
What the hell does that mean?
What?
Sorry about that.
What? You aren't angry?
Why would I be? You followed me because I played dumb, right?
So I was right!
I don't like having to deal with any nuisances, you see.
I didn't want to deal with all the drama there'd be if my secret got out at school.
Secret?
The truth is I'm here to train.
I'm a Shaman.
Shaman?
Shamans are people who connect this world with the next.
If you're ever in any trouble, give me a shout anytime!
I'll help you out.
By the way, have you heard of Amidamaru?
Of course, I have!
He was a legendary samurai, the most famous one from this town!
I think there's an exhibition of his belongings at the town museum!
Thank you!
I don't get it!
I still don't get what the hell that guy is!
Shaman? Someone who connects this world with the next? What does that mean?
Is it in the dictionary?
What's this?
"Shaman. Someone who puts themselves in a state of trance
to commune directly with gods, higher spirits, and the dead."
"Shamans call on these beings' power
to cure diseases, influence politics, and convey messages from the deceased
to the living through channeling."
"In ancient times, they were at the heart of human society
and they still exist all over the world to this day."
Smells fishy!
FUNBARI HILL MUSEUM
Do you have any regrets or anything?
I killed my dearest friend.
I see. So who are you?
I'm Mosuke, the swordsmith!
Never mind that. You aren't running when you see me! Who are you?
Well, let's just say it's not my first rodeo.
Would you mind telling me about this friend that you killed?
Seriously! Shaman or not, he's so full of himself.
He doesn't even study, listens to whatever music he likes,
stares at the stars,
and stares at rivers…
I really wish I could do those things too.
Stars…
I wonder if he will be there again tonight.
Anyway, good job finding such a great spot!
Nobody will bother us here!
We're near the convenience store and can be as loud as we want!
We can do whatever we like!
But it seems like some kid's been coming here recently.
Wait, for real?
If Ryu finds out about that…
Some kid's been trespassing in our happy place?
It sounds like this brat
needs it beaten into him why he should be afraid of "Wooden Sword" Ryu.
Ryu! You're here?
Yes. I just arrived.
Ryu?
What is it, Ball Boy?
That's the grave for Amidamaru's severed head.
What? Amidamaru? What's that?
"What's that?"
He was a samurai 600 years ago who was much too strong
and killed so many
that the people were terrified of him and sentenced him to death!
If you stand on his gravestone, a curse…
So what?
-He smashed the gravestone! -He smashed the gravestone!
A curse?
Severed head? What a load of crap.
If spirits like you exist, then come and get me
if this pisses you off.
-What's this guy's problem? -Too bad you won't.
You're just a spirit.
Who are you?
-I was just-- -I get it!
It's you, isn't it? You're that stupid kid.
It's not me!
SHINRA PRIVATE SCHOOL
What happened to your face, Manta?
I told you to stay away from that graveyard.
What the hell's going on with you?
One day, you suddenly start talking about spirits…
And now this?
Spirits exist.
The transfer student!
The guys at the cemetery told me what happened.
What do you mean, "guys at the cemetery"?
Leave me alone, would you?
You're called Manta, right?
Come on, Manta! Let's go get even.
Wait a minute!
When did I ask for your help?
What gives you the right to do this?
I'm your friend, and friends help each other.
My grandpa told me
that there are no bad people who can see spirits.
That's why
when you saw the spirits that night, I decided to tell you my secret.
Because we're friends. Okay?
No! Not okay!
Who would want to be friends with a loopy guy like you?
You must know how tough those guys are!
"Wooden Sword" Ryu is dangerous!
Only an idiot would cross him!
Someone your size doesn't stand a chance!
It's true, I am weak.
-So why fight him? -But I'll be okay.
Don't worry.
I have someone with me who's even stronger than he is!
What did you just say?
Leave this place.
You want to see what the afterlife looks like or something?
More like
people in the afterlife say that you're a nuisance.
Stupid kid!
Ryu isn't scared of any spirits!
That's right.
-If you think you can take me on-- -"Then come and get some"?
-What? -What?
There's someone who's been itching for a fight for a while now.
Isn't that right…
Amidamaru?
It's a spirit samurai!
I am most grateful
for this opportunity to get revenge after such disgrace,
Master Yoh.
Don't tell me this spirit
is the owner of that broken grave,
Amidamaru!
The legendary samurai!
Hey.
Not this Amidamaru crap again.
I knew it! He's just a spirit, after all…
-Kill them! -Yes, sir!
Okay.
Let's show them a thing or two.
-Right, Amidamaru? -Yes.
When your technique is combined with mine,
we're invincible!
Amidamaru!
Spirit Flame Mode!
I told you, didn't I?
I connect this world with the next.
That's what a Shaman does!
Let's go!
Spirit Integrate!
The Spirit Flame is going inside his body!
Spirit Integrate?
As in possession?
Possession…
"The state of being controlled by a spirit."
Don't tell me that's what he meant by "joining this world with the next!"
This ought to be plenty for the likes of you.
All right! Now it's my turn.
Are you ready?
What is this kid?
It's like he's a different person all of a sudden!
What's the matter?
Has the sight of a real swordsman
made you feel afraid,
child?
You little…
Do you know who you're messing with, you samurai wannabe?
Now I understand it all!
"Connecting this world with the next"
means letting himself be possessed by a spirit!
The spirit's movement, its techniques…
He can use all of them in the world of the living!
AMIDAMARU
Relax. I shall not kill you.
The likes of you aren't worthy of being treated as our equal.
-Ryu! -Ryu!
-Run away! -Run away!
Now I know why he's always staring off into space.
When he's doing that, he's emptying his mind.
And that ability to empty his mind is what makes it possible
to let the spirit in!
He connects this world with the next one.
He's Yoh Asakura, a Shaman!
In this world, there are many spirits
of strong people who can't move on due to some unfinished business.
I want to make them my friends
so that I can become the Shaman King.
Shaman King?
Speaking of which, will you join me, Amidamaru?
Me? Join you?
Your swordwork was amazing,
and when we became one, I got a nice, warm feeling!
-I refuse. -What?
I have been waiting here for six centuries!
Mosuke, right?
How did you know?
He told me everything.
You two have been best friends
ever since you were kids.
So you say that excellent sword
was produced by the two of you?
That is correct, my lord.
So I can become the mightiest samurai.
And I, the greatest swordsmith.
We have long dedicated ourselves
to sharpening one another's skills, day and night!
Well, I am particularly fond of fine swords.
How would you two like to work here?
All right, Amidamaru!
Looks like these two orphans have finally proven their worth!
Who'd have thought you'd end up providing the lord with a sword one day?
All I did was make a sword that exceeded your skill!
Become an excellent samurai for the lord, Amidamaru!
I will!
We'll never go hungry like that again.
You want me to kill Mosuke?
What are you so surprised at?
Mosuke forged a truly superb sword.
I can't have any more of these existing.
Don't you think having a friend like you take his life
would be the kind way to do it?
What do you mean?
We've worked so hard to come this far.
What should I do?
Flee as soon as you can.
And what about you?
I know! Let's run away together!
-That way-- -No!
A samurai must not betray his master by running away.
Having said that,
there's no way I could kill you!
I will have to accept the disgrace of letting you escape.
Amidamaru…
I understand.
But give me just one day.
-Will you give me Harusame for one night? -What?
We might never meet again.
So I want to give you the strongest sword in existence.
A sword that far surpasses the one I gave to that lord!
The ultimate Harusame!
What's this?
What are you doing here?
The person you're waiting for isn't coming.
-Yesterday, we-- -Silence!
I have no intention of leaving this place
because I made a promise!
And so you became a legend.
Your fierce fighting style cut down a thousand men.
They called you a demon.
But alas,
without Harusame, my strength eventually waned.
So I came to give it to you.
This is…
Harusame!
Mosuke said he couldn't truly die until he gave this to you.
He's been waiting with the sword all this time.
When I told him that you had also been waiting for 600 years…
You can't be serious!
That fool!
I can't believe he waited.
You're a fool too.
Come on. Let's go see Amidamaru!
You don't understand anything, do you?
How could I face him?
Harusame is falling apart.
-And now I'm a ghost, so I can't fix it! -Yes, you can!
I'll lend you my body.
Because you see,
I'm a Shaman.
What's going on?
Let's go! Spirit Integrate!
All right! To this town's smithy!
Then we repaired Harusame together.
I gratefully accept
your and Mosuke's kind sentiment.
Sentiment is what's important.
Truly, this sword could have been forged
by none other than him.
Mosuke had a message for you.
"Sorry, it took me so long."
I see.
Where is this Mosuke person?
He said he couldn't bring himself to face you, so he passed over already.
The fool,
keeping me waiting for 600 cursed years…
I'd like to go after him and give him a good thrashing right now,
but I sense my journey to the next world
will have to wait a while longer.
I shall accompany you,
Master Yoh.
He's found himself quite the spirit.
Don't you think, Bason?
Subtitle translation by: Lewis Williams