The card game isn't the point, it's the excuse to watch a kid get systematically broken down and rebuilt by people who refuse to let him stay small. Hiiro enters that academy thinking he understands competition. Every opponent after that proves he doesn't understand anything. This show commits hard to making evolution painful, which means the victories actually cost something instead of just feeling good.

Hiiro Ryuugasaki, a student at Tensei Academy, hears an odd voice from his storage shed and finds a smartphone that already has the popular digital card game Shadowverse on it. He assumes his grandfather finally gave in and bought him one. That same day he learns that his classmate Mimori Amamiya has lost a match to Takuma Kibakura, a player who takes his defeated opponents' phones. Set on getting Mimori's phone back, Hiiro steps into a world of heated card battles and tough opponents, among them the formidable Lucia Yonazuki. Along the way come new rivals, big tournaments and friendships, each one helping him grow. The fantasy series is adapted from Cygames' free-to-play digital card game.