Totta Ritsute, a 10-year-old elementary student, dedicates his life to fishing, a passion inherited from his late father, a revered fishing expert. His world transforms after unearthing a mysterious rod at his father’s gravesite, capable of summoning “bar souls” from everyday barcodes. Driven by his father’s legacy, Totta embarks on a quest to capture the mightiest bar souls, armed with his black hair, a faint scar of unknown origin, and unyielding resolve.

During an ordinary snack break, Totta reels in Potepen, a bar soul from a potato chip barcode, whose head sprouts delicious potatoes. This discovery propels him into a hidden realm where barcodes conceal spirited entities, igniting his ambition to master this arcane fishing art.

His journey is shadowed by Kiba Samejima, the ruthless heir to a bar rod empire, who employs cutthroat tactics to dominate both allies and rivals. Their clashes test Totta’s ingenuity and grit. Though supported by relatives like Tonpei and Touma Tachitsute, their involvement remains peripheral as Totta navigates emotional ties to his father’s rod, hones his skills, and forges bonds with bar souls. Each encounter deepens his understanding of the rod’s power, steering him toward uncharted challenges within the barcode dimension.