The story takes characters from the Cthulhu myths created by H. P. Lovecraft. Mahiro Yasaka is a normal high school boy who is chased by a fearsome black alien monster one night, until Nyaruko saves him. She explains that the creatures in HP Lovecraft's works are real, and that she has been sent to Earth to protect him from being kidnapped by an alien smuggler. Finally, Nyaruko and two other Lovecraft creatures, Cthugha (Kuuko) and Hastur (Hasuta), end up living in Mahiro's house and attending his own school.