Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East

About Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East

Meet Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East (八犬伝 -東方八犬異聞-), an action, fantasy and supernatural anime by Studio DEEN (2013). Here is the premise in a nutshell. In short: When their village was wiped out five years ago, only Shino Inuzuka, Sosuke Inukawa, and the girl Hamaji, who was raised as if she were their sister, survived. And both men inexplicably have the same peony-shaped birthmark.

Beyond that: Genpachi Inukai and Kobungo Inuta were raised hundreds of miles away as foster brothers, but they too share the same birthmark. When they went north as part of the army three years ago, they went to confront demons and came back forever transformed. Now the Imperial Church has come for Shino and Sosuke and they must find eight mystical gems and their owners or face a fate worse than death at the hands of the Church.

As an action title, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Genpachi Inukai (Tomoaki Maeno) and Shino Inuzuka (Tetsuya Kakihara) are two of the characters you will meet early. Think of it as a pick for viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. At 13 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Studio DEEN is the studio behind Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Its 6.9/10 score suggests opinions are split, so it suits viewers who already like the genre. Voice casting, including Tomoaki Maeno as Genpachi Inukai, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. It aired in 2013, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.