AniWorthThe Hakkenden: Legend of the Dog Warriors
Introduction
"During the blood-soaked feudal wars of Japan, the Awa clan faced certain extinction from a rival clan backed by demonic forces. Their clan's salvation becomes a curse when the family dog brings back the head of the enemy warlord but insists upon marrying the lord's daughter! This unnatural union bears fruit, but they are killed; and their eight unborn pups reincarnate as the eight Dog Warriors - The Hakkenden. The eight reincarnated souls travel their separate paths of violence and retribution, but slowly they come together as a formidable group representing the eight virtues of the bushido to slay the demons and redeem their clan!"
(Source: DVD Complete Series Back Cover)
Audience ratings
MyAnimeList / Tenrai : 6.7/10 · 2733
| 1/10 | 40 |
|---|
| 2/10 | 42 |
|---|
| 3/10 | 58 |
|---|
| 4/10 | 144 |
|---|
| 5/10 | 330 |
|---|
| 6/10 | 535 |
|---|
| 7/10 | 681 |
|---|
| 8/10 | 499 |
|---|
| 9/10 | 263 |
|---|
| 10/10 | 141 |
|---|
Audience reviews
4 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
ggultra2764
Note that my review of Hakkenden covers my thoughts of the entire series. With that said, on with the review.
This is quite the underrated gem as I haven't seen many reviews of it mentioned online. Before I cover the highlights to Hakkenden, I might as well cover the obvious issue with the series in the form of its animation. The series is notable for having gone through various animation teams throughout its run and it shows with the differing animation quality and styles that get employed in the title's different scenes. In the better animated parts of the series, characters looks quite lifelike and well detailed in their designs as they exactly as they would in 15th century Japan, which sticks out from conventionally drawn titles of the early to mid 1990s. At its worst, the characters…
Read at the sourceexplicit707
I pulled out all of my old anime dvds and this is one of the series that I needed to re-watch. This review covers the first 6 episodes since that is how this site has them separated. If you have the complete series like I do then this will cover the first dvd/volume and the first episode on the second dvd/volume. It is based on "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden" which is the longest novel in classic Japanese literature. This OVA series was released in 1990-1992. As always I write these reviews assuming you have read the synopsis.
The first 6 episodes cover 4 of 8 heroes re-uniting. It starts with the background story and then moves into their respective reincarnated lives. It takes you through the journey often times with dream like sequences so that the lines between reality and illusion are a bit…
Read at the sourcePatty_chan
First things first: This series is based on a novel written by Bakin, in the 19th century.
The story is impressive: The Satomi clan is almost faded to die of starvation, so they ask for help to the Anzai clan. Instead of helping, the possessed clan leader attacks the Satomi. So the Satomi flee for their survival.
One night, Yoshizane, the Satomi leader, says to Yatsufusa, their dog, that if he brings back the head of their enemy he will give the dog his daughter´s hand in marriage.
So as promised, Yatsufusa brings the head of Kagetsura to the Satomi Clan. After forced to assume his obligation towards the dog, Yoshizane tells princess Fuse the truth. But Fuse was already engaged to Daisuke, one of the most loyal men to Satomi.
Then Fuse accepts keeping her father´s promisses, m…
Read at the sourceMoritsune
Let me start by saying that the first episode is by far the best. In fact, I would have given this a much higher rating if the show consisted of just the first episode. It is a truly great episode filled with epic battle, desperation, and crazy folklore. Unfortunately, the show takes a real dive afterwards and as it goes on it seems more and more like the writer and staff lost interest and even forgot what they had originally planned. Sure, there's some more awesome fight scenes, but most of the show is characters that haven't been properly introduced with either unexplained or so uninteresting motivations that you've forgotten what they were, aimlessly walking around and eventually bumping into people with whom they get in fights who are guess what? also Hakkenden! No way! You mean you've…
Read at the source