CineScope
THE八犬伝

THE八犬伝

1990 - 1995

The Kaleidoscope

25th October 1990
Episode 1
The year is 1457. Princess Fuse, daughter of Yoshizane Satomi, Lord of Awa province, is forced into matrimony with her dog, Yatsufusa. This situation occurs when, under siege by the neighboring army of Lord Kagetsura Anzai and facing starvation. Yoshizane makes a desperate, last-ditch promise to the animal. Ultimately, the princess is killed, along with Yatsufusa, by a bullet from the gun of Daisuke Kanamari, who had come to rescue her. At the moment of Fuse's death, eight spirit beads from the necklace she was wearing disperse into the sky and the legend of the dog warriors begins.

Dark Music of the Gods

25th October 1990
Episode 2
The year is 1458. A child is born in the village of Otsuka, in Musashi Province. His name is Shino Inuzuka. After coming of age, he is entrusted with a legendary sword, the Murasame, by his father Bansaku. Shino's father, however, commits hara-kiri after losing face when his brother-in-law, Hikiroku Otsuka, tries to trick him into giving up the sword, Then Shino, devastated by his father's death, somehow comes into possession of a small bead, On this strange bead, the Chinese character ""KO"", symbolizing filial devotion mysteriously appears.

The Futility Dance

25th December 1990
Episode 3
Sosuke becomes an assassin after being ordered by Kamezasa to kill Shino. The two warriors, however, soon realize the extent to which fate has connected them, and make a pledge of brotherhood. As for Hamaji, she learns that her hand in marriage has been promised to the jindai, Higami Kyuroku. Deeply in love with Shino and despondent over this news, Hamaji decides to kill herself, but is saved at the last minute by Samojiro Aboshi, who later reveals to her his true nature as an evil sorcerer and sets upon Hamaji himself. Hamaji's subsequent rescuer turns out to be her long lost brother, Dosetsu Inuyama, from whom she was separated at birth.

Horyu Tower

25th December 1990
Episode 4
In the midst of the disturbance in Otsuka village caused by Hamaji's disappearance, there comes the arrival of evil itself, personified by the jindai and his retainer, to whom the village chief and his wife soon fall prey. Only one man, Sosuke, is able to stand up to them, though it is he who is ultimately arrested and blamed for the murders of his step-parents. Meanwhile. Shino arrives in Koga and is granted an audience with the Shogun, Nariuji Ashikaga. The legendary Murasame sword that he offers up, however, is revealed to be a fake, and Shino becomes a hunted criminal. But the man released from captivity in the castle dungeon and assigned to capture Shino turns out to be none other than the fourth dog warrior, Genpachi Inukai.

Demon's Melody

25th March 1991
Episode 5
One day, in the town of Gyotoku, in the province of Shimousa, an innkeeper named Kobungo Inuta rescues two men while fishing on the Tone river. The men turn out to be Shino and Genpachi, who had been adrift since falling into the river from Horyu Tower. Kobungo's brother-in-law Fusahachi, however, recognizes the two as fugitives, and alerts the authorities. During the heat of an intense battle, Fusahachi mistakenly kills his wife, Nui, and in his moment of shock, he is struck down by Kobungo. But all that remain are the carcasses of two dogs...

The Cicada Spirit Cry

25th March 1991
Episode 6
Leaving Gyotoku, the three warriors take Nui's infant son Daihachi and set off for Otsuka village. Back in Otsuka, Sosuke faces a death sentence after being charged with the murders of his step-mother and father. After getting wind of this, Shino and Genpachi go to his rescue. Under cover of night, the two sneak onto the killing ground and hide themselves. Then, just as Sosuke is about to have his punishment of crucifixion carried out, they pounce... Will they succeed in their quest to rescue Sosuke and escape to safety?

Spirits

25th November 1993
Episode 7
Shino, Sosuke, Genpachi, Kobungo and Dosetsu get together finally. However, Dosetsu is obesessed with revenge on Sadamasa Uesugi for his father. He attacks Uesugi in his carrier, but the man he has killed is Uesugi's impostor who is used as a decoy to trap Dosetsu! Dosetsu and the other dog warriors are driven into a corner by Uesugi's troop!

Taigyuro Hall

25th January 1994
Episode 8
Having disguised himself as a dancing girl, Keno draws ever closer to avenging his father. But when the dark shadows of Taigyuro are drenched in blood, evil spirits unsheathe their malicious fangs...

The Legend Of The Ghost Cat

10th April 1994
Episode 9
Daikaku lives in his reclusive hideaway, disowned after his father was taken over by evil spirits. His sword grown dull by memories of bygone days, he has been driven to the very brink of despair...

Hamaji's Resurrection

10th July 1994
Episode 10
Hamaji emerges from the spirit world enrapturing the three dog warriors, as an evil shadow creeps into their tormented souls...

Dog Warriors in the Netherworld

10th September 1994
Episode 11
Who really is this Aboshi that has joined up with the Hikitas, the enemies of the Satomi clan?! The mystery of the fateful attraction that has brought these eight dog warriors together is about to be solved.

Aspirations of Paradise

10th November 1994
Episode 12
The time has come to solve this strange mystery! Manipulated by the hand of fate, the eight warriors gather at Satomi Castle. They find, however, the figure of Hamaji in the enemy's clutches.

Taking Leave of a Sullied World

25th March 1995
Episode 13
The time for the final battle has come at last. Will they savour victory...or suffer defeat? And what strange fate awaits the eight dog warriors after their fight?
Top Cast
AnimationDramaSci-Fi & Fantasy

During the war-torn feudal wars in Japan, the Awa clan faced certain extinction from a rival clan backed by demonic forces. However, a careless promise by their lord leads to both salvation and disgrace when their family dog brings back the head of the enemy warlord and insists on marrying the lord's daughter. Their unnatural union bears fruit but when both are killed, the eight unborn pups are reincarnated as the eight Dog Warriors - The Hakkenden. As they slowly find each other and come together as a group, these eight warriors, who represent the eight separate aspects of Bushido, engage in bloody battles with demonic entities and evil samurai in a final attempt to redeem their clan!

Watch Providers 🇬🇧
Currently no watch providers
Production Companies
+3 more
Image 0
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Full Cast
Toshihiko Seki Image

Toshihiko Seki

Shino Inuzuka (voice)

Koichi Yamadera Image

Koichi Yamadera

Dousetsu Inuyama (voice)

Tomohiro Nishimura Image

Tomohiro Nishimura

Genpachi Inugai (voice)

Tessyo Genda Image

Tessyo Genda

Kobungo Inuda (voice)

Minami Takayama Image

Minami Takayama

Keno Inusaka (voice)

Noriko Hidaka Image

Noriko Hidaka

Shinbei Inue (voice)

Akio Otsuka Image

Akio Otsuka

Daikaku Inumura (voice)

Kappei Yamaguchi Image

Kappei Yamaguchi

Sosuke Inukawa (voice)

Aya Hisakawa Image

Aya Hisakawa

Hamaji (voice)

Hirotaka Suzuoki Image

Hirotaka Suzuoki

Samojirou Aboshi (vioce)

Kiyoyuki Yanada Image

Kiyoyuki Yanada

Rikijirou (voice)

Akiko Hiramatsu Image

Akiko Hiramatsu

Hitoyo (voice)

No Image

Toshio Funatsu

Tota (voice)

No Image

Arisa Andô

Masaka (voice)

Chafurin Image

Chafurin

Haichirou Kanamari (voice)

Chieko Honda Image

Chieko Honda

Hamaji (voice)

Chikao Ohtsuka Image

Chikao Ohtsuka

Ikkaku Akaiwa (voice)

Hajime Koseki Image

Hajime Koseki

Kagetsura Anzai (voice)

Hidenari Ugaki Image

Hidenari Ugaki

Komiyama (voice)

Hidetoshi Nakamura Image

Hidetoshi Nakamura

Suketomo Ohta (voice)

Hideyuki Umezu Image

Hideyuki Umezu

Sabohei Kamado (voice)

Hiroshi Ito Image

Hiroshi Ito

Mukusaku (voice)

Junpei Takiguchi Image

Junpei Takiguchi

Hikiroku (voice)

Kaneta Kimotsuki Image

Kaneta Kimotsuki

Narrator (voice)

Kikuko Inoue Image

Kikuko Inoue

Hikute (voice)

Kiyonobu Suzuki Image

Kiyonobu Suzuki

Yoshirou Ubayaki (voice)

Koichi Kitamura Image

Koichi Kitamura

Arimura (voice)

Kumiko Watanabe Image

Kumiko Watanabe

Kurayago (voice)

Kunihiko Yasui Image

Kunihiko Yasui

Hattarou (voice)

Mahito Tsujimura Image

Mahito Tsujimura

Yasuhei (voice)

Masako Katsuki Image

Masako Katsuki

Funamushi (voice)

Masako Nozawa Image

Masako Nozawa

Kamezasa (voice)

No Image

Masao Imanishi

Nariuji Ashikage (voice)

Masashi Ebara Image

Masashi Ebara

Daisuke Kanamari (voice)

Masayuki Omoro Image

Masayuki Omoro

Ounai (voice)

Megumi Hayashibara Image

Megumi Hayashibara

Inusaka Mouya (voice)

Miki Ito Image

Miki Ito

Fuse Princess (voice)

Mitsuaki Hoshino Image

Mitsuaki Hoshino

Shakuhachirou (voice)

Motomu Kiyokawa Image

Motomu Kiyokawa

Mitsuhiro Jinyo (voice)

Naoki Bando Image

Naoki Bando

Yoshinari Satome (voice)

Ritsuo Sawa Image

Ritsuo Sawa

Motofuji Hikita (voice)

Ryuuzaburou Ootomo Image

Ryuuzaburou Ootomo

Awayuki (voice)

Sakiko Tamagawa Image

Sakiko Tamagawa

Hinaginu (voice)

Shigeru Nakahara Image

Shigeru Nakahara

Shahei Higami (voice)

No Image

Shigeru Shiibashi

Sesuke (voice)

Shinobu Adachi Image

Shinobu Adachi

Nabiki (voice)

Show Hayami Image

Show Hayami

Fusahachi (voice)

Shuichi Ikeda Image

Shuichi Ikeda

Samojirou Aboshi (voice)

Sukekiyo Kameyama Image

Sukekiyo Kameyama

Gobaiji Gunki (voice)

Takeshi Aono Image

Takeshi Aono

Bansaku Inuzuka (voice)

Tamio Ohki Image

Tamio Ohki

Yoshizane Satome (voice)

Tomomichi Nishimura Image

Tomomichi Nishimura

Daiki Makuwari (voice)

Toshiyuki Morikawa Image

Toshiyuki Morikawa

Yoshinari Satomi (voice)

Yoshiko Asai Image

Yoshiko Asai

Isanako (voice)

Yoshino Takamori Image

Yoshino Takamori

Nui (voice)

Yusaku Yara Image

Yusaku Yara

Kyuroku Higami (voice)