Hakkenden: Eight Dogs Of The East: Complete Collection (2013/Sentai Blu-ray Set)

Picture: B Sound: B+ Extras: C+ Episodes: B+

Five years after their village was destroyed, there were only 3 survivors: Shino, Sosuke and a girl name Hamaji. Bound by love and hate, they are fated to find the 8 legendary Bead Holders, that they are the reincarnated Dog Warriors of the past that once helped Princess Fuse defeat the forces of evil. As they travel they find other warriors like them with supernatural powers, beads they secretly protect humanity from the forces of evil in Hakkenden: Eight Dogs Of The East (2013), now here in a Complete Collection 4-disc set on Sentai Blu-ray.

We are finally getting to finish this series we reviewed what turned out to be the first half of it at this link...

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12831/Hakkenden:+Eight+Dogs+Of+The+East+-+Season

Still one of the more interesting animes Sentai has issued, the concluding season is up to the first and was worth the wait, a supernatural anime done well. Those interested should catch it in this set.

The 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image and lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo mix are clear, warm and rich, as usual with Sentai releases, with Season Two even a bit clearer and all have some Pro Logic-like surrounds. Extras include commentaries, clean open and closing animations and trailers, the same format followed for the concluding season.

Episodes (the later seasons' title are in italics) include...

Borders - Long ago there were 3 survivors of a epidemic that wipe out a village. Now they are wards of the Church with a secret past that they share.

Humans & Demons - Shino and Sosuke meet Kobungo who is trying to rescue Genpachi from monks who believe he is an evil demon.

The Approaching Demon - Shino is given the mission of finding the other bead holders, but decides to help Kobungo rescue Genpachi from the monks after he turn into his demon form.

Homecoming - Kobungo tells Shino of him and Genpachi's past and how they became 'demons'.

Divine Blessing - Shino meets a girl from the Snake God Clan.

Stashed - Shino enters a water deprived village and learns of the curse mountain with a Monkey God.

A Promise - After gold is discover on the cursed mountain, it is flooded with greedy gold prospectors which angers the Monkey God, who made a promise to a certain young girl.

Encounter - Shino and Sosuke meet Dosetsu who life was saved by Yukihime an old friend/snow fairy, who in turn saved Dosetsu life at the cost of her voice.

Guard - Hamaji attends an all girls school and learns her roommate isn't exactly human.

A Lonely Figure - Shino meets the beautiful Kohaku who is cursed with her own tragic past.

True Self - After Shino escapes death he reverts to his true age and form.

Compensation - Kohaku time is running out and she makes a deal with the devil, but can Shino save her soul?

Karma - The church notices Shino's recent adventures and investigates his powers ...and Murasame.

Doll - Shino, Sosuke and Genpachi are sent in to pick up a doll for the Church, but strange things are happening around the doll maker.

Molding - Shino discovers a supernatural barrier protecting the doll maker, but the truth is it is the doll maker's own evil father's spirit is haunting him.

Reverse Flow - Shino is sent to teach children of the red light district and discovers another ghost is watching over them ...and him.

Ignorance - Shino is sent to a village where people are dying mysterious deaths and are praying their shrine maiden to grant their wishes.

In Homage - Shino discovers the cause of deaths were due the villagers over abuse of the wish granting deity, after years of granting wishes it reached it's limit.

Reminiscence - Shino and Genpachi are sent to find an old friend/familiar, a spirit panther/cat who ran away from his poor excuse of a master (and who can blame him).

Chance Encounters - Dousetsu comes to the capital in search of his long lost sister ...which just so happens to be Hamaji.

Spirited Away - Shino is sent to investigate a child who was 'spirited away' for a year and seemed to be unaging ...just like him.

Encompassing Heavens - Shino discovers Shinobu is a half demon, the result of a Tengu and a human mating.

Twin Moons - Shinobu awakens to his Tengu abilities and Shino and Sosuke is finally able to gather all the Hakkenden, but they are missing Sosuke's bead.

Crossroads - As the Hakkenden all begin to gather together, Sosuke's condition worsens when his Bead of Duty seemed to have chosen Ao as it true master.

Pursuit - Evil spirits begin to gather at the capital. Shino discovers they were used by the Church  to help gather all their beads to resurrect Princess Fusehime.

Destiny - At the last minute Ao betrays Tamazusa, stopping the resurrection of Fuzehime's reincarnation ritual and the beads return to their rightful owners. The true form of Murasame activates and save the day. But after the battle things seem to return to normal, Shino says Ao is still out there and still has Susuke's bead and they will find him. We'll see!

- Ricky Chiang