▪	RELEASED BY:		GENEON ENTERTAINMENT
		▪	ASPECT RATIO:		4:3 FULL SCREEN
		▪	AUDIO:		ENGLISH AND JAPANESE DD 2.0
		▪	RUNNING TIME:		150
		▪	RATING:		16UP
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		06/05/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		08/06/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

In 1457, tragic events would unfold regarding a losing war, a desperate deal, and the shackles of honour that will reach from beyond the grave. To win a war, a leader promises his trusted dog that he will give her his daughter as his wife should he return with the head of their enemy. He does, and now honour demands the lord fulfill his word. It will lead to supernatural events, betrayal of one most trusted, and a legacy mired in tragedy, duty, and a battle between good and evil.

In a time where one’s word could mean life or death, eight samurai will be drawn together by the red strand of Fate, and fulfill a destiny born of sorrow and betrayal…and love. The year is now 1477, and the death of the princess those many years ago has been the seed for strife and for the birth of theses samurai. Together it is they who have the only hope of breaking the foul curse that weighs on the land still. But their paths are not easy ones, for they are filled with the tragedy that plagues their karma. Treachery reaches each of them and soon these samurai meet each other. Sometimes it is over crossed blades, sometimes in moments of greatest sorrow. But they meet, and their paths are threaded together against a foe of evil supernatural abilities. Where will this road lead them? And can they overcome the powerful curse?

Samurai action, historical detail, and mythic supernal story telling create an unforgettable sword and sorcery adventure. Whether you’re fans of Ninja Scroll or Rurouni Kenshin, this amazing tale is rich with epic samurai drama, suspenseful battles, and deep political and supernatural intrigue. Interwoven are the more fantastical elements of mysticism including ghosts, wraiths, ghouls, even zombies, as well as curses, spells and demons.

This gripping saga is based on the lifetime work of Kyokutei Bakin (also known under the pen name Takizawa Bakin. This man was born in the late 1700s and worked on this series of novels of which totalled an astonishing 106 volumes, for nearly 30 years of his life in the 1800s. Towards the end he had became blind, but continued to tell his stories. His epic is steeped in history. There’s the feudal era of medieval Japan that he captured so richly, and mentions of the lords who were at war such as the Koga, and the Masamune, a sword that has reached legendary status in literature. His Hakkenden novels have been retold in manga format as well as live action TV series, and movies dating as early as 1938. Now his novel has found life in the masterful storytelling and splendour of animation. 

It is an unforgettable tale of what made men truly men: honour, fidelity, piety. These are the things that tell a man’s integrity and each of these Dog Warriors will have that integrity tested to the greatest extreme imaginable and beyond. Even their names, if you pay close attention, have the word “inu” in them. This is the word for dog in Japanese.  The scoring is masterful and the ending song is a haunting ballad. The animation itself may seem a touch dated and show some marks of wear such as the odd bits of ‘mosquitoes’ (flecks of white) showing up, but the kinetic movement and supernatural atmosphere give it a mythic quality that can raise the hairs on your arm and shivers across your skin. The battles are numerous, tense, and bloody. The lives of these people are revealed with a painful rawness that reaches the soul of the viewer.

EXTRAS:
Unusual for Geneon, the only extra with this volume is a reversible cover.

IN SUMMARY:
Hakkenden is a gripping saga of samurai, supernatural force