The Hakkenshi of Sirius (jap. 天狼星 八犬士, "tenrōsei hakkenshi", eng. eight canine warriors of the sirius star) was a title given to the eight special canines who mastered the mysterious and powerful Battōga technique. Based on the Nansō Satomi Hakkenden.
The Sirius star was seen as the protector star and guiding spirit by the wolves. It's believed that the duty of the eight warriors is to protect the wolf kind when in terrible danger. It's said that when together, the hakkenshi create a unstoppable might.
Each of the hakkenshi mastered their own technique and it was believed that there could be only one true user of each Battōga at one time: a heir of the original user. It was also believed that no true warrior would leave the world without offspring to carry on their mission.
The warriors were usually wolves but they also could be dogs who also were descendants of the original hakkenshi.
The Hakkenshi[]
Reima's Hakkenshi[]
Original Hakkenshi[]
- Fūga † - The Zetsu warrior
- Hyōma - The Metsu warrior
- Retsuga - The Retsu warrior
- Hyakkiga † - The Ran warrior
- Shūga † - The Shū warrior
- Raiga (with Sakon and Ukon) † - The Zan warrior
- Suiga † - The Sai warrior
- Mukonga † - The Geki warrior
New Hakkenshi[]
- Gin - The Zetsu warrior
- Hyōma - The Metsu warrior
- Retsuga - The Retsu warrior
- Kurotora - The Ran warrior
- Akame - The Shū warrior
- Raiga (with Sakon and Ukon) † - The Zan warrior
- Suiga † - The Sai warrior
- Ben † - The Geki warrior
Gaia's Hakkenshi of Darkness[]
- Blacksnake † - The Zetsu warrior
- Gold Eye † - The Metsu warrior
- see below - The Retsu warrior
- see below - The Ran warrior
- White Tiger † - The Shū warrior
- see below - The Zan warrior
- see below - The Sai warrior
- Bighorn † - The Geki warrior
The rest of the other warriors were named but not specified:
History[]
The original hakkenshi fought alongside their leader Gaō against the monstrous serpent beast Jaryūki. They won and got the Underworld as their home. They ate the beast's meat, which is believed to be the reason why they learned great techniques like Battōga.
The legend says that the meat made the warriors feel restless and dislike peace. They left the Underworld which left Gaō's family without protection.
Black Wolf's clan took over the Underworld and killed Reima's family. Reima left and decided to find the descendants of the long-dead original hakkenshi.
He found the Palace where he raised and trained wolves he believed to be the descendants with the help of the mentor Noroi. To give his warriors motivation, he told them that they were going to fight humans to avenge their ancestors who suffered a lot because of humans.
Reima's real plan was to use the warriors to defeat Gaia and take back his original home: The Underworld.
In Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin[]
The wolves turn restless after hearing the news about a dog who had used their greatest technique: Zetsu Tenrō Battōga.
Reima got Gin's attention by kidnapping Cross and her puppies and tested him by letting his warriors to fight Gin and his friends. Some of Reima's warriors were defeated and thus revealed not to be true warriors of Sirius.
Eventually, Reima and Gin joined forces and some of the dogs turned out to be real warriors of Sirius. Together, they fought Gaia's eight canine warriors of darkness and finally Gaia himself.
The Underworld was destroyed along with the wolves and it seemed like that Gin and his comrades stopped the using of their Battougas, possibly to honor their memory.
In Ginga Densetsu Weed and Ginga Densetsu Weed:Orion[]
The hakkenshi are not mentioned again and the only Battouga technique in use is the Zetsu Tenrou Battouga.
Trivia[]
- It's possible that the legends concerning the hakkenshi are just tales and in reality never happened.
- Suiga died without fulfilling his mission and without offspring - this means, according to the legend, that he is not a true Sai warrior.
- Keeping this in mind, it's possible that one of Gaia's warriors was the true user. If the legend was true, that is.