Houshin Engi Doujinshi and Comics

Hoshin Engi (Japanese: 封神演義, Hepburn: Hōshin Engi), also known as Soul Hunter, is a Japanese manga series by Ryu Fujisaki. Hoshin Engi is inspired by the Chinese literary classic Investiture of the Gods, a shenmo novel. The story involves the Chinese mythology and history of China, in particular the last members of the In (Yin Dynasty aka Shang Dynasty) and the plot to overthrow them. The manga series was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from 1996 to 2000, with its chapters collected in 23 tankōbon volumes. Fujisaki also wrote a short manga series that was serialized in Weekly Young Jump from April to June 2018. In North America, Viz Media licensed the manga for English language release.

A 26-episode anime television series titled Senkaiden Hōshin Engi was broadcast on TV Tokyo from July to December 1999. A second 23-episode anime television series adaptation titled Hakyū Hōshin Engi aired from January to June 2018. The first anime series was first licensed by ADV Films and released as Soul Hunter in 2001. It was later acquired by Discotek Media in 2016.

The fantastic world of Hoshin Engi encompass both the pre-historical world—in which primitive human society coexist with the revered divine gods and goddesses—and the futuristic world—in which highly technological weaponry, combat strategy, as well as futuristic visions, are employed. Paopei, the sacred weapons used by Doshi and Sennin alike, are versatile instruments created Sennin.

The Seven Super Paopei were the ones left from the Original People, and all the rest are copies made from those. Paopei can only be used by Sendou, those born with Sennin bones which are trained to be used to power paopei. If someone born with these bones is not trained, then they become a Tennen Doushi, and the potential of their skeleton creates almost super natural strength or speed; however, they would never be able to use a Paopei. It is possible to transplant Sennin bones into a normal human, as in the case with Younin, but it does not appear to be a common practice. There are such beings as "human Paopei," that is, a living being created from a paopei. They all have a core they are built around, and can take extensive damage and be rebuilt so long as the core remains intact.

Besides paopei, there are spells, an ancient form a magic rarely used by the time series takes place. The only ones seen in the series are the peaches that can turn water into sake, Yang Jian's transformation technique, and Randeng's various fighting and healing abilities.

The story is set in legendary China. A beautiful female fox spirit named Daji (妲己, Dakki) is controlling the emperor Zhou (紂王, Chū-ō) and the ruling Yin (殷, In) dynasty, and is using her power over him to do evil in the nation. An immortal-in-training named Taigong Wang (太公望, Taikōbō) is chosen by the great immortal sages for the Hōshin Project (封神計画)—to seal away or destroy the evil demons that infest the world. In the course of his adventures, Taigong Wang gathers other powerful companions and sets out to seal away the demons and eventually destroy the fox spirit Daji.

There are significant plot differences between the novel, the manga series and the animated adaptations.

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