A 26-episode anime television series, released in English under the title Soul Hunter, was broadcast on TV Tokyo from July to December 1999.

A second 23-episode anime television series adaptation, titled Hakyu Hoshin Engi, was broadcast from January to June 2018.

Set in a fictional ancient China, during the Yin dynasty, 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.

Both Sennin and Doshi use the sacred weapons paope (宝貝, Paopee), versatile instruments that absorb the spiritual energy of their beholders and from their surroundings to amplify their power.

A female fox spirit, named Dakki, is controlling King Chu and the Yin dynasty, using her power over him to do evil in the nation.

Along the way, Taikobo uncovers Dakki's influence over the Human World, as she manipulates King Chu and orchestrates chaos and suffering.

However, Taikobo learns that there is possibly a third Sennin World, one that belongs to Dakki, and is probably where she and the last of her minions fled to when the Yin dynasty was finally conquered.

It is later revealed that the real goal of the Hoshin Project is not just about defeating Dakki, but the eternal being behind her and the corruption of the Human World, the powerful Joka, one of the First Persons (最初の人, Saisho no Hito); aliens who landed on the Earth millions of years ago.

Joka had a dream to recreate her home world on Earth (which had self-destructed some time ago), but the other aliens disagreed and enclosed her in a glass cage.

This is when she met up with Dakki, and the two started working together to make Joka's dream of recreating her home world on Earth come true.

The Sennin retaliate against Joka, and she finally decides to destroy Earth once and for all, and find another world in order to replicate her old home.

Using the energy of his friends as well as those souls trapped in the Hoshindai, Taikobo (now renamed Fukki), is finally able to defeat Joka and release the world from her influences.

Hoshin Engi, written and illustrated by Ryu Fujisaki, is based on the novel of the same title by Tsutomu Ano [ja], which is a Japanese translation of the Chinese literary classic Investiture of the Gods,[3][4] published by Kodansha between 1988 and 1989.

[24][25] A 23-episode anime television series adaptation titled Hakyu Hoshin Engi (覇穹 封神演義), produced by C-Station and featuring a new cast aired from January 12 to June 29, 2018.