Set in the Muromachi period, the story follows the adventures and mishaps of eight fictional warriors born across the Kantō region, who gradually discover their shared origin as "spirit-children" of a Satomi princess and unite in Nansō as loyal defenders of her clan.

As the criminals are rounded up for execution, Sadakane's wife Tamazusa lays a curse on her captors: for Takayoshi who wished for her death, he shall die by the blade and have his family line come to an end.

Years later, Yoshizane learns of a magnificent dog in his territory that was nursed by a wild tanuki after its mother's death - he purchases the animal as a family pet, naming it Yatsufusa ("Eight Bunches") after its distinctive peony-like markings.

When Fuse is seventeen, Lord Anzai (having previously absorbed the Maro lands) turns on the Satomi, besieging their castle and apparently killing Daisuke.

These spirits then flow into the eight large beads of her necklace - Filial Piety, Justice, Loyalty, Faith, Brotherhood, Benevolence, Wisdom and Etiquette - which snap off and scatter to the winds.

In penance for his deeds, Daisuke becomes a monk; changing his name to Chudai, he takes up the remains of Fuse's necklace and sets off to find the missing beads and reassemble it.

In Walley's view, scholarship of the novel often focuses overmuch on this aspect while ignoring its context as a commercial serial similar to modern superhero fiction - one that uses the protagonists' commitment to easily-understood virtues to thrill its audience with the sight of larger-than-life heroes triumphing over dastardly villains.

[5][14] Installments of Hakkenden followed an idiosyncratic naming pattern, with many volumes, booklets and individual chapters being divided into multiple sections (using the common 上 / 中 / 下 notation for opening, middle and conclusion).

[5]: Translator's Introduction Volume prefaces and colophons include advertisements for upcoming titles, medicines from Bakin's family pharmacy,[5][14] and in later installments products from other manufacturers such as cosmetics.

[14] (Conclusion) Although only a limited number of copies of the books themselves were printed, the tale was retold through various mediums, including oration and live performance, leading to its popularity among many social classes at the time.

Hakkenden, and Bakin's work at large, maintained much of its popularity amongst common people throughout the 19th century, but drew some academic criticism in the Meiji era for its didacticism and one-dimensional characters, as novelists and scholars sought to modernize Japan's literary style.

An example of this influence can be found in Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (2004), where the characters unlock powers from their demonic heritage which both reflect their personalities and are accompanied by a distinguishing mark appearing on their bodies.