History Manga / HoshinEngi

** Ryuukan seems nice enough at a first glance... but is a creepy StalkerWithACrush who's willing to murder all those who get between him and Sengyoku and even Sengyoku herself when he's about to die.
* BadassFamily: The Ko clan. Nento Dojin and Ryuukitsu Koshu are half-siblings and two of the world's strongest sennins.

''Hoshin Engi'', the [[InspiredBy Japanese rendering]] of ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'' (which means ''The Treatise of the Gods'', itself already VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory), took the same direction as ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}''. Whereas ''Saiyuki'' revolves around [[PrettyBoy four guys riding a dragon jeep]] to the west, ''Hoshin Engi'' revolves around the gods (who are also mostly {{Pretty Boy}}s) [[ScrewDestiny altering the course of history]] and helping the Chinese dynasty transfer from Yin to Zhou in the 11th Century BC.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Venus is definitely a {{Gonk}}, but has a good heart, but Taiboku does not want anything to do with her.

* AdaptationDeviation: As mentioned by Fujisaki in the first volume, the manga is based on ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'' and took the plot, characters and several elements from it... but deviates a lot, with unnumberable cases of AdaptationalBadass, AdaptationalWimp, MythologyGag and much more to make an original story.
* AdaptationExpansion: The 1999 anime does this a lot. For example in the manga, we barely spend time with [[spoiler:sisters Kashi and Koushi before they commit suicide]]. The anime spends more time with them.

* AnimateInanimateObject: Some of the sennin's original forms. Precisely, Okijin, who used to be a stone lute, and Youka (who was a sword).

** Suukouko, the king of the northern region. While the other three kings deplore the state of the citizens from the capital, he shows no sympathy and finds no problem with their state as long as they are still alive. Although he too is shocked by Dakki's "party", he quickly grovels before her and begins to flatter her in order to save his own skin. In the end, Dakki has him locked up and he starves to death.

* BadassFamily: The Kou clan. Nento Dojin and Ryuukitsu Koshu are half-siblings and two of the world's strongest sennins.
* BerserkButton: Never insult Shinkohyo's fashion sense. Or harm Taikobo in Bukichi's presence. Or, if you're the Emperor of Yin, never do anything to really upset Bunchu.
* BettyAndVeronica: Dakki (Veronica) and Empress Kyouhi (Betty) for King Chu.

** Nankyu Katsu, the general of Seiki, is an extremely hotblooded man and a FrontlineGeneral.
* BreakTheCutie: Tenshou. [[spoiler:His mom and aunt both kill themselves, he watches his dad die by acid rain right in front of him, and his older brother kicks it soon after.]] It is seriously no wonder the kid developed an abandonment complex.
** Possibly [[spoiler:Ou Eki]] too, although we never see what specifically broke him.

** When her technique is being contrasted by Taikyokuzu, Dakki thinks to herself that by posing in an even more audacious pose she could enhace the power of her seductive technique... and then asks the editor if she's allowed to do that but because the PG's too low he vetoes her.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Dakki has committed so many atrocities that she has a hard time remembering them all. During a boozing session for Dakki and her entourage, Ko Kibi returns from the imperial cellar with a barrel of alcohol and mentions that there is a dried-up corpse in there. Dakki thinks for a few moments and then finally remembers that she had locked the [[spoiler:King of the North]] in there and left him to starve to death.

* TheChessmaster: Taikobo, much to the surprise of those around him, who usually see him in his default "lazy" mode, Dakki, Bunchu [[spoiler:and Fuuki]].

** Not to mention all of the worlds before the current one [[spoiler:are completely destroyed just because they didn't match up to Jyoka's standards.]]
* CrazyJealousGuy: [[StalkerWithACrush Ryuukan]] is this for Sengyoku.
* DarkerAndEdgier: While the manga did have some dark points, the anime is noticeably darker and dramatic than the original source, especially with the last episodes

* DemotedToExtra: The Juunisen are relegated to voiceless cameos in the last two episodes of the 1999 anime.

* DrivenToSuicide: Several characters, either as defiance [[spoiler:(Kashi, Koushi, Kyouhi)]] or as simply sheer despair such as [[spoiler:Bunchu.]]

* FantasticRacism: The Sennin of the Kongrong Mountains, who mostly evolved from humans and have a typical human behavior, tend to look down on those from the Kingo Islands, who also look (sometimes vaguely) human but evolved from rocks, plants, objects, insects and animals. The Yokai Sennin, as they are called, kept some of their animal mannerisms and don't have the best reputation. The Kongrong inhabitants also tend to consider their Kingo counterparts as less technologically advanced, although that is not the case. In return though, the Yokai Sennin are just as prejudiced against humans, usually seeing them as nothing more than food.

* GambitPileup: [[spoiler:First, the Yin dynasty must be overthrown by the Zhou dynasty. Before that, the sennins must engage on a slugfest to severely reduce their number, and hence do not alert Jyoka. Then, the remaining Sennin goes on a hunt for Jyoka.]] What for? [[spoiler:Jyoka, with the help of Dakki herself, is reshaping the world over and over again for her own convenience]] while [[spoiler:Dakki herself, after learning from Jyoka's former crewmates that fused themselves with Earth, wanted Jyoka's powers so that she can become Mother Earth herself]].
* GambitRoulette: The entire Hoshin Project which [[spoiler:involves subtly altering history so that the BigBad Jyoka, who had been ''shaping and reshaping the earth every time history does not suit her liking'', does not notice, while at the same time collecting enough souls to aid the main protagonist into battle.]] To this end, Taikobo must ensure that [[spoiler:The Zhou dynasty must rise to challenge Yin, and that capturing Dakki is never to be attempted, and the move must be regarded as human progress as opposed to sennin interference]]. Incidentally, [[spoiler:ThePlan itself starts with Genshi Tenson manipulating Taikobo into executing a soul hunt, which later turns out to be a more complex, secret plan to create a separate world to store the rebel souls to be hunted, which later turns out to be a large scale prediction of casualties in the upcoming war which is to an extent triggered by Taikobo's actions, a prediction which is secretly meant to be the gathering of souls to execute a CombinedEnergyAttack. Taikobo's nemesis, Outenkun, is revealed to seem to be cooperating in a roundabout manner suggesting they may be being manipulated by Genshi Tenson all along, only to find out he was just following instructions from the real mastermind, who ends up being? Taikobo and Outenkun's merged self.]]
* {{Gonk}}: The Unshou Three Sisters, who firmly believe to be the most voluptuous sexy bombs to ever appear in the Sennin Worlds. Taikobo pukes blood upon seeing them make a sexy pose.

* GracefulLadiesLikePurple: Kashi wears violet and purple clothing in both the anime and the manga incarnations. In the anime flashbacks, Empress Kyouhi wears a violet dress.
* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler:Chou Koumei]] thanks Taikobo for his final battle while he departs to the Hoshindai.
* TheGrays: [[spoiler:The Ancestors, a race of space aliens who fled from their destroyed planet and reached Earth. Jyoka, the BigBad trying to recreate her homeworld bit by bit, is the only exponent of the Ancestors left alongside Fukki.]]

* HeavySleeper: Taijou Roukun (Roushi), who is so lazy he gets his paope to breathe for him. He basically sleeps for years at a time.

** He gets this again when [[spoiler:Chou Koumei kills Supushan,]] and in fact, blue screens so hard [[spoiler:the rest of the cast thinks he's dead as well]] and [[spoiler:Chou Koumei declares victory and runs the end credits.]]
** Koushi experiences one as a result of Kashi's death, and it is [[DespairEventHorizon heartbreaking.]]

** Kanei dies protecting Crown Prince Inchao from enemy soldiers.
** [[spoiler:Crown Prince Inhon]] dies protecting [[spoiler:Taikobo]] from his brother's paope.
** [[spoiler:Younin, one of Chou Komei's minions, sacrifices himself to save Taikobo.]]

** Dakki takes advantage of Hiko's sister Koushi being married to the emperor and uses her as a hostage to ensure Hiko's loyalty.

* HumanAlien: [[spoiler:Taikobo]] who is later known as [[spoiler:Fukki]].
* IfICantHaveYou: Ryuukan wants to pull this on Tou Sengyoku, the woman he has been stalking, after realizing that she is in love with someone else.

* InconsistentDub: Early episodes also translate the names of the paope and a few other terms concerning the Seinnen. Later episodes use the ''Chinese'' names instead, though a few original Japanese names make it though. Also, one spirit beast, despite not changing voice actors, suddenly gets a Southern accent.
* KarmaHoudini: In an interesting case, [[spoiler:both Dakki and Fukki: the former obeyed Jyoka while waiting for the chance to steal her body and merge with Earth itself, committing all the atrocities that were supposed to happen according to the "Signpost of History". Fukki, divided as Taikobo and Oheki/Otenkun carried on the Hoshin Project according to the same signpost in order to not warn Jyoka too soon, with Otenkun causing the collapse of the Sennin World and the deaths of nearly all the Sennin to fulfill the part of the plan Taikobo couldn't partake in.]]
* KingOfAllCosmos: Just about all of the Sennin are {{Bunny Ears Lawyer}}s.

* LaserBlade: Dotoku Shinjin and Kou Tenka wield the Bakuya no Hoken, which is a lightsaber. Later, Kou Tenka gets the Kishintei, which are throwing knives shaped like lightsabers.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler:Fukki and Jyoka are the only remaining Ancestors still unfused]].
* LecherousLicking: Taikobo out of all people does this when he takes Suupuu hostage during his battle with Kibi.

* LoveAtFirstSight: Sengyoku for Dokouson.

** Dakki, the woman behind King Chu. [[spoiler:Jyoka is later revealed to be the alien behind Dakki.]]
** Much more noticeable in the case of the Hoshin Project, whose executors and masterminds seem to change with every revelation. Played for all its worth in the end when it's revealed that the man at the top of the long chain of command manipulating Taikobo is... [[spoiler:Taikobo, or rather Fukki, Taikobo's true self]].

* MassiveNumberedSiblings: The sons of Sho Ki (Hakuyuukou, Hatsu, Shuukoudan, and Raishinshi) have ''ninety-six'' siblings.
* MemoryGambit: [[spoiler:Fukki plans the whole Hoshin project, hands it over to Genshi Tenson, and splits himself into Taikobo and Otenkun, while simultaneously sealing his memories. Genshi Tenson then commands Taikobo to begin the Hoshin Project.]]. Which kicks off the manga.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Don't tell me you didn't tear up a little when [[spoiler:Gyokutei Shinjin dies]].
* MusicalAssassin: Ma Reikai, one of the four Maka Yonshou, uses a guitar-shaped paope called Kurobiwa.

* NobodyPoops: Averted with Dakki of all people. Shinkohyo retrieves Suupuu for Taikobo when Dakki goes to the toilet.

* NotSoHarmless: Shinkohyo looks like a clown, but is one of the most powerful of the Doshi, as Taikobo finds out.

* NoSenseOfHumor: In the manga, Jyoka has absolutely ''no'' sense of humor.

* ParentsInDistress: Nataku's parents are captured by Chou Komei. Hiko Ko's father is held hostage by Dakki's underlings. In the end, [[spoiler:they are all saved.]]

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Most of the sennin in general; specifically, Taikobo, and even more so, [[spoiler:Fukki]].
* LaResistance: The Duke of the West plus his sons (i.e. the Duchy of Zhou) and an ever increasing roster of Sennin and disgruntled former Yin citizens.

* SceneryPorn: For all it's flaws, it cannot be denied that the 2018 adaptation looks great.
* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler:Jyoka's body was sealed by the other four Ancestors in a giant coffin of glass, but unfortunately she can move her soul out from time to time to act and influence the outside world to recreate her planet. She still seeks a way to release her body so that she can act directly.]]
* ShoutOut: One of the sennins training in Kongrong Island is shown using an [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion A.T. Field]]. Fujisaki Ryu has said himself to be a fan of Evangelion.

* SiblingYinYang: Fire sennin Nentou Doujin and water sennyo Ryuukitsu Koushu, the sennin half-siblings. Nentou has a fiery fighting spirit and a rather rude attitude while Koushu is calm and polite.
* SimpleSolutionWontWork: When Chou Koumei goes OneWingedAngel and turns into a giant plant, [[TheLancer Yozen]] first thinks about just [[KillItWithFire burning the roots]] to kill it, but realizes that Plant Chou Koumei can spreads seeds and grow faster than he burns, thus they need to destroy the whole thing in one blow to defeat him. Taikobo does it by using [[LoyalAnimalCompanion Supushan]] new SuperMode to fly to the part of the atmosphere where the atmosphere is the coldest, and combining the power of said super mode and his newly upgraded [[BlowYouAway dashinben]] to summon a massive tornado to freeze all of it.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: Many important characters who die in the manga are left alive and well in the anime, including [[spoiler:Hiko Ko, Kou Tenka, and Bunchu.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In general, Viz transliterates names as shortly as possible. For example, Taikobo instead of Taikoubou, or paope instead of paope. For that matter, ''Hoshin Engi'' instead of ''Houshin Engi''. Doubled consonants are the only exception; Dakki is the same in all regions.

* StalkerWithACrush: Ryuukan is a very creepy example of this. He is an obsessive and deluded individual who has been stalking Tou Sengyoku for a long time and seems to be convinced that she is in love with him, despite having no evidence to support his belief. He is the reason why Sengyoku is terrified of birds, as he uses a fire bird paope.
* StayInTheKitchen: Tenka has a brief moment of this with Sengyoku while on Chou Koumei's ship. Sengyoku is understandably outraged. Worth noting, however, is that Tenka had a point: Sengyoku had not proven herself to be a strong fighter and her paope is very weak, so Tenka's concerns were legitimate.
* TheStoic: Shuukoutan, so stoic he barely expresses anything except mild annoyance/amusement at Taikobo's and his brother's hijinks.
* SuddenNameChange: Halfway through the manga, the name of King Chu's first wife Kyouhi changes to Kyoushi.

* TalkingWeapon: Hitou is a Yousei sword, hence is a living sword which can shapeshift and talk.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Kashi (extremely feminine) and Koushi (tomboy).
* TookALevelInBadass: Chou Kei, the generally competent paperwork-wise right-hand man to Bunchu, in the later stages of the manga, sees fit to [[spoiler:wield Bunchu's Kinben, after he dies]]. Of course, he needs a lot of finesse wielding it, but he still comes as really helpful.
* TournamentArc: The party faces off Dakki's selected fighter in [[spoiler:Jyoka's spaceship, Horai Island]].
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Taikobo and Bunchu both underestimate Dakki, who together with Okijin underestimates Taikobo. Ryuukan underestimated Ryukitsu Koushu.
* UndyingLoyalty: The Four Saints have this for Bunchu and a big part of Bunchu's character is his adamantine devotion to the Yin dynasty.
* UnwantedRevival: [[spoiler:Taikobo (now known as Fukki) at the end]], who is an example of "not wanting to be found by the people looking for him." The reason? He just likes to mess with them.

Additionally, a video game based on the manga was developed for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and the UsefulNotes/{{Wonderswan}}. Characters from the manga also appear in ''VideoGame/JumpUltimateStars'' for UsefulNotes/NintendoDS, with only Taikobo playable and other characters serving as support.

** likewise, The official French version of the manga also uses the Chinese names, adapted by professional translator Sylvain Chollet, and includes a comparison of Japanese and Chinese names at the end of each volume.

* CastHerd: The sennin at Konron, Taikobo's team, [[LaResistance Zhou]] (which Taikobo joins), and [[TheEvilEmpire Yin]], just to name a few.

** The anime uses transliterations from Chinese instead of Japanese since it is about the real-life Chinese Yin dynasty. Supushan is Sibuxiang, Konron is Kun Lun, etc.

* FantasticRacism: The sennin of Konron mountains, who mostly evolved from humans and have a typical human behavior, tend to look down on those from the Kingo Islands, who also look (sometimes vaguely) human but evolved from rocks, plants, objects, insects and animals. The youkai sennin, as they are called, kept some of their animal mannerisms and don't have the best reputation. The Konron inhabitants also tend to consider their Kingo counterparts as less technologically advanced, although that is not the case. In return though, the yokai sennin are just as prejudiced against humans, usually seeing them as nothing more than food.

* ShoutOut: One of the sennins training in Konron Island is shown using an [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion A.T. Field]]. Fujisaki Ryu has said himself to be a fan of Evangelion.

* AnyoneCanDie: The Houshin List contains 365 entries: it is inevitable that characters will drop in spades, and not just the bad guys or the small fries either...

* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler:Chou Koumei]] thanks Taikobo for his final battle while he departs to the Houshindai.

Taikobo is a young Sennin (a class of supernatural beings) charged by his mentor to seal up all of the rogue Sennin causing trouble in the human world, the chief of whom is Dakki, who has brainwashed the current emperor and causing all sorts of grief for the citizens of the Yin Dynasty...

The plot thickens when Taikobo discovers that his mentor has ulterior motives, and the conspiracy encompasses all of the Senin world.

The manga was adapted into a 26-episode {{anime}} broadcast on Japanese TV in 1999 and released in North America on DVD under the title of ''Soul Hunter'' in 2001. As of January 2009, Shomei TV announced their intentions to remake the anime series if they received 10,000 signatures, which was finally reached in July 2017. The new anime, ''Hakyu Hoshin Engi'', debuted in 2018, together with a novel by Ryo Yoshigami and a short sequel manga by Ryu Fujisaki.

* AdaptationExpansion: The 1999 anime does this a lot. For example in the manga, we barely spend time with [[spoiler: sisters Kashi and Koushi before they commit suicide]]. The anime spends more time with them.

* AnachronismStew: Includes lightsabers, rocket punch, and PrecisionGuidedBoomerang, '''ON FIRE!''' [[spoiler: Justified since Paopei are alien artifacts.]]
* AnimateInanimateObject: Some of the sennin's original forms. Precisely, Ohkijin, who used to be a stone lute, and Youka (who was a sword).

* ArcWords: [[spoiler: "The Signpost of History"]].

** Nobody felt sorry to see [[spoiler: Ryogaku]] squashed by [[spoiler: his own son]].

* BerserkButton: Never insult Shinkouhyou's fashion sense. Or harm Taikobou in Bukichi's presence. Or, if you're the Emperor of Yin, never do anything to really upset Bunchuu.
* BettyAndVeronica: Dakki (Veronica) and Empress Kyouhi (Betty) for Emperor Chuuou.
* BittersweetEnding: At least, for Bukichi and Suupuushan.
* BloodyMurder: Outenkun's spatial Paopei is created from his own blood and is highly corrosive.

** Kou Hiko, while normally calm, collected and cool-headed, is no stranger to take matters in his own hands and charge in combat, using a simple steel club against even Sendo opponents.

** Possibly [[spoiler: Ou Eki]] too, although we never see what specifically broke him.

* CastHerd: The sennin at Konron, Taikobo's team, [[LaResistance Shuu]] (which Taikobo joins), and [[TheEvilEmpire Yin]], just to name a few.
* TheChessmaster: Taikobo, much to the surprise of those around him, who usually see him in his default "lazy" mode, Dakki, Bunchu [[spoiler: and Fuuki]].

** Chuu Ou, until Dakki got to him to make him a [[AbhorrentAdmirer lust crazed]] tyrant. Somewhat arguable though, because he had shades of IHaveYouNowMyPretty even before Dakki got her hands on him. So Go, Dakki's father, laments his ruthlessness when it comes to acquiring new women for his harem. After hearing that So Go has a very beautiful daughter, Chuuou threatened to make his country suffer unless he brought her to become his concubine.
** Ki Hatsu. He reforms fast enough to lead his armies, however.

* CombinedEnergyAttack: The true purpose of the Hoshin Project was [[spoiler: to collect enough souls to fight the BigBad]].

* CookingDuel: Taikobo arranges one in an attempt to get [[spoiler: Ki Shou]] eating again, but it backfires in his face when the combatants turn it into an all-out brawl.

** Not to mention all of the worlds before the current one [[spoiler: are completely destroyed just because they didn't match up to Jyoka's standards.]]

* DecadentCourt: The arrival of Dakki and her minions has turned Chuuou's court into one of these.

* DistantFinale: The final epilogue chapter, which has [[spoiler: Bukichi and Supushan visiting the mortal world to see their friends again while narrating what happened to the other Sennin.]]

* DrivenToSuicide: Several characters, either as defiance [[spoiler:(Kashi, Koushi, Kyouhi)]] or as simply sheer despair such as [[spoiler: Bunchuu.]]
* DubNameChange: A slight inversion in the Mexican Spanish and [[InternationalCoproduction Florida-made Portuguese]] dub of the series. Instead of using the original Japanese names, those dubs uses the ''original Chinese names'' from the original novel the manga and the anime is based from (or translations to English and mistranslations of some ones) of many of the characters. Per example, the main hero Taikobou becomes "Tai Kung" (a mistranslation of Jiang Taigong from the original Chinese classic), Nataku becomes "Nazha" (his original name in the classic) and the villainess Dakki uses her original Chinese name "Daji", plus many others.

* GambitPileup: [[spoiler: First, the Yin dynasty must be overthrown by the Zhou dynasty. Before that, the sennins must engage on a slugfest to severely reduce their number, and hence do not alert Jyoka. Then, the remaining Sennin goes on a hunt for Jyoka.]] What for? [[spoiler: Jyoka, with the help of Dakki herself, is reshaping the world over and over again for her own convenience]] while [[spoiler: Dakki herself, after learning from Jyoka's former crewmates that fused themselves with Earth, wanted Jyoka's powers so that she can become Mother Earth herself]].
* GambitRoulette: The entire Hoshin Project which [[spoiler: involves subtly altering history so that the BigBad Jyoka, who had been ''shaping and reshaping the earth every time history does not suit her liking'', does not notice, while at the same time collecting enough souls to aid the main protagonist into battle.]] To this end, Taikobo must ensure that [[spoiler: The Zhou dynasty must rise to challenge Yin, and that capturing Dakki is never to be attempted, and the move must be regarded as human progress as opposed to sennin interference]]. Incidentally, [[spoiler: ThePlan itself starts with Genshitenson manipulating Taikobo into executing a soul hunt, which later turns out to be a more complex, secret plan to create a separate world to store the rebel souls to be hunted, which later turns out to be a large scale prediction of casualties in the upcoming war which is to an extent triggered by Taikobo's actions, a prediction which is secretly meant to be the gathering of souls to execute a CombinedEnergyAttack. Taikobo's nemesis, Outenkun, is revealed to seem to be cooperating in a roundabout manner suggesting they may be being manipulated by Genshitenson all along, only to find out he was just following instructions from the real mastermind, who ends up being? Taikobo and Outenkun's merged self.]]
* {{Gonk}}: The Unshou Three Sisters, who firmly believe to be the most voluptuous sexy bombs to ever appear in the Sennin Worlds. Taikobou pukes blood upon seeing them make a sexy pose.
* TheGrays: [[spoiler: The Ancestors, a race of space aliens who fled from their destroyed planet and reached Earth. Jyoka, the BigBad trying to recreate her homeworld bit by bit, is the only exponent of the Ancestors left alongside Fukki.]]

* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler: Chou Koumei]] thanks Taikobou for his final battle while he departs to the Houshindai.
* GreaterScopeVillain: The 1999 anime introduces three mysterious beings that Genshi-tenson answers to who overlook and manipulate events in their goal to maintain a hold over all space and time.

* HeavySleeper: Taijou Roukun (Roushi), who is so lazy he gets his paopei to breathe for him. He basically sleeps for years at a time.

** He gets this again when [[spoiler: Chou Koumei kills Suupuushan,]] and in fact, blue screens so hard [[spoiler: the rest of the cast thinks he's dead as well]] and [[spoiler: Chou Koumei declares victory and runs the end credits.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Taikobo was falling apart (literally) from the effort to fight the last BigBad and would have died if not for some [[DeusExMachina timely intervention]].]]

** [[spoiler: Crown Prince Inhon]] dies protecting [[spoiler: Taikobou]] from his brother's paopei.
** [[spoiler: Younin, one of Chou Komei's minions, sacrifices himself to save Taikobou.]]
* HopeSpot: Every time Dakki's evil influence over Chuuou is reduced or eliminated and he goes back to the diligent and wise monarch he was before, Bunchuu either goes away or Dakki returns and things get worse...
* HostageSituation: Several take place during the manga. Taikobou holds Dakki's sister Oukijin hostage in order to gain access to the imperial palace, Dakki takes advantage of Hikou's sister Koushi being married to the emperor and uses her as a hostage to ensure Hikou's loyalty, Hikou's father is held hostage by Dakki's underlings and Crown Prince Inchao holds some Zhou soldiers hostage in his battle with Taikobou.

* HotConsort: Chuuou has ''two'': Kyouhi initially, then Dakki.
* HumanAlien: [[spoiler: Taikobo]] who is later known as [[spoiler: Fukki]].

* ImAHumanitarian: In one scene, Dakki is shown gorging herself on human remains from the snake pit. Ki Shou is also [[spoiler: forced to eat hamburger made out of his own son]].
* ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Most of the sennin wear them. Dakki's clothes take the cake, though -- several of them are actually paopei.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Given that the paopei are magical items, you end up with people fighting with shoulder throws and genie-style lamps, among other things. This is true in the original ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'' as well. One of the most improbable attacks makes a flaming pagoda appear and drop on an opponent's head, but there are so many other examples that it almost seems like it's normal weapons that should be considered unusual.
* InconsistentDub: Early episodes also translate the names of the Paopei and a few other terms concerning the Seinnen. Later episodes use the ''Chinese'' names instead, though a few original Japanese names make it though. Also, one spirit beast, despite not changing voice actors, suddenly gets a Southern accent.
* KarmaHoudini: In an interesting case, [[spoiler: both Dakki and Fukki: the former obeyed Jyoka while waiting for the chance to steal her body and merge with Earth itself, committing all the atrocities that were supposed to happen according to the "Signpost of History". Fukki, divided as Taikobo and Oheki/Ohtenkun carried on the Houshin Plan according to the same signpost in order to not warn Jyoka too soon, with Ohtenkun causing the collapse of the Sennin World and the deaths of nearly all the Sennins to fulfill the part of the plan Taikobo couldn't partake in.]]
* KingOfAllCosmos: Just about all of the sennin are {{Bunny Ears Lawyer}}s.
* KonamiCode: Called out as instructions to perform a complex aerial maneuver (at which point Suupuushan simply throws his head in despair). Later, after Suupuushan gets an upgrade, he is able to perform the maneuver flawlessly.
* LaResistance: The Duke of the West plus his sons (i.e. the Duchy of Shuu) and an ever increasing roster of Sennin and disgruntled former Yin citizens.

* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler: Fukki and Jyoka are the only remaining Ancestors still unfused]].
* LecherousLicking: Taikobou out of all people does this when he takes Suupuu hostage during his battle with Kibi.
* LimitedWardrobe: Used straight with some characters such as Youzen and Bunchuu, averted with others such as Nataku or Dakki's sisters Kibi and Kijin. Worth noting is that Taikobou receives new clothes on several occasions, some of which are identical to what he was previously wearing.

* MadScientist: Lots, including Taiitsu "please call me 'Science Otaku' instead" Shinjin, to Raishinshi's "father" Unchuushi, and Ryogaku, who develops ''biological weapon'', in Ancient China!
* MassiveNumberedSiblings: The sons of Kishou (Hakuyuukou, Kihatsu, Shuukoudan and Raishinshi) have ''ninety-six'' siblings.
* ManBehindTheMan: Dakki, the woman behind Chuu Ou. [[spoiler: Jyoka is later revealed to be the alien behind Dakki.]]
** Much more noticeable in the case of the Hoshin Project, whose executors and masterminds seem to change with every revelation. Played for all it's worth in the end when it's revealed that the man at the top of the long chain of command manipulating Taikobo is... [[spoiler:Taikobo, or rather Fukki, Taikobo's true self]].
* MarketBasedTitle: The anime was renamed ''Soul Hunter'' when localized into English. The manga stayed ''Hoshin Engi''.
* MemoryGambit: [[spoiler:Fukki plans the whole Hoshin project, hands it over to Genshitenson, splits himself into Taikobo and Outenkun, while simultaneously sealing his memories. Genshitenson then commands Taikobo to begin the Hoshin Project.]]. Which kicks off the manga.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Don't tell me you didn't tear up a little when [[spoiler: Gyokutei Shinjin dies]].
* MusicalAssassin: Ma Reikai, one of the four Maka Yonshou, uses a guitar-shaped paopei called Kurobiwa.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The emperor finally realizes just how badly things are going in the capital city [[spoiler: too late to make much of a difference, but at least he shows remorse for what happens]].
* NobleFugitive: The two crown princes of the Yin escape from the capital and eventually take refuge into the sennin world.
* NobodyPoops: Averted with Dakki of all people. Shinkohyou retrieves Suupuu for Taikobou when Dakki goes to the toilet.

* NotSoHarmless: Shinkouhyou looks like a clown, but is one of the most powerful of the Doshi, as Taikobo finds out.
** [[spoiler: Also Taikobou is actually one half of an ancient alien called Fuuki]].

* ParentsInDistress: Nataku's parents are captured by Chou Komei. Kou Hikou's father is held hostage by Dakki's underlings. In the end, [[spoiler: they are all saved.]]

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Most of the sennin in general; specifically, Taikobo, and even more so, [[spoiler: Fukki]].

* RoyalHarem: Chuuou has a harem consisting of two hundred concubines.

* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: Jyoka's body was sealed by the other four Ancestors in a giant coffin of glass, but unfortunately she can move her soul out from time to time to act and influence the outside world to recreate her planet. She still seeks a way to release her body so that she can act directly.]]

* SiblingTeam: The three sisters, Dakki, Kijin and Kibi work together to further Dakki's schemes.

* SimpleSolutionWontWork: When Chou Koumei goes OneWingedAngel and turns into a giant plant, [[TheLancer Youzen]] first thinks about just [[KillItWithFire burning the roots]] to kill it, but realizes that Plant Chou Koumei can spreads seeds and grow faster than he burns, thus they need to destroy the whole thing in one blow to defeat him. Taikobo does it by using [[LoyalAnimalCompanion Suupuushan]] new SuperMode to fly to the part of the atmosphere where the atmosphere is the coldest, and combining the power of said super mode and his newly upgraded [[BlowYouAway dashinben]] to summon a massive tornado to freeze all of it.
* ShoutOut: When Taikobou and Raishinshi are ready to begin their bare fists battle, the scene is very similar to fighting games, complete with timer and health bars.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Many important characters who die in the manga are left alive and well in the anime: [[spoiler: Kou Hikou, Kou Tenka, Bunchu.]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In general, the official translation transliterates names as shortly as possible. For example, Taikobo instead of Taikoubou, or paope instead of paopei. For that matter, ''Hoshin Engi'' instead of ''Houshin Engi''. Doubled consonants are the only exception; Dakki is the same in all regions.
** The anime uses transliterations from Chinese instead of Japanese, since it is about the real life Chinese Yin dynasty. Supushan is Sibuxiang, Konron is Kun Lun, etc.

* StalkerWithACrush: Ryuukan is a very creepy example of this. He is an obsessive and deluded individual who has been stalking Tou Sengyoku for a long time and seems to be convinced that she is in love with him, despite having no evidence to support his belief. He is the reason why Sengyoku is terrified of birds, as he uses a fire bird paopei.
* StayInTheKitchen: Tenka has a brief moment of this with Sengyoku while on Chou Koumei's ship. Sengyoku is understandably outraged. Worth noting, however, is that Tenka had a point: Sengyoku had not proven herself to be a strong fighter and her paopei is very weak, so Tenka's concerns were legitimate.

* SuddenNameChange: Halfway through the manga, the name of Chuuou's first wife Kyouhi changes to Kyoushi.
* SupernaturalSuffocation: One of the enemies that Taikobo faces has a paopei that controls water, which she uses to create a permanent, inescapable water bubble just large enough to engulf his head.

* TookALevelInBadass: Chou Kei, the generally competent paperwork-wise right hand man to Bunchuu, in the later stages of the manga, sees fit to [[spoiler: wield Bunchuu's Kinben, after he dies]]. Of course, he needs a lot of finesse wielding it, but he still comes as really helpful.
* TournamentArc: The party faces off Dakki's selected fighter in [[spoiler: Jyoka's spaceship, Horai Island]].
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Taikobou and Bunchuu both underestimate Dakki, who together with Ou Kijin underestimates Taikobou. Ryuukan underestimated Ryukitsu Koushu.
* UndyingLoyalty: The Four Saints have this for Bunchuu and a big part of Bunchuu's character is his adamantine devotion to the Yin Dynasty.
* UnwantedRevival: [[spoiler: Taikobo (now known as Fukki) at the end]], who is an example of "not wanting to be found by the people looking for him." The reason? He just likes to mess with them.
* WasOnceAMan: Bagen is a Human Paopei who was transformed while he was a young adult, causing him to turn in a grotesque monster.
* WeaponsKitchenSink: The Paopei, as per original novel, range from actual weapons to odd items such as mirrors, fans, bracelets, boomerangs, computers, umbrella and much more.

''Hoshin Engi'', the [[InspiredBy Japanese rendering]] of ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'' (which means ''The Treatise of the Gods'', itself already VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory) took the same direction as ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}''. Whereas ''Saiyuki'' revolves around [[PrettyBoy four guys riding a dragon jeep]] to the west, ''Hoshin Engi'' revolves around the gods (who are also mostly {{Pretty Boy}}s) [[ScrewDestiny altering the course of history]] and helping the Chinese Dynasty transfer from Yin to Zhou in the 11th Century BC.