jin (仁) - sympathy and benevolence, but note that, according to Confucianism, "jin" is also the greatest and most perfect virtue of all. It should come as no surprise that the bearer of this bead also happens to be the most powerful warrior of the eight. chi (知) - wisdom rei (礼) - courtesy, but this can also be translated as proper form, i.e. an extensive knowledge and proper observation of tradition and manners Note that this is the order in which the beads appear in the story. The hierarchy of these virtues in order of importance to Confucian philosophy are: jin, gi, rei, chi, chū, shin, kō, tei. Plotwise, the series can be divided into three parts: the Prologue, the Search, and the Resolution. The Prologue presents events that occur before the birth of the dog warriors and encompasses the majority of episode 1, although numerous Prologue events are also shown throughout the series in flashback. The Search consists of the episodes prior to the warriors' final assembly (episodes 2-11), and the Resolution shows the final climactic battle fought by the Hakkenshi in the name of the Satomi clan. Character Guide The Hakkenshi Throughout the novel, the Hakkenshi undergo numerous changes in class, location, and status, which would often result in a name change. Because of the abridged nature of the OVA series, two characters in particular underwent name changes with little explanation for those unfamiliar with the novel. Note: each warrior's "given name" contains the kanji character on their corresponding bead. In Shino's case, for instance, the kanji for "taka" in "Moritaka" is also the "kō" on his bead. Inuzuka Shino Moritaka (犬塚 信乃 戍孝) - Bears the "kō" bead of filial piety; his birthmark is on his right arm. His father bore the responsibility of returning the Murasame sword to the Ashikaga Shogun, but before doing so, committed seppuku in protest of the local feudal lord, thereby transferring the heavy responsibility onto Shino's shoulders. Inukawa Sōsuke Yoshitō (犬川 荘助 義任) - Bears the "gi" bead of duty; his birthmark is on his left arm. At the age of 7, his father was forced to commit seppuku after criticizing the Ashikaga Shogun, and his mother perished from the cold winter during the resulting pilgrimage from Izu. This left him under the cruel parentage of Hikiroku and Kamezasa, who gave him the undignified name of "Gakuzo" and forced him