In those days "Hakkenden" had an average circulation of 500 copies a year but it was read by a larger number of people than that through book lending, and it was so popular that Bakin himself said, 'Hakkenden for those who know me, Hakkenden even for those who don't know me.'
『八犬伝』の当時の年間平均発行部数は500部ほどであったが、貸本により実際にはより多くの人々に読まれており、馬琴自身「吾を知る者はそれただ八犬伝か、吾を知らざる者もそれただ八犬伝か」と述べる人気作品であった。