Hougen is the brother to Genba and he is a leader of the pack of the Northern Alps. He wants to take over all of Japan and to do so the Ou dogs stand in his way. Hougen strikes fear into many dogs and gains most of his followers by force.  Nero is killed by Hougen because he complained to Hougen for being embarrased by the top 3 of Ou. Gin and John become captives in his territory after Rocket told him of their where-abouts from spying. Reika also gets taken as a hostage who Hougen hunts for and calls her his Girlfriend. For members of his pack to prove loyalty to him, he has dogs step on Gin's back. 

Hiro becomes a prisoner when he tries to protect Reika who ran away from Hougen. Jet and Missile are sentenced to death because Hougen sent out another spy and found out Rocket betrayed him by joining Weed's pack. He later on that day sent his men to chase after John who ecaped the shed with Hiro, Reika, Tomi, Lefty and Roshi. Hougen kills John after he gets severely beaten up by his men. 

It is later revealed that Hougen was locked up in a cage with his brother and other dogs by their cruel master. He and his brother told the dogs to eat each other in order to survive. When the master returned, he and Genba killed them. The two brothers vowed they wouldn't die unless it was by their brother's fangs. Hougen kills Genba with this promise because Genba gets brain damage after Tesshin's attack and can't live a regular life.

At the final battle Hougen fights Weed one on one and gets attacked by a Battouga. Lightening ends up killing him however.