There is nothing wrong with White’s set-up in the first 8 movies.  White's 2.d3!? leads to the Kings Indian attack which is played at highest level.

A (1...b6!?) semi-Hippo antidote to the Kings Indian attack!?

e.g. 1. e4 b6 2. d3!? Bb7 3. Nd2 e6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Ngf3 and now 6…Nh6!? 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 f5! equalizes for Black effortless! 

[Event "iSchach"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2009.03.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "penu"]
[Black "hippochess"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B00"]
[WhiteElo "1903"]
[BlackElo "2297"]
[Annotator "Nick"]

1. e4 b6 2. d3 Bb7 3. Nd2 e6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Ngf3 Nh6 7. O-O (7. h4 $5
f5 8. h5 Nc6 9. c3 Qe7 10. Qe2 O-O-O $11 (10... Nf7 $11)) 7... O-O 8. Re1 f5 $1
9. exf5 Nxf5 10. Nf1 Nc6 11. g4 Nfd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Ne3 Qc8 14. h3 Ne5 $1
$19 {... (33) } 0-1

Another reason i like this opening i can play it against just about anything unless my opponent plays 1.g3. But it has a changing character. You dont have to play it a certain way. It can suit multiple styles of play. I dont like the hippo set up as much as the regular owens but it is fun to play none the less. I learned a lot about playing closed set ups with potential of counter play from the kings indian and to some extent birds opening as well as the nimzo larsen. I like the flanks i guess.

Have you checked the "Daring Defences" section? 
Moves like 1...b6, 1...a6 and 1...Nc6 can be played against either 1.d4 or 1.e4, so maybe it's not clear which section is right.

A certain Pavel Blatny might think other wise. When I was a very active player in club and tournament play I used this regularly. Its not any worse than the modern or pirc and is certainly interesting if you know how to play it. 

As like any other opening if you decide to play passively you are not playing correctly. You need to take action to gain initiative. 

Lets look at some historical games. John Owen himself has an even score against none other than the best american player to have ever lived Paul Morphy.

[Event "London m2"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Morphy,Paul"]
[Black "Owen,John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nh3 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 Nc6 7.Be3 Nb4 8.Nc3 Nxd3+ 
9.Qxd3 Bb4 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nf6 12.e5 Nd5 13.c4 Ba6 14.Bd2 Rc8 15.Rac1 0-0 16.Qb3 Ne7 
17.Bb4 Re8 18.Rfd1 Nf5 19.g4 Nh4 20.f4 f6 21.Be1 fxe5 22.dxe5 Qe7 23.Ng5 h6 24.Ne4 Bb7 
25.Qd3 Rf8 26.Bxh4 Qxh4 27.Nf6+ Rxf6 28.exf6 Qxg4+ 29.Qg3 Qxg3+ 30.hxg3 Bc6 31.fxg7 Kxg7 32.Kf2 Kf6 
33.g4 h5 34.g5+ Kf5 35.Ke3 h4 36.Rd2 h3 37.Rh2 Bg2 38.Rc2 d5 39.g6 dxc4 40.g7 Rg8 
41.Rcxg2 hxg2 42.Rxg2 Kf6 43.Rc2 Rxg7 44.Rxc4 Rg3+ 45.Ke4 Ra3 46.Rc2 Ra4+ 0-1

[Event "London m2"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Morphy,Paul"]
[Black "Owen,John"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nh3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nd2 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4 
9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 Ne7 11.f3 Ng6 12.Rac1 0-0 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.e5 Qh4 16.Bb5 Rfd8 
17.Rc7 Bc6 18.Be2 Ne7 19.Nf4 Qg5 20.Rd1 Rf8 21.Qc1 Nf5 22.g4 Nh4 23.Kf2 Qd8 24.Rxc6 dxc6 
25.Qxc6 Rc8 26.Qe4 Qg5 27.Bd3 g6 28.Rg1 Rc7 29.Ne2 f5 30.gxf5 Qxf5 31.Qxf5 exf5 32.Nf4 Rc6 
33.d5 Rc5 34.Nxg6 Nxg6 35.Rxg6+  1-0

Then Owen played his opening countless times against a Samuel Boden. After Boden beat him soundly 3 times in a row he played the same opening move against owen him self and changed it into a modern defense with both bishops fienchetoed on b7 and g7 and the nights on e and d7. That isnt very owens like but for that time it was a very modern game.

[Event "London m7"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Owen,John"]
[Black "Boden,Samuel Standidge"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Qe2 g6 5.f4 Bg7 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Be3 d6 
9.Nbd2 Nd7 10.e5 d5 11.g4 c5 12.c3 Qe8 13.f5 exf5 14.gxf5 Nxf5 15.Bxf5 gxf5 16.Nh4 f6 
17.Nxf5 Kh8 18.Kh1 Nxe5 19.Rg1 Rg8 20.Rg2 Bf8 21.Rxg8+ Kxg8 22.Rg1+ Kh8 23.Qf2 Qe6 24.Rg3 Re8 
25.Bh6 Bxh6 26.Nxh6 Nc4 27.Qf5 Bc8 28.Nf3 Nd6 29.Ne5 fxe5 30.Qg5 Qg6 31.Qe3 exd4 32.Qg1 Qxh6 
33.cxd4 Bf5 0-1

And then again we come to Mr Morphy with the white pieces. He seemed to find this opening awkward to play against. If he had as much trouble with this opening do you really  think that it can be all that bad?

[Event "Paris sim"]
[Site "Paris"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Morphy,Paul"]
[Black "Lequesne,E"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nh3 Ne7 5.0-0 d5 6.e5 Nec6 7.c3 Be7 8.f4 g6 
9.g4 h5 10.gxh5 Rxh5 11.Qg4 Rh4 12.Qg3 Kd7 13.Nd2 Qh8 14.Ng5 Nd8 15.Ndf3 Bxg5 16.fxg5 Rh3 
17.Qg2 Nbc6 18.Bd2 Ne7 19.Rac1 Rc8 20.b4 a6 21.a4 Qh5 22.Ne1 Nf5 23.Rf3 Rh4 24.Rf4 Rxf4 
25.Bxf4 c5 26.bxc5 bxc5 27.Rb1 c4 28.Bxf5 gxf5 29.Nc2 Bc6 30.a5 Qh4 31.Qg3 Qh5 32.Qg2 Qh4 
1/2

Another legendary player Louis Paulsen had quite a few issues as well. 

[Event "Berlin m3"]
[Site "Berlin"]
[Date "1864.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Paulsen,Louis"]
[Black "Neumann,Gustav Richard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.Nc3 Bb7 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.Nge2 c5 6.d3 Be7 7.0-0 d6 8.e5 Nd5 
9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Ne4 Qd7 11.b3 Nc6 12.Bb2 e5 13.Qd2 f5 14.N4c3 Nd4 15.f4 Nxc3 16.Nxc3 exf4 
17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Qxf4 0-0 19.Rf2 Bf6 20.h4 Rae8 21.Rg2 Be5 22.Qf1 f4 23.Ne4 fxg3 24.Qc1 Nf3+ 
25.Kh1 Qd7 26.Ng5 Nxg5 27.hxg5 Qh3+ 28.Kg1 Bf4 0-1

[Event "Berlin m3"]
[Site "Berlin"]
[Date "1864.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Paulsen,Louis"]
[Black "Neumann,Gustav Richard"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nh3 Nf6 5.f3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Be3 d5 8.e5 Nd7 
9.0-0 Be7 10.Nd2 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nb4 12.Be2 Rc8 13.Bf2 Bh4 14.g3 Be7 15.f4 g6 16.a3 Nc6 
17.Rc1 h5 18.Nb3 a6 19.Bd3 b5 20.Qf3 Qb6 21.Be3 a5 22.Qf2 a4 23.Nd2 Na5 24.Rxc8+ Bxc8 
25.Ng5 Nc4 26.Nxc4 bxc4 27.Bc2 Qa6 28.h3 Nb8 29.Nf3 Nc6 30.Nd2 Bd7 31.Nb1 Na5 32.Nc3 Nb3 
33.Qe2 Bd8 34.Qd1  1/2

I know you might be thinking this might be because the romantics had issues with the hyper modern school. But I would make a serious bet that if Paul were around today as a young man he would use the technology we have and still be the best. He was a natural. He could absorb knowledge and I am also willing to say that he could not have that much trouble if the other top player of the time was a strong believer in the English Opening as Howard Stauton. So I think that is might be a genuine try. Lets take a look at some later games that are played on a high level.

[Event "London"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1975.08.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Miles,Anthony J"]
[Black "Basman,Michael J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 Nf6 6.Qe2 Be7 7.Bg5 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nc6 
9.Nc3 Rc8 10.0-0 0-0 11.a3 Na5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nd2 Kh8 14.Rac1 Nc6 15.Nf3 Rg8 16.Ba6 Bxa6 
17.Qxa6 Qf8 18.d5 Qg7 19.g3 Na5 20.Qxa7 Nb3 21.Rcd1 Nc5 22.dxe6 fxe6 23.b4 Ra8 24.Qxb6 Rxa3 
25.bxc5 Rxc3 26.Rxd7 Bxc5 27.Qxe6 Qg6 28.Kg2 Re8 29.Qd5 Qxe4 30.Qxe4 Rxe4 31.Rb1 Re7 32.Rxe7 Bxe7 
33.Rb7 Bc5 34.Nd2 Bd4 35.Ne4 Rc2 36.g4 h5 37.Rd7 Bb6 38.gxh5 f5 39.Nf6 Rc7 40.Rd8+ Kg7 
41.Ne8+  1-0

Basman is a moderately strong player who has his own following. Was it the fact that the opening was bad? or was it the fact that Tony Miles had the white pieces?

Soltis must have had some faith in the opening but it seems he never really tried to win with it.

[Event "Marshall CC"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1977.01.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Bisguier,Arthur Bernard"]
[Black "Soltis,Andrew E"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nd2 c5 4.d5 e6 5.c4 exd5 6.exd5 Nf6 7.b3 Be7 8.Bd3 0-0 
9.Nh3 d6 10.f4 Bc8 11.Nf2 Ne8 12.0-0 f5 13.Qc2 Na6 14.a3 Nac7 15.Nf3 g6 16.Bd2 Bf6 
17.Rae1 Ng7 18.Bc3 Bd7 19.Nd1 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Ncxe8 21.Re1 Bxc3 22.Nxc3 Qf6 23.Qd2  1/2

[Event "Marshall CC"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1977.01.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Zuckerman,Bernard"]
[Black "Soltis,Andrew E"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.Nf3 Bb7 3.d3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nc3 Qe6+ 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Be2 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 
9.Re1 0-0 10.Qc1 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Qd7 1/2

Then no stranger to these types of positions we have a Bent Larsen. One of my favorite players of all time. Its a shame he never quite got a hold of the chess crown. He knew how to make the most interesting openings a thing to play. 

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Westerinen,Heikki MJ"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B27"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.0-0 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Nc3 Bc5 
9.Qe2 Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Rad1 Qc7 12.Bxc5 bxc5 13.Qe3 Qa5 14.e5 Ng6 15.Be4 Nxe5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 
17.Qxe5 Qb4 18.Rd3 f5 19.Rb1 Rac8 20.a3 Qb8 21.Qxc5 Bxg2 22.Qe7 Bc6 23.Re1 Qf4 24.Rg3 Qh6 
25.b4 f4 26.Rg4 Rf6 27.Re5 Rg6 28.Rxg6 Qxg6+ 29.Rg5 Qh6 30.h4 Bf3 31.Rc5 Rxc5 32.bxc5 Qg6+ 
33.Qg5 Qxc2 0-1

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Liberzon,Vladimir M"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Qxf6 
9.0-0 d6 10.a4 0-0 11.a5 e5 12.Qe2 Nc6 13.a6 Bc8 14.d5 Ne7 15.Nd2 Ng6 16.Qe3 Nf4 
17.g3 Qg6 18.Kh1 Bh3 19.Rg1 Nxd3 20.cxd3 h5 21.f4 Qh6 22.Rge1 Bd7 23.fxe5 Qxe3 24.Rxe3 dxe5 
25.d4 Rae8 26.Nf3 f6 27.dxe5 fxe5 28.Kg2 Rf6 29.c4 Re7 30.Ng5 Rg6 31.h4 c5 32.Rc3 Rf6 
33.Ra2 Bg4 34.Rd3 Bc8 35.Rdd2 g6 36.Nf3 Kf8 37.Rd3 Bg4 38.Ng5 Ke8 39.Rad2 Kd7 40.Ne6 Re8 
41.Ng5 Kd6 42.Nh7 Rf7 43.Ng5 Rff8 44.Nh7 Rh8 45.Nf6 Ref8 46.Nxg4 hxg4 47.Rb3  1/2

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Torre,Eugenio"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "A47"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nd2 e6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Qc7 
9.a3 d5 10.e5 Nd7 11.b4 c4 12.Bc2 0-0-0 13.Nf1 Rdg8 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Nf8 16.f4 h6 
17.Bh4 Kb8 18.Ne3 Ne7 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.f5 Qg5 21.Qg4 Qxg4 22.Nxg4 exf5 23.Bxf5 Ne6 24.Rf1 Nd8 
25.Ne3 Re8 26.Rae1 Rhf8 27.Bg4 Ne6 28.Nf5 Rd8 29.Nd6 Ng5 30.h4 Rxd6 31.exd6 Ne4 32.Be6 f6 
33.d7 Rd8 34.Re3 Kc7 35.Bf5 Bc6 36.b5 Bxb5 37.Bxe4 dxe4 38.Rxe4 Rxd7 39.Rfe1 Ba4 40.Kf2 a5 
41.Re7 h5 42.R1e6 g5 43.hxg5 fxg5 44.Rxd7+ Bxd7 45.Re5 h4 46.Rxg5 h3 47.g4 Bc6 48.Kg3 Bg2 
49.Re5  1-0

Then an Im who has a lot of experience with the opening.

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Westerinen,Heikki MJ"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B27"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.0-0 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Nc3 Bc5 
9.Qe2 Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Rad1 Qc7 12.Bxc5 bxc5 13.Qe3 Qa5 14.e5 Ng6 15.Be4 Nxe5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 
17.Qxe5 Qb4 18.Rd3 f5 19.Rb1 Rac8 20.a3 Qb8 21.Qxc5 Bxg2 22.Qe7 Bc6 23.Re1 Qf4 24.Rg3 Qh6 
25.b4 f4 26.Rg4 Rf6 27.Re5 Rg6 28.Rxg6 Qxg6+ 29.Rg5 Qh6 30.h4 Bf3 31.Rc5 Rxc5 32.bxc5 Qg6+ 
33.Qg5 Qxc2 0-1

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Liberzon,Vladimir M"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B00"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Qxf6 
9.0-0 d6 10.a4 0-0 11.a5 e5 12.Qe2 Nc6 13.a6 Bc8 14.d5 Ne7 15.Nd2 Ng6 16.Qe3 Nf4 
17.g3 Qg6 18.Kh1 Bh3 19.Rg1 Nxd3 20.cxd3 h5 21.f4 Qh6 22.Rge1 Bd7 23.fxe5 Qxe3 24.Rxe3 dxe5 
25.d4 Rae8 26.Nf3 f6 27.dxe5 fxe5 28.Kg2 Rf6 29.c4 Re7 30.Ng5 Rg6 31.h4 c5 32.Rc3 Rf6 
33.Ra2 Bg4 34.Rd3 Bc8 35.Rdd2 g6 36.Nf3 Kf8 37.Rd3 Bg4 38.Ng5 Ke8 39.Rad2 Kd7 40.Ne6 Re8 
41.Ng5 Kd6 42.Nh7 Rf7 43.Ng5 Rff8 44.Nh7 Rh8 45.Nf6 Ref8 46.Nxg4 hxg4 47.Rb3  1/2

[Event "Geneve"]
[Site "Geneve"]
[Date "1977.04.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Torre,Eugenio"]
[Black "Larsen,Bent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "A47"]
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nd2 e6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Qc7 
9.a3 d5 10.e5 Nd7 11.b4 c4 12.Bc2 0-0-0 13.Nf1 Rdg8 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Nf8 16.f4 h6 
17.Bh4 Kb8 18.Ne3 Ne7 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.f5 Qg5 21.Qg4 Qxg4 22.Nxg4 exf5 23.Bxf5 Ne6 24.Rf1 Nd8 
25.Ne3 Re8 26.Rae1 Rhf8 27.Bg4 Ne6 28.Nf5 Rd8 29.Nd6 Ng5 30.h4 Rxd6 31.exd6 Ne4 32.Be6 f6 
33.d7 Rd8 34.Re3 Kc7 35.Bf5 Bc6 36.b5 Bxb5 37.Bxe4 dxe4 38.Rxe4 Rxd7 39.Rfe1 Ba4 40.Kf2 a5 
41.Re7 h5 42.R1e6 g5 43.hxg5 fxg5 44.Rxd7+ Bxd7 45.Re5 h4 46.Rxg5 h3 47.g4 Bc6 48.Kg3 Bg2 
49.Re5  1-0

In conclusion I think you should do some research your self. This is just a start. It may seem like an odd choice but lets not try to pass judgment with out first looking at it. I still like the positions it yields for black and I enjoy playing against it as white. however the only time i have to face it is when they decided to play 1...b6 against the birds opening. Look into it enjoy it. maybe even try it out.    

Oh forgive me. 1.e4 b6

I can't take this opening seriously and therefore I haven't learnt anything concrete against it yet. What is considered to be the best line for white? Btw what is this defence called?