Ashitaka

The prince of the dying Emishi tribe, Ashitaka is forced to cut his hair leave his village in order to seek the removal of his curse. He has amazing skills with archery and swordsmanship, but with his curse it becomes even greater and can cut off heads with just one arrow. He is the main character of the story, regardless of the title. Ashitaka is the only person (using the term loosely...) in the film that takes no stance in the established sides of the conflicts the movie deals with. He wants the fighting and hatred to stop, but between the Mononoke of the forest, Lady Eboshi's people, and the Emperor's assassin monks all know that stopping the fight would be suicide unless they all stopped at once. He is torn also by the girl named San, which he has a thing for her also.

San

San is the adopted daughter of Moro. She was thrown down by her real parents as they ran from Moro. Moro let them live because they had offered their daughter up to her, but raised the child instead of eating her. San is the Mononoke Hime, the Princess of the Spirits, and she takes no part of the human threat that looms at the edge of the forest. She hates humans in general, but is sworn to kill Lady Eboshi and kind of has the “thing” with Ashitaka.

Shishigami/Great Forest Spirit

The Shishigami is by far the most powerful of any of the gods, but it rarely uses it's powers. It has the power to grant and take away life. It is the Shishigami's magic that keeps the other gods from having only animals as children, and disappearing from existence. Legend has it that it's head (also translated as blood) grants immortality...

Didarabocchi/Night Stalker

This is what the Shishigami becomes at night. The Didarabocchi patrols the forest by night. It is a sin to look directly at it, as it is the culmination of all natural magic.

Lady Eboshi Gozen

Eboshi Gozen is the leader of Iron Town. She is kind to all who work under her and always puts their needs before her own. She even takes care of the lepers who work for her. Although she seems callous to their deaths when Moro attacks a convoy she is leading, she is just trying to keep those who survived alive. Worrying for the dead would do nothing to help. She wants to raze the forest so that Iron Town can mine for ore underneath it.

Gonza

Gonza is Lady Eboshi's bodyguard. Although it is obvious that she could easily best him in a fight she still needs him for her second in command, though.

Hii Sama

Hii Sama is the elder priestess in the Amishi village. She is the one who treats Ashitaka's wound initially.

Jiko Bou

Jiko Bou is a deadly assassin-priest, and maintains an army of assassins. He wants to get the head of the Shishigami to the get the reward of a mountain of gold the Emperor is offering for it. He has a kind heart, but is cunning and has a greed that outweighs his kindness. Jiko wears special Japanese sandals with one long peg coming out of the bottom and is a very proficient fighter with them.

Toki and Koroku

Koroku is the jittery man that Ashitaka saves from the forest (he was thrown down during an attack Moro led on a convoy to Iron Town), and the husband of Toki. Toki has a tendency to yell at Koroku and he is very subservient to her.

Moro

<- behind San

Moro is San's adopted mother, and the queen of the forest. She is a wolf god and has two tails, which bears the association of kitsune (a Japanese fox god). She has two sons who are hers biologically. She bears a deep hatred towards the humans (although not as strong as San's, which extends in part to all humans, and is less rational), but particularly Lady Eboshi. She is 300 years old, and very introspective.

Okkotonushi/Lord Okkoto

Okkotonushi is a very wise and very old god. He is a 500 years old boar god, and blind, but still leads his tribe and is their unquestioned leader. Later in the movie, due to his stubbornness, becomes a tatara gami (kind of like a demon) like Nago did in the beginning.

Nago no Kami/Lord Nago

The only time we get to see Nago is when he has already become a demon from hatred and fear of dying. He attacks Ashitaka's village in the opening scene, and when Ashitaka kills him, curses the young man with a mark that will kill him... The shot that turned him into a demon (essentially a god dies before becoming a demon) was fired by Lady Eboshi.

Kodama

The Kodama are luck bringing spirits that are born from trees. They aren't really very intelligent, but they are very much like children, and don't seem to understand any of the conflict.

Yakul/Yakarue

He is the loyal steed of Ashitaka. He’s a half-breed of deer and half-breed of antelope with brisk legs that can jump on anything, helping Ashitaka get away from enemies.