Ashitaka is the last prince of the Emishi tribe, a group of warriors that had been defeated and scattered by the Yamato rulers of Japan. He is put under a curse by a demon monster that tries attacking the Emishi village. To try and remove the curse, Ashitaka leaves his village and travels west to find a cure.

Yakkuru is a large red elk, Ashitaka's trusted friend and traveling companion.

A Guardian God of the forest to the West. Nago is shot by Lady Eboshi and turns into a demon-monster, killing everything in his path. The demon attacks the Emishi village and is stopped by Ashitaka. Nago is the cause of Ashitaka's curse.

The overseer of the spiritual activities of the Emishi village. She explains to Ashitaka what his path has in store for him.

Monk, con man, keeper of the riflemen, Jigo is the cause for contention. He has been commissioned by the Emperor to bring back the head of the Forest Spirit.

Lady Eboshi is the mistress of Iron Town. She has plans to wipe out the forest and mine the iron ore out from the living earth. She works with Jigo to rid the forest of the Forest Spirit.

Gonza is Iron Town's Captain of the Guard. Acting as Lady Eboshi's right-hand-man, he's there at all times to protect her from would-be assassins and danger.

San, the Princess Mononoke, is the adopted human child of the Wolf God, Moro. She has been raised by the wolves and hates humans for their destruction of the forests. She has sworn to defend the forest and kill Lady Eboshi, even if she dies trying. A high spirited, feisty and energetic girl, she is also the object of affection of Ashitaka.

Moro is the Wolf God of the forest and head of the Wolf Clan. She has spent her life defending the Forest Spirit and is the voice of reason to the animals of the forest. Moro is also the adopted mother of San and the mother of two wolf "pups" that are the constant companions to San.

Kohroku is one of the ox drivers of Iron Town. He gets pushed off a cliff when the men of Iron Town are returning from selling their iron and the group is attacked by Moro and the wolves. He is a fairly lazy, cowardly man who is dominated in most respects by his wife, Toki.

The Kodama are the tree spirits of the forest. Small, white and ultimately cute, the Kodama are the signs of a healthy forest in Japanese mythology.

Toki is the energetic and very colorful leader of the women of Iron Town. She is the wife of Kohroku and keeps everyone in line in the Iron Works.

The Forest Spirit is the very life and being of the forest. He holds the powers of life and death for all living things. During the day, the Forest Spirit is a deer-like animal with a human face and large wooden antlers. At night, the Forest Spirit turns into the Nightwalker, a gigantic spirit that watches over the forest.

A proud and wise defender of the forest, Okkoto is the Boar God that plans to attack the humans and reclaim the forest with the aid of his tribe of boars.