Prince Ashitaka: A Character Analysis

Ashitaka: The Beginning of His Journey

Ashitaka, from the beginning of the film, is established as the Prince of a small village. The film begins with him watching a demonic presence slowly approach his village. He battles with this demon and wins, saving his village. Unfortunately, this victory comes at a cost. When the demon strikes his arm, Ashitaka is cursed with the mark of Hatred, the very Hatred that possessed the demon he defeated. He meets with an oracle and the village elders. The oracle tells him that the mark will spread and kill him. It is then decided that Ashitaka should be exiled for the safety of the village. He cuts his hair to signify he is no longer part of their culture, and leaves.

Inside of the demon, which was characterized as a giant boar, was a bullet. This bullet, and the pain it inflicted, was ultimately what turned the boar into a demon. Considering the film's setting appears to take place during Japan's own Industrial Revolution, guns were a rare commodity, and the only place they could be assumed to be found was in a distant city in the West called "Iron Town" which is lead by the ruthless Lady Eboshi.

Before he leaves, one of the elders tells Ashitaka, "You cannot alter your fate, my prince. However, you can rise to meet it if you choose." So, Ashitaka heads to Iron Town in an effort to confront Lady Eboshi, hoping to appeal to her humanity and end any further violence against the natural world. Ashitaka agreeing to leave behind his own village, his own comfortable, royal lifestyle of high respect and social standing, says a lot about him as a character. As disappointed as he is with this outcome, the safety and protection of his people always comes first in his mind. In most other films, developing a protagonist to this level of humility and strength of character would be the plot of the film, but it almost feels as though Ashitaka had already underwent his character development before the film had even begun.

Ashitaka is a rare example of the stagnant protagonist. Throughout the rest of the film, his principles, ideology, and overall character remains the same. He does not grow or change as a person. Instead, he overcomes challenges with his already established firm resolve, humility, and strength. One could view this as a boring character to watch, if it weren't for the suffering he undergoes throughout the film, as well as how the other characters grow and change due to the impact he has on them. I will get more into both of those aspects as we go on. Thanks for reading.