I think Eboshi is actually evil, but she’s charismatically evil so it comes off different.
She allows her own people to be bombed, she abandons the wounded from her caravan, and she’s effectively tricked the lepers into working to death for her. She could have given up on the forest spirit many times, but left irontown under siege so she could have a chance at killing a god.
She only cares about her people so long as they’re empowering her. She listened to Ashitaka talk balance but the minute he went to enforce it, she tried to kill him.
Every time she apologizes and says she will do better, and people forgive her, but she doesn’t actually change her ways.
I think this is why Ashitaka ultimately stays in the town - To basically keep her on the path and to her word. (I don’t recall if he literally says that)
Tangent: Who is the protagonist in that film?
Nobody. The film is about balance. Ashitaka spends the entire time trying to get better perspective and ask everyone to calm down.
Sen is stuck between worlds. Ashitaka is dragged into conflict.
Even Lady Eboshi is highly nuanced, caring for people and defending her clan, but she comes to a different belief about nature in the end.
The only baddie in my eyes was the emissary to the daimyo (or Lord, can’t recall), and he was just serving his master.
I think Eboshi is actually evil, but she’s charismatically evil so it comes off different.
She allows her own people to be bombed, she abandons the wounded from her caravan, and she’s effectively tricked the lepers into working to death for her. She could have given up on the forest spirit many times, but left irontown under siege so she could have a chance at killing a god.
She only cares about her people so long as they’re empowering her. She listened to Ashitaka talk balance but the minute he went to enforce it, she tried to kill him.
Every time she apologizes and says she will do better, and people forgive her, but she doesn’t actually change her ways.
I think this is why Ashitaka ultimately stays in the town - To basically keep her on the path and to her word. (I don’t recall if he literally says that)
At the end she says they’ll forge a new relationship with nature and has a redemption arc.
Well done!