He rides Yakkuru, a beast that seems part horse, part antelope, part mountain goat. There are strange sights and adventures along the way, and we are able to appreciate the quality of Miyazaki's artistry. There are also brief, mysterious appearances of the spirit of the forest, who by day seems to be a noble beast, and at night a glowing light. Ashitaka eventually arrives in an area that is prowled by Moro, a wolf god, and sees for the first time the young woman named San. As Lady Eboshi's people gain one kind of knowledge, they lose another, and the day is fading when men, animals and the forest gods all speak the same language.
Slaves work the bellows of the forges, and lepers make the weapons.
But all is not black and white. The lepers are grateful that Eboshi accepts them. Her people enjoy her protection. Even Jigo, a scheming agent of the emperor, has motives that sometimes make a certain amount of sense. When a nearby samurai enclave wants to take over the village and its technology, there is a battle with more than one side and more than one motive.