<P> The film was released in Japan on July 12, 1997, and in the United States on October 29, 1999 . It was a critical and commercial blockbuster, becoming the highest - grossing film in Japan of 1997, and also held Japan's box office record for its homemade films until 2001's Spirited Away, another Miyazaki film . It was dubbed into English and distributed in North America by Miramax, and despite a poor box office performance there, it sold well on DVD and video, greatly increasing Ghibli's popularity and influence outside Japan . </P> <P> In Muromachi Japan, an Emishi village is attacked by a demon . The last Emishi prince, Ashitaka, kills it before it reaches the village, but its corruption curses his right arm . The curse gives him superhuman strength, but will eventually spread through his body and kill him . The villagers discover that the demon was a boar god, Nago, corrupted by an iron ball lodged in his body . The village's wise woman tells Ashitaka that he may find a cure in the western lands Nago came from, but he cannot return to his homeland . </P> <P> Heading west, Ashitaka meets Jigo ("Jiko - bō" in the original Japanese version), a wandering monk, who tells Ashitaka he may find help from the Great Forest Spirit, a deer - like animal god by day and a giant "nightwalker" by night . Nearby, men herd oxen to Irontown ("Tataraba" in Japanese), led by Lady Eboshi, and repel an attack by a wolf pack led by the wolf goddess Moro . Riding one of the wolves is San, a human girl . Ashitaka discovers two injured Irontown men and carries them through the forest, where he encounters many kodama and glimpses the Forest Spirit . In Irontown, Ashitaka learns that Eboshi built the town by clearcutting forests to claim ironsand and produce iron, leading to conflicts with the forest gods and Asano, a local daimyō . Irontown is a refuge for social outcasts, including lepers employed to manufacture firearms; it was one of these guns that had wounded Nago . Eboshi also explains that San was raised by the wolves as one of their own and resents humankind . </P> <P> San infiltrates Irontown to kill Eboshi, but Ashitaka intervenes, knocking them both unconscious . As he leaves, he is shot by a villager, but the curse gives him the strength to carry San out of the village . San awakens and prepares to kill the weakened Ashitaka, but hesitates when he tells her that she is beautiful . She takes him to the forest, and decides to trust him after the Forest Spirit saves his life . A boar clan, led by the blind boar god Okkoto, plans to attack Irontown to save the forest . Eboshi prepares for battle and sets out to kill the Forest Spirit with Jigo, who is working for the government; she intends to give the god's head to the Emperor of Japan in return for protection from Lord Asano . According to legend, the Forest Spirit's head grants immortality . </P>

What is the forest spirit in princess mononoke