San, otherwise known as Princess Mononoke or the "Wolf Girl," is the main character, along with Ashitaka, in Princess Mononoke. She acts, behaves, and resembles a wolf due to the fact that she was raised by wolves themselves. San is the Princess of the Wolf Gods.
When San was a baby, the wolf goddess Moro attacked her parents, who were found damaging the forest. Her parents threw San to her feet and ran away. Moro raised San as her own daughter, and in turn San treats Moro as her mother and Moro's two natural pups as her siblings.
San's primary concern is protecting the forest and the animals she lives with. San rejects her own humanity and even thinks of herself as a wolf. She has suicidal thoughts and attempts to assassinate Lady Eboshi of Irontown many times, as San believes that Eboshi's death will result in the end of Irontown and human growth into the surrounding, untouched forest. It is only by Ashitaka's affection to her that she slowly comes to acknowledge her human side as well.
After the battle for the Forest Spirit's head, San tells Ashitaka that he is very dear to her. However, she cannot forgive the human race for what they have done to the forest and will continue to live apart from them. San returns to the forest while Ashitaka remains in Irontown. Before separating, Ashitaka promises that he will always be near and he will visit her in the forest whenever he can. San reciprocates his declarations and leaves.
She is reprised by Claire Danes in the English dub and Yuriko Ishida in the Japanese dub.