While the film was ultimately about how hatred and violence only leads to bad things, it's still great when Ashitaka steps up to fight, whether it's simply to break up a fight between San and Eboshi, or CATCH A DAMN ARROW AND SEND IT BACK.
Ashitaka is made of these. In particular is when he opens the door that takes the strength of ten men to open, while carrying San and with a blood pouring from a gunshot wound through his torso.
And then, there's one part where he bends a sword in half like paper!
Which was really just the final moment in a chain of Awesome. Starting with tossing a massive beam of wood to keep the townsfolk from attacking a stunned San, and reaching a pinnacle as he plows through the crowd, all tranquil fury, to break up said fight. Like a boss.
San busting into the village by herself, surviving getting shot in the face and taking on Lady Eboshi by herself is BADASS.
On the flipside, Lady Eboshi was taking a on a woman who literally ran through her village with a Smug Smile on her face without breaking a sweat.
Lady Eboshi. She buys up the bond of every brothel girl she meets and gives them a new and better life in Irontown. Also, she kills gods.
How about taking a bunch of lepers and turning them into military engineers?
Moro, having just used the last of her strength to pull San free from Akoto and is being consumed by the death slime, opens her eyes when she hears Lady Eboshi's voice and just her head dives towards Eboshi and bites off her arm in revenge.
Ashitaka watches Sen's attack on Eboshi's people for a while, then finally has enough. He marches straight to where the two of them are fighting, effortlessly bending Ganza's sword on the way, then holds both Sen and Eboshi at bay as his cursed wound reveals itself to everyone. He proceeds to let everyone know just what will happen to them if they let this war continue.
"Look everyone! This is what hatred looks like! This is what it does when it catches hold of you! It's eating me alive and very soon now it will kill me. Fear and anger only make it grow faster."
Keep in mind he proceeded to carry San out of the encampment, lifting a gate requiring ten men ONE-HANDED and after being shot through the chest.
Ashitaka's practically a walking Moment of Awesome. The guy may speak softly, but when he tells you to back off, YOU BETTER LISTEN TO HIM.
Lady Eboshi gets her Anti-Villain moment late in the movie. "Okay, watch closely. I'm going to show you how to kill a god." Badass.
