Kodama, according to Japanese legend, are spirits that inhabit trees. They are believed to retain immense supernatural powers, and have the ability to curse anyone that damages the trees that they live in. They are largely incidental characters in Princess Mononoke, which is one of Miyazaki's greatest but darkest films, but their silent appearances remain one of the film's most memorable aspects. The kodama resemble miniature ghosts with blank expressionless faces, and their appearances on screen are often accompanied by fearful responses from speaking characters. However, they never do any harm (a rarity in this film, which is dominated by violent warmongers), and instead serve as a typical example of Ghibli's ability to introduce simple images and characters that come to represent their films despite having little narrative purpose. Their connection to the forest that is being systematically dismantled in Princess Mononoke singles them out as cute but silent images of hope and nature.
