What is the name of the deer-like forest spirit in 'Princess Mononoke'?

The deer-like forest spirit in Princess Mononoke is Shishigami.

Shishigami is the Japanese name commonly translated as the Forest Spirit or Deer God. In its daytime form, it resembles an unusual deer with a humanlike face and branching antlers. The spirit represents both life and death: flowers bloom beneath its feet, then wither almost immediately.

At sunset, Shishigami transforms into the enormous Night-Walker, a mysterious figure whose presence dominates the film’s climax. Lady Eboshi seeks to kill it because Jigo promises that the spirit’s head will grant immortality. Removing the head unleashes a destructive force that devastates the forest and Irontown.

Shishigami is often confused with the small Kodama, which are tree spirits seen throughout the forest. Moro is the wolf goddess, while Nago and Okkoto are boar gods. Shishigami is the central deity among these supernatural beings and embodies the film’s tension between nature and human industry.