I’m not saying they aren’t antagonists. Villains by definition are cruel. Jigo and Eboshi don’t act out of cruelty. They think their actions are the appropriate way to survive in a rapidly changing world.

Eboshi is socialism. She cares for the people in her village and will overthrow gods and warlords to protect them. She’s in direct conflict with the forest gods and has what she thinks is an opportunity to bring peace. She’s willing to put herself in jeopardy for her people. I have never assumed anything but her pure altruism for the people of her village. She’s the type of leader you want to protect you and don’t want to be up against. That protection doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and just like historically socialist societies, she’ll use violence to achieve what she sees as ideal.

Jigo is capitalism; self centered and money motivated. He’s just a bounty hunting mercenary. He doesn’t care about the consequences, just about getting his job done. He does have some loyalties and is very honest about his approach to the world. The men he eliminates are not his men, but local samurai who are the least morally ambiguous. He’s not a hero trying to protect Irontown from the same samurai, but at the same time, he needs to ensure he comes out with the prize, otherwise he doesn’t get paid. He’s calculated and efficient, and his men actually kill two birds with one stone.