 How does the author feel San's relationship with Ashitaka changed her?
It's the beginning of what Bill McKibben called "the end of nature"--that is, when nature became no longer an autonomous, self-regulating force but one touched (and, in Miyazaki's view, poisoned) by human industry. San is first seen sucking a wound of her huge wolf mother, then, as the gore drips from her mouth, training her dark eyes on Ashitaka with feral hatred. It's a shame that the wolf princess warms up to Ashitaka and spends the rest of the film either saving him or being saved by him.
 The originally ferocious character loses some of her edge as she comes to care for Ashitaka.
 The character becomes bland as she comes to care for Ashitaka.  She becomes soft as she comes to care for Ashitaka.  The originally ferocious character loses some of her edge as she comes to care for Ashitaka.  San becomes slightly more sympathetic as she comes to care for Ashitaka.