 <unk> <unk> of <unk> Film praised the film , stating , " Not only is <unk> <unk> an essential film in the canon of Japanese animation , together with Kubrick 's 2001 and <unk> 's <unk> it completes a trio of book adaptations that transcend the popularity of their originals and [ give ] a new meaning to an already popular brand . " He ranked it # 48 of his personal favorites . Clark <unk> of Empire opined that the film was predictable , but praised its production values . <unk> Mays of Anime News Network praised the animation combined with the computer effects , calling it " perhaps the best synthesis ever witnessed in anime " . Helen McCarthy in 500 Essential Anime Movies describes the film as " one of the best anime ever made " , praising screenplay , an " atmospheric score " , and adding that " action scenes as good as anything in the current Hollywood blockbuster are supported by CGI effects that can still <unk> " . 
