I have to agree with ZephSilver's review. The movie is indeed hyper-realistic for a show made in the year 2000, great animation for it's time. With other great semi-realistic titles/shows such as Rurouni Kenshin, Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, and Akira (Some are 90s others 2000s), you will find this worth watching. It deserved the win for best movie of it's time. Jin-Rou is a realistic show with realistic characters that takes place in an alternative WW2 era in Japan. The theme of this movie is easy to figure out. There are some fade to black scenes-- without revealing the importance of said location or plot point which is classic narration technique. A lot of authors have their own way not revealing said information that is important for later (foreshadowing).
Most critics rate by how they feel about a movie or show than objectively. The ending is also left open ended for the audience. It gives off this dystopian feel as you don't really get to see most of the character's past lives that shaped them the way they are today. Not needed, since everyone in the story had all struggled from war. Love or duty. What it means to be human. What is sacrificed in the end. No one lives forever. Trust or lie. Man, beast or wolf. The prey or a predator. All lives are equal in that sense.
