In February 2004, Cinefantastique listed the anime as one of the "10 Essential Animations", citing the show's "dark themes and Tezuka's use of sci-fi as a conduit to address such issues as war and intolerance."
In February 2004, Cinefantastique recognized the anime among its "10 Essential Animations" due to its "dark themes and Tezuka's application of sci-fi to discuss topics like war and intolerance."