But that one just noped me right out for some reason.

I think it's because the shift is so abrupt and in the middle. If you're going to do something wildly different with your source, I prefer it to be signaled right at the start -- like, Constantine is an absolutely terrible Hellblazer movie, but since its starting scenario is "so let's say John Constantine is American," you kind of knew that going in. As a result, even my husband (who's a big Hellblazer fan) likes the film, because he can take it on its own terms.

I also suspect the midpoint veer in Hauru no ugoku shiro means it doesn't set up its eventual theme very well, but I'd have to watch the movie a second time to verify that, and . . . I don't really wanna. :-P