Definitely a perfect case of "less is more"
It's a fantasy romance. The details of the transformation serve no part of the story, and would only be a distraction.
Philo's Law: To learn from your mistakes, you have to realize you're making mistakes.

I really don't think they could do it any better. The only thing CGI might add would be more impressive backgrounds and more detail on the human-to-animal transformation scenes.
The real backgrounds were perfect, just as they were, and they way they shot just hints of the transformations was moving and tantalizing, for me. Watching Isabo actually grow a beak would just be grotesque.

• Crazy. All crazy but I'm.