His Studio Ghibli – the artistic force behind Spirited Away, for which he won an Oscar in 2003, My Neighbour Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle – took the unusual step of keeping details of the plot secret.

Speculation about How Do You Live? had been building for months, not least because it is expected to be the last by the 82-year-old, who spent five years making the film after reversing a decision to retire.