Anime fans who flocked to see the latest work of renowned director Miyazaki Hayao did not know what to expect.

The film opened in Japan on Friday, shrouded in mystery.

Studio Ghibli shared no information about it prior to the release, except for its title and a poster with an image of a bird.

Miyazaki came out of retirement to direct “Kimitachi wa Do Ikiru ka,” or “How Do You Live?” – his first work in a decade.

Its production took him about seven years, including writing the movie's original screenplay.

“The story was profound. I want to think about it again myself.”

“It was good I could watch the movie without seeing any spoilers on the internet.”

Theaters are not selling any booklets about the film. The studio says it wants each audience member to be a blank slate, viewing the film with no preconceptions.