Nothing is beyond Appare Sorrano"s ambition, the socially awkward inventor from a modest rural Japanese town in the late 1800s. Since childhood he has been captivated by steamships that can bridge vast distances; from various scientific treatises he has learned to craft a variety of machines. His aspiration is to traverse the sea, cross the sky, and ultimately reach the far side of the moon.
A chain of mishaps leaves Appare stranded at sea aboard his tiny steamship. Beside him drifts Kosame Ishikki, a skilled yet fearful samurai whose job is to curb Appare"s eccentricities. When all seems hopeless, a large steamship rescues them and carries them to Los Angeles. With no funds or itinerary, they opt to enter the "Trans‑America Wild Race," offering Appare a chance to construct his own automobile and giving Kosame the cash prize needed to return home. Yet, amid rival racers and unforeseen wilderness trials, how far will this journey carry Appare and Kosame?
