A sake bomb is a popular cocktail made by dropping a shot of sake into a glass of beer, the combination of which is then chugged as quickly as possible. It was unfamiliar to Japanese-born director Junya Sakino when he first arrived in the U.S. Although the drink was ubiquitous in the sushi restaurants of Southern California, where he had moved to attend film school, he had never heard of it before in his native Hiroshima.

Sake bombs never grew on Junya (he prefers each element of the drink on its own), but he did learn to appreciate the fusion of cultures it represented. In his latest feature film of the same name, Junya explores the unique culture of Asian-Americans, which, in its blending of two heritages, becomes something entirely new and different. Sake-Bomb follows Asian-American Sebastian, an internet blogger intent on exposing prejudices, and his cousin Naoko, who comes from the countryside of Japan to seek out an ex-girlfriend. The two cousins embark on a road trip through California to find her, and encounter anime fan clubs, racist cops, and the realization that everyone is more than they appear to be at first — for better or worse.