VICE Asia

There’s no shortage of overpowered main characters in the anime world. The tale of a scrappy young protagonist who can overcome literally any and every obstacle that comes their way—even when you think they’re backed into a corner—is a tried and tested formula of anime and manga, specifically in the shonen genre. That means there are countless characters who can potentially be dubbed the “strongest of all time.” But if every main character can overcome any and all obstacles that come their way, who would emerge the victor if all the anime universes converged into one battle royale? While no one can give a definitive answer, we try to answer that question anyway. You know, for scientific purposes. Here’s what anime fans said when confronted with one very difficult query. Who do you think is the strongest anime character? See the full list at the link in bio. 📷: Craig Barritt, Getty Images for New York Comic Con ✏️: @_nikkinat

Welcome to Elephant (@thatelephantparty). The community has been throwing parties in Metro Manila since 2017, hosting themed nights like the “BDSM Ball,” “80s Prom Night,” and “Drag Disco.” They consider themselves a “monthly moving parade.” The crowd is young, uninhibited, and unapologetic. The club where Elephant usually hosted its events shut down due to the pandemic, but they’ve found a new spot in another part of the city and are now picking up where they left off. “Who knows where we'll be next? Or what we’ll do next? The possibilities are endless,” co-founder Paul Jatayna, told VICE. “But for everyone who is now involved with Elephant, the mission at hand is crystal clear: Advocate and create more queer spaces.” “As a trans and queer collective, we want to do right by our people... Manila’s nightlife community in general needs to unlearn so much oppressive behavior and practices, and embrace new ways on how to value people,” said Shahani Gania, also a co-founder of Elephant. On June 25, Elephant will be hosting “Makibakla!” in celebration of #PrideMonth. The event’s name is a portmanteau of “makibaka,” the Filipino word for joining a battle, and “bakla,” which means “gay.” It’s a party, but it’s also a fight for equality, justice, and the right to safe spaces. Come as you are and dance ‘til you drop. 📷: @jackmarion_

There’s nothing wrong with throwing in the towel at midnight, if that’s your vibe. But there’s a certain sense of accomplishment, pride even, that comes with pushing the party to sunrise and beyond. Part of it is being impressed by—and grateful for—your own body. The same one that’s been getting back pains in the morning (admit it, aging millennial) somehow made it through a night of pumping and twirling. It’s also a bit of a middle finger to biological necessities, social norms, and capitalist habits. No, I did not get my eight hours of sleep. Yes, I know plenty of people feel like they have better things to do. And maybe I did call in sick for work. Guess what—I don’t regret any of it, and will likely do it all again as soon as I can. If you've ever wanted to go on dancing until sunrise and then some, I have good news—it’s a skill you can learn. Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience parties that I frankly never wanted to end. I went from being equal parts shocked, curious, and jealous at the sight of people who could keep the party going to finding myself thinking that 6 a.m. is when the party really gets started. Now, I’m happy to share some tips I’ve picked up from the people who taught me. More at the link in bio. 📷: Sawyer Brice, Unsplash ✏️: @romzno

With this generation’s shifting attitude towards work come new buzzwords. There’s “quiet quitting,” a new term for the old concept of “acting your wage.” In China, a bleaker term is born: “bailan,” or “let it rot” in English. It’s the youth’s response to the toxic “996” (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week) work culture and rising unemployment rate in the country. The movement has young people abandoning all hope and letting a crumbling situation just be. Some dejected and burnt out employees have resorted to submitting poor quality work, while others who lost their jobs have been living the life of a recluse. The term evolved from last year’s “tang ping” or “lying flat” movement, which is when employees cease to go above and beyond at work. But with China’s recurring COVID-19 lockdowns exacerbating unemployment rates and social immobility, many young people seem to have given up on a bright future altogether. The Chinese government, wary of “tang ping” and “bailan” going against the country’s socialist values, has made several attempts to take down posts, forums, and even merchandise supporting the movement. Unemployment among the youth in China has risen to a record-high at 19.9 percent in July, a stark contrast to 9.6 percent in 2018, when statistics were first recorded. 📷: Tara Winstead, Unsplash ✏️: @nikkibrillantes

As anthems for the growing pains of Gen Z, an air of vulnerability comes through in Gareth.T’s (@gareth_tong) soft melodies, a style that can be traced all the way back to when he was in primary school. That’s when he started playing piano and violin,” he told VICE over a video call from Hong Kong. The musician was sporting a new look to match his latest song “buzz cut,” which was released as a single in mid-September but serves as a sonic and thematic extension of his debut album “to be honest,” that dropped in May. “[It’s like] how Walter White in Breaking Bad cuts off all his hair. It kinda gives you the same feeling… you start to mold into a different person,” he said. Gareth.T grew up in Hong Kong and learned all he knows about music from YouTube tutorials. Before touching the R&B he’s known for now, he was surrounded by classical music from his mom. Then, a detour into Western hits—like Eminem and Rihanna—and Canto-pop stars like Endy Chow, Leo Ku, and Eason Chan. He draws inspiration from art, music, and videos before his time, and puts them into context today. Read more at the link in bio. 📷: Mario Chui ✏️: @basedsez

There’s no shortage of overpowered main characters in the anime world. The tale of a scrappy young protagonist who can overcome literally any and every obstacle that comes their way—even when you think they’re backed into a corner—is a tried and tested formula of anime and manga, specifically in the shonen genre. That means there are countless characters who can potentially be dubbed the “strongest of all time.” But if every main character can overcome any and all obstacles that come their way, who would emerge the victor if all the anime universes converged into one battle royale? While no one can give a definitive answer, we try to answer that question anyway. You know, for scientific purposes. Here’s what anime fans said when confronted with one very difficult query. Who do you think is the strongest anime character? See the full list at the link in bio. 📷: Craig Barritt, Getty Images for New York Comic Con ✏️: @_nikkinat

Welcome to Elephant (@thatelephantparty). The community has been throwing parties in Metro Manila since 2017, hosting themed nights like the “BDSM Ball,” “80s Prom Night,” and “Drag Disco.” They consider themselves a “monthly moving parade.” The crowd is young, uninhibited, and unapologetic. The club where Elephant usually hosted its events shut down due to the pandemic, but they’ve found a new spot in another part of the city and are now picking up where they left off. “Who knows where we'll be next? Or what we’ll do next? The possibilities are endless,” co-founder Paul Jatayna, told VICE. “But for everyone who is now involved with Elephant, the mission at hand is crystal clear: Advocate and create more queer spaces.” “As a trans and queer collective, we want to do right by our people... Manila’s nightlife community in general needs to unlearn so much oppressive behavior and practices, and embrace new ways on how to value people,” said Shahani Gania, also a co-founder of Elephant. On June 25, Elephant will be hosting “Makibakla!” in celebration of #PrideMonth. The event’s name is a portmanteau of “makibaka,” the Filipino word for joining a battle, and “bakla,” which means “gay.” It’s a party, but it’s also a fight for equality, justice, and the right to safe spaces. Come as you are and dance ‘til you drop. 📷: @jackmarion_

There’s nothing wrong with throwing in the towel at midnight, if that’s your vibe. But there’s a certain sense of accomplishment, pride even, that comes with pushing the party to sunrise and beyond. Part of it is being impressed by—and grateful for—your own body. The same one that’s been getting back pains in the morning (admit it, aging millennial) somehow made it through a night of pumping and twirling. It’s also a bit of a middle finger to biological necessities, social norms, and capitalist habits. No, I did not get my eight hours of sleep. Yes, I know plenty of people feel like they have better things to do. And maybe I did call in sick for work. Guess what—I don’t regret any of it, and will likely do it all again as soon as I can. If you've ever wanted to go on dancing until sunrise and then some, I have good news—it’s a skill you can learn. Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience parties that I frankly never wanted to end. I went from being equal parts shocked, curious, and jealous at the sight of people who could keep the party going to finding myself thinking that 6 a.m. is when the party really gets started. Now, I’m happy to share some tips I’ve picked up from the people who taught me. More at the link in bio. 📷: Sawyer Brice, Unsplash ✏️: @romzno

There’s no shortage of overpowered main characters in the anime world. The tale of a scrappy young protagonist who can overcome literally any and every obstacle that comes their way—even when you think they’re backed into a corner—is a tried and tested formula of anime and manga, specifically in the shonen genre. That means there are countless characters who can potentially be dubbed the “strongest of all time.” But if every main character can overcome any and all obstacles that come their way, who would emerge the victor if all the anime universes converged into one battle royale? While no one can give a definitive answer, we try to answer that question anyway. You know, for scientific purposes. Here’s what anime fans said when confronted with one very difficult query. Who do you think is the strongest anime character? See the full list at the link in bio. 📷: Craig Barritt, Getty Images for New York Comic Con ✏️: @_nikkinat

Welcome to Elephant (@thatelephantparty). The community has been throwing parties in Metro Manila since 2017, hosting themed nights like the “BDSM Ball,” “80s Prom Night,” and “Drag Disco.” They consider themselves a “monthly moving parade.” The crowd is young, uninhibited, and unapologetic. The club where Elephant usually hosted its events shut down due to the pandemic, but they’ve found a new spot in another part of the city and are now picking up where they left off. “Who knows where we'll be next? Or what we’ll do next? The possibilities are endless,” co-founder Paul Jatayna, told VICE. “But for everyone who is now involved with Elephant, the mission at hand is crystal clear: Advocate and create more queer spaces.” “As a trans and queer collective, we want to do right by our people... Manila’s nightlife community in general needs to unlearn so much oppressive behavior and practices, and embrace new ways on how to value people,” said Shahani Gania, also a co-founder of Elephant. On June 25, Elephant will be hosting “Makibakla!” in celebration of #PrideMonth. The event’s name is a portmanteau of “makibaka,” the Filipino word for joining a battle, and “bakla,” which means “gay.” It’s a party, but it’s also a fight for equality, justice, and the right to safe spaces. Come as you are and dance ‘til you drop. 📷: @jackmarion_

There’s nothing wrong with throwing in the towel at midnight, if that’s your vibe. But there’s a certain sense of accomplishment, pride even, that comes with pushing the party to sunrise and beyond. Part of it is being impressed by—and grateful for—your own body. The same one that’s been getting back pains in the morning (admit it, aging millennial) somehow made it through a night of pumping and twirling. It’s also a bit of a middle finger to biological necessities, social norms, and capitalist habits. No, I did not get my eight hours of sleep. Yes, I know plenty of people feel like they have better things to do. And maybe I did call in sick for work. Guess what—I don’t regret any of it, and will likely do it all again as soon as I can. If you've ever wanted to go on dancing until sunrise and then some, I have good news—it’s a skill you can learn. Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience parties that I frankly never wanted to end. I went from being equal parts shocked, curious, and jealous at the sight of people who could keep the party going to finding myself thinking that 6 a.m. is when the party really gets started. Now, I’m happy to share some tips I’ve picked up from the people who taught me. More at the link in bio. 📷: Sawyer Brice, Unsplash ✏️: @romzno

There’s no shortage of overpowered main characters in the anime world. The tale of a scrappy young protagonist who can overcome literally any and every obstacle that comes their way—even when you think they’re backed into a corner—is a tried and tested formula of anime and manga, specifically in the shonen genre. That means there are countless characters who can potentially be dubbed the “strongest of all time.” But if every main character can overcome any and all obstacles that come their way, who would emerge the victor if all the anime universes converged into one battle royale? While no one can give a definitive answer, we try to answer that question anyway. You know, for scientific purposes. Here’s what anime fans said when confronted with one very difficult query. Who do you think is the strongest anime character? See the full list at the link in bio. 📷: Craig Barritt, Getty Images for New York Comic Con ✏️: @_nikkinat