Entertainment: The Logan Effect (aka the Post-Hero), and where it can be found in other similar works of fiction

There's been a certain trend in entertainment lately, wherein instead of starry-eyed, young, energetic heroes are found under the spotlight, rugged, bearded, tired old men have been the protagonists of stories. Wisecrack's video perfectly sums this up in what they have dubbed the Post-Hero, but they did this by only mentioning Logan, God of War, and The Last Jedi; I can name several more protagonists and shows that fit the archetype and aesthetics as they're more prevalent than it seems.

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I've personally dubbed this trend The Logan Effect even if Logan wasn't the first work of fiction to exhibit it. The reason behind this is because Logan might just arguably be the most well-known piece of media if I were to make a complete list. The Logan Effect is categorized most predominantly by an aged, bearded protagonist, well beyond his prime in terms of fighting. He is someone with nothing left to lose. He will often be accompanied by a sidekick that is youthful, and act as an idealistic foil to the  rugged protagonist's cynical outlook. The protagonist of the story and the sidekick will not get along at first, -- there may be some serious fighting between them during the story -- but in time they warm up to each other to make for some endearing character development moments. Also much like how Logan increases the amount of gore compared to its predecessors, those that exhibit the Effect will be bloody. Very very bloody.

Hopefully that description isn't too vague for the readers. Below are some items in fiction that portray the Logan Effect (i.e. they're basically a bunch of stuff with violent old men as protagonists).

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)

Admittedly, this one is slightly stretching it, since the only thing this video game has that can be called Logan Effect-ish is the protagonist. However I do actually think that this is the very first instance of the Logan Effect, way back in 2008. I also believe that this was the very first instance of an action video game protagonist over the age of 50 (Snake isn't actually above the age of 50, but his rapidly deteriorating physiology definitely seems like it).

Metal Gear Solid's 4th entry into the series introduced us to Old Snake. A war veteran way past his prime due to being a war machine born from a test tube. Snake is thrust into the battlefield once more to finish a long war to prevent the proliferation of giant war machines capable of launching nukes. Old Snake was the same protagonist for two of the previous main installments into the series. He still exuded a tough professional sort of personality in the other games, but it was in Metal Gear Solid 4 that we got to see him tired of fighting, and of humanity's insatiable greed that relentlessly innovates and lubricates the gears of war. Old Snake's combat skills have gotten rusty due to aging; he isn't as spry as he used to be.

2. The Last of Us (2013)

This video game has a very strong resemblance to Logan, and I daresay Logan actually took some inspirations from this video game (Even the director of the video game tweeted how much Logan reminded him of TLoU's protagonist, Joel). The Last of Us would probably win against all the other items on this list if we were to pit them against each other based on which one exudes the most Logan Effect.

The Last of Us brings us to a dystopian world brought to ruin by a horrifying fungal infection that turns people into faceless flesh-eating zombies. We play as Joel, an old man who was there when society succumbed to the disease. For most of the duration of the game, he's accompanied by Ellie, a sincere spunky girl. Very much like Logan, Joel and Ellie travel together across the dangerous country because Joel has been tasked to deliver Ellie to the destination safe and sound.

3. Bioshock Infinite (2013)

Bioshock Infinite is another 2013 video game that exudes some Logan Effect, more or less. It's a bit more steampunk and sci-fi than the average story with the Logan Effect, but it checks out because of the reluctant hero and endearing character development between hero and sidekick. The one major crime that nearly disqualifies it from this list is the fact that the protagonist doesn't don a beard.

We play as Booker DeWitt, a former Pinkerton agent turned private investigator. He's tasked with taking a woman, Elizabeth, from where she's kept, to Booker's employers so that they can wipe away his debt. The whole task becomes a lot more complicated when Booker finds out that Elizabeth is held captive in a floating city, and she turns out to be far more special and extraordinary than Booker could imagine.

4. Samurai Jack (2017)

Samurai Jack's fifth and final season makes it on this list thanks to its brutal fight scenes that reflect how much the show has matured with its audience, much like how Logan did. Jack's mighty new beard also definitely helps to have it on the list. Although the show's promotional material only show Jack as the protagonist, he's also accompanied by a sidekick after the first half of the season that gives him a new perspective on things.

The show made a big splash on the internet when news of an M-rated fifth and final season of the classic cartoon was going to be aired on 2017. Much time has passed since the happenings of the previous seasons of Samurai Jack, wherein we saw the noble samurai, flung into the future by the evil entity Aku, travel wide and far to find some way to travel back in time. His search has proven fruitless, and Jack has begun wandering the world as a mere husk of his former self while being relentlessly hunted by Aku's fiercest warriors.

5. Red Dead Redemption (2010)

Red Dead Redemption perfectly encapsulates the Post-Western genre, which is where the Post-Hero borrows heavily from as mentioned by Wisecrack in their video. As such, even though the protagonist of our story here doesn't have a sidekick, its story, themes, and aesthetic all make it ooze with so much Logan Effect.

The star of our story is John Marston, an ex-outlaw who quit his life of crime to live his remaining days as a family-man as far away from violence as possible. John's past bites him in the back when government agents force him to work for them to track down the remaining members of his gang, otherwise he won't see his family again. John Marston reluctantly goes back to the path of violence one last time to safe his family and the life he's worked so hard to build.


And there you have it. That's a short list of items I've seen that reminded me of the Post-Hero, and subsequently, Logan. I'm sure if I thought about it more I'd add some other stuff to the list, but I'm afraid I'd be stretching it already. All of the titles I mentioned above work well with a Logan Style Trailer which is a trend in video editing lately. A beautiful perfect example is the video below.



Do you have any other titles that you believe captures the same essence of Logan, or the Post-Hero? Leave a comment below and let's talk about it :)

Other: Watching the growth of a Crested Bunny Ears cactus

My girlfriend at work once purchased a Crested Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia Microdasys) that's been sitting at her desk for about half a year now. She has a natural green thumb so she's been regularly watering the plant twice weekly out of instinct. I'm kinda envious because I've had potted plants on my desk as well but I can't seem to keep them alive very long.  My girlfriend's cactus (affectionately called Lulu) has been growing surprisingly fast. Below are pictures of her as she's been growing up:

Picture taken when Lulu first came and settled in the office in May 2018

When Lulu first came in the office like this, I had half-expected she'd stay the same size all throughout the course of our time in the office, or that she'd wither away (given my experiences with plants, and not knowing that my girlfriend knows well how to take care of them.)

After 3 months, Lulu began growing a tiny stub on her right ear at the beginning of August 2018

It's very small but there's no mistaking it that something was growing on Lulu's right ear. It grew quickly in August, as the tiny stub got longer and reached higher and higher.

Lulu's stub a week after it's first appearance, still in August 2018

After yet another week into August, Lulu's stub was a stub no longer.

Lulu's current state, this December 2018

I'd like to add that writing on the whiteboard behind Lulu became a bit tricky now that Lulu got so much bigger than when she first got to the office. Lulu's bite stings and the pain can last for days if you don't wash the inflicted area. It's not that her spines were poisonous; they're actually just very minute in size, almost as if they're tiny clumps of hair. They detach from the cactus when you come into contact with it. The spines cling to your skin like they're tiny splinters and it hurts when you touch them. Since there's way too many to pull out using tweezers, washing the area is the only option.

With all of that said, we love Lulu all the same. She's been growing nicely underneath the fluorescent light of the office and cool, office air conditioner air. Her positive disposition can always brighten up the day.

Food: Dough Creamery puts a delectable twist on a frozen treat

Dough Creamery -- the very same Dough Creamery listed down in Zomato's Bago Bantay -- is a new food kiosk that opened up in SM North Edsa, on December 7, 2018. It can be found on the Second Floor of the North Towers. It's hard to miss with its iconic blue-and-white themed logo, plus it's the first food stand you'll see when you turn the corner.

I'd love to give this store a 5-star rating on Google Maps, but the shop isn't on the map yet (literally...) Nevertheless, I want to write about the shop now, and that's the whole point of having a blog, so my experiences and observances are as below.

The sign is a bit bright, but Dough Creamery is open for business behind me.

They offer three types of frozen treats: The Spindle, Ice Dog, and the Waffle Pop. As the name of the shop and some of the menu items imply, the food they serve are made by combining bread and ice cream one way or another. It's no secret that Filipinos are fond of Sorbetes (dirty ice cream) sandwiched between hamburger buns. Dough Creamery also offers some ice cream-themed beverages, such as soda floats, and Matcha milk tea floats.

Since the shop just opened when I checked it out, the Ice Dog, Waffle Pop  and the drinks weren't available yet, so it was just me and the Spindle. I was able to order and enjoy a plain Spindle at the fair price of 69Php.

The spindle as a whole is big and delicious relative to the price. On one hand, there's just about enough ice cream to go around to satisfy one person, and Dough Creamery's unique, deep-fried bread cone is firm and quite filling. On the other hand, the ice cream isn't very special, and it melts fairly quickly; the bread cone is unique, but it's a bit too smooth for its paper sleeve; so you have to be careful to keep the spindle from slipping out of your grip.

Dough Creamery's Menu (sorry if it's a bit blurry and distant)

If you want to add a bit more flavor to your spindle (or ice dog, or waffle pop) you can avail for either their special or premium toppings (for a small price), which they drizzle all over your ice cream. There are plenty to choose from, like Cheese or Caramel under Special, and Peanut Butter & Blueberry Jelly under Premium.

My first visit to Dough Creamery was quite pleasant. I haven't eaten ice cream in a long while and it was a good reminder on why we should be having this frozen treat as a desert way more often. The employees and the people running the shop were very enjoyable to talk to, and they were also very accommodating. If you're a huge fan of icy treats then you'd surely be coming back to Dough Creamery every now and then to satisfy that craving.

Travel: Osaka Japan, and the areas around it

Back in June 2018, Me and my family took a week off to take a vacation at Osaka, Japan. July isn't the most ideal season to visit Japan, because it's neither snowing, nor are the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom -- It's best to be there from December-February and March-April to see the snow and Cherry Blossoms, respectively. It's summer in Osaka during July, which makes it quite hot and humid. It's still a bit colder than the Philippines though. We've visited several of the must-sees like Osaka Castle, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Dotonburi, and Nara Park. Below are some of the places in Osaka less traveled that I took pictures of.

For the most part, it was sunny and cloudless in Japan

While we were there, we went on an errand to find a car horn for my mom's superior at work. The particular car horn that we were looking for wasn't available anywhere in the Philippines, so we had to scour the local car shops for it. The detour in search for the car horn gave us the opportunity to walk around the suburban streets of Osaka Japan. The sun shone bright, but it wasn't that hot.

The rustic car repair shops along the roads somehow appear surprisingly tidy and organized.

When we were done with this, we found Den Den town, a hub for animation and video game enthusiasts. I think it's worth noting that there are areas in this place that are not suitable for kids. I have heard stories that it is like a miniature Akihabara in Tokyo, but it will do when it comes to satisfying cravings for figures and merchandise for those interested in those sort of things.

Me holding a life-size keyblade.

Near the hotel where we're staying at was a busy intersection for the citizens of Osaka to walk around in. It's immensely busy during rush hour periods because everyone is rushing to get to work or to get home. Some of the locals have taken this large flow of people as an opportunity to promote their own things. We've seen some aspiring idols singing and dancing during the rush hour to get more attention for themselves, and below is a video of a somewhat unusual street performer that captivated our attention.

He was both a magician and a dancer that was not part of our itinerary. His act was amusing, but just like with all street performers regardless of where you are in the world, you have to be careful of watching; you might be surprised because by the end they may ask to charge you, and it's hard to say no once they do.

That was just icing on the cake on some of the things I've seen in Japan. I haven't delved into their food, the attractions, and the hotel room we stayed in, which has a few surprises of its own. The whole trip along with the accommodations is considerably pricey, especially if you're from the Philippines, but as it is with all travels, I don't regret spending so much at all. It's all definitely worth it.

They say that Japan is so good you have to visit it twice, and I absolutely agree. Where will I go on my next visit, I wonder? That's food for thought in the meantime.

Fitness: What I wish I knew before participating in a Modeling Contest

My montage used for the competition.

On August 26, 2018, Tronix Imaging Center opened up applications for their Image Model 2018-2019 contest. There are several categories to choose from (depending on what age and gender bracket the participant falls under) and application for the contest is to remain open until December 31, 2018. Lucky winners will be picked by judges based on the following criteria:

• Appeal
• Projection
• Expression
• Confidence.

They did not provide much details on the criteria, but grand winners for each of the categories will receive 20,000Php in prize money along with several gift certificates and other goodies.

In addition to this, Tronix has an online voting competition which can be accessed here -- note that the link will prompt you to log in to your Facebook and like their official page before you can proceed any further -- and participants with the most number of votes will win their own set of prizes, albeit not as glamorous as the prizes of the grand winners. One important caveat about the online votes is that they do NOT have any bearing at all on the final decision of the judges for the grand winners.

I heard about the contest from my local Tronix Imaging Center branch, which had posters of the competition displayed just outside the store. I gave it considerable thought before I applied for the contest, and after much deliberating, I decided to go along with it. Before anybody says it, I would like to beat them to the punch: no, I am fairly certain that narcissism and vanity did not delude me into joining this contest. Below are lessons that I wish I knew before I joined that I eventually learned:

1. Application for the contest is fairly quick and painless

The application process took only an hour and a half at most, and that already includes waiting in line to use the photo studio. Once you inquire about the contest at the counter, the receptionists will ask you for two things:

• A photocopy of your birth certificate
• 349Php for the picture package they'll be using for the contest

Once you have those, the kind receptionists will provide you with all the necessary forms wherein you'll fill in your basic info such as your name, email address and phone number so that they can contact you. When you're done with that they'll hand some flyers with all the important information to keep you updated. The whole affair of handing them your documents and filling out the forms will take about 30 minutes.

You can then decide if you'd want to have your picture taken for the contest already, or you can do it another time. Since you've already paid for the pictures I highly suggest that you go through it right away, even more so since it'll take them a few days to edit the pictures.

2. Bring more than one set of clothes

When I went to apply for the competition, I had a feeling that the photo shoot would take place at the same time so I wore clothes that I knew I looked good in, but I could have done better than that. Don't get me wrong my photographer said I looked great, but she also asked if I had another set of clothes I wanted to try out. Their other model competition participants prepared all sorts of clothes that they put on for their own photo shoots.

3. Already have some poses in mind for the photo shoot

Your photographer will have some poses in mind, but it'd be great if you came in prepared with your own poses. The photo studio should have a small movable staircase that you could sit on if you'd like to pose that way. Confident, open, and smiling poses are most attractive, and it's the norm among all the contestants.

4. You'll be taking several photos, but only a few of them will be used for the final output

I already knew this from the beginning, but nonetheless, it still feels kind of disappointing to know that the particular shots wherein you feel you look the best don't end up on the final selection. Your photographer will be taking dozens of shots, but in the end they'll only be using three pictures of you.

I mentioned that I carefully thought about joining the competition. What finalized my decision was that when it comes down to it, I simply thought it'd be fun to join, and it'd be a great story to tell one day. I also thought that it'd be worth it, because the age limit to joining was 24 years old and below. I'm already 23. If this competition doesn't accept applicants older than that, then what of the other competitions? I would have regretted not joining any modelling competition when I get old.

I recommend everyone give any competition they're interested in a shot. If by any chance you don't succeed the first time, you'll learn just like I did, and do better on the next competition, right? I'm looking forward to more things out there that I could learn. What other things are there to know about modelling?