Mika Layda

Body horror: Redefining girlhood and growing pains

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of sexual harassment, rape, and violence. GORY AND grotesque in nature, the horror genre could easily be perceived as an unwelcoming territory for women-centric stories. Slasher films in particular have a historically problematic relationship with sex and violence. “Final girls” in horror films are often women who tend to […]

By Mika Layda and Bella Yara

December 2, 2023

By Mika Layda and Bella Yara • December 2, 2023

CONquest 2023: Bridging fans and creators alike

GAMING AND pop culture convention CONQuest Festival 2023 is finally coming to Manila from June 2 to 4 at the SMX Convention Center, Conrad Manila, Mall of Asia (MoA), and National University MoA.  CONQuest goes beyond the typical creator convention as it bridges the gap between fans while highlighting the local esports scene. Through the […]

By Mika Layda

June 1, 2023

By Mika Layda • June 1, 2023

I grew up on coming-of-age stories, and I think I’ve romanticized them too much

My teen years felt like the abyss between adulthood and childhood: I wasn’t exactly a kid anymore, but I was far too immature to function like a grown-up. In this gap of uncertainty was a vision board of coming-of-age films, music, and TV shows that served as my navigator into this unknown stage of my […]

By Mika Layda

March 22, 2023

By Mika Layda • March 22, 2023