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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IUP chapter.

After five long years after undergraduate work, I’m finally free from the constraints of the college life and might actually have the time to catch up on some reading of my own. So, one last time, I have some manga that I’d recommend checking out this summer!

Fullmetal Alchemist

by Hiromu Arakawa

The Lalaholding Beaker
Her Campus Media

In a world where anyone can learn the art of alchemy, everyone must abide by the rules of equivalent exchange: you cannot gain something without first giving up something of equal value.

Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric have committed one of the worst taboos in alchemy by trying to resurrect their mother. In a ritual gone wrong, one has lost an arm and leg, while the other lost his entire body and had his soul bound to a suit of armor. The two brothers are now on a journey to find a way to restore what they’ve lost.

Kaiju No. 8

by Naoya Matsumoto

In a world where giant monsters run rampant, 32-year old Kafka Hibino has always dreamed of joining the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, but has always fallen short of the requirements and has instead worked among the cleanup crew. When a new ally encourages him to try one last time, one last obstacle lands in Kafka’s lap. An obstacle that may just be the nail in the coffin that may soon contain Kafka’s career and life…

Kagurabachi

by Takeru Hokazono

Kunishige Rokuhira was a legendary swordsmith who forged six legendary blades, which were used to end a great war. One tragic day, he is brutally murdered by a mysterious group who stole the swords. His surviving son, Chihiro Rokuhira, wields the seventh and final blade to avenge his father and retrieve the six blades before they can be used for evil purposes.

So then, why would I include a picture of a sandwich? Read Kagurabachi to find out! :D

The Savior’s Book CafĂ© in Another World

by Kyouka Izumi, Oumiya, and Reiko Sakurada

A god has a habit of summoning people from one world to become a hero in another. An idea that is typically met with enthusiasm and determination.

This does not sound appealing to Tsukina, a woman in her thirties who just wants to live a peaceful life where she can spend her time reading. So naturally, she opens her own book cafĂ© in the middle of the woods. Which, honestly, is such a mood; I’d probably react similarly.

But this new world is determined to force her out of her bubble, as a love story begins to unfold between Tsukina and Il, a soldier from the neighboring kingdom and her only customer.

Things only get crazier from there…

And now: A sort of epilogue

Seeing as this is my final article, there’s only one thing left for me to say:

Thank you, Her Campus.

Thank you for giving me a voice to geek out about the different media that I like and allowing me to share my thoughts on storytelling tropes and videogame mechanics. I know it’s not the type of content that one would typically associate with the magazine, but I appreciate being given the creative freedom to write about them.

And even though I was only a part of this amazing community for a year, I formed friendships and memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Portia Coulter is a writer at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's HER Campus chapter. She covers topics in the entertainment industry, ranging from video games to animation. Portia is also an editor for Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s New Growth Art Review, having joined earlier this year. Some of her work has previously been published in the 2023 edition of the New Growth Art Review; they were also submitted to that year’s horror competition: a short story that won 2nd place and an art piece that won 3rd. Currently an English Literature/Culture major with a minor in Communications Media, Portia plans to graduate in May 2024 and pursue her dream of writing an original graphic novel series. In her free time, Portia likes to play video games (she has a crippling Genshin Impact addiction), watch cartoons, sing and dance, and is currently learning how to knit and crochet. She likes to create a plethora of different fan works for her favorite series, from art to short fiction. It also serves as a good way to hone her craft as an artist. An introvert at heart, Portia likes to hide in her room, curled up under a mountain of blankets, and watch the newest romance anime while she attempts to knit a scarf.