KotoriCon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids KotoriCon
Kotori, mascot of KotoriCon
Status	Defunct
Genre	Anime, Manga, Japanese pop culture, and Video games
Venue	Rowan College at Gloucester County
Location(s)	Sewell, New Jersey
Country	United States
Inaugurated	2010
Attendance	1,020 in 2018
Organized by	RCGC Japanese Anime Guild

KotoriCon was a fun, annual event for fans of anime, manga, and video games. It happened every January at Rowan College at Gloucester County in Sewell, New Jersey. The college's Japanese Anime Guild helped put it together. The name "KotoriCon" comes from a Japanese word meaning "little bird." This was inspired by the college's roadrunner mascot! KotoriCon was known for being a friendly event for the whole family. The very last KotoriCon was held in 2020.

What Happened at KotoriCon?

KotoriCon was packed with exciting activities for everyone! You could enjoy:

• Contests for making cool anime music videos
• An artists' alley where you could buy unique art
• Charity auctions to help good causes
• Funny comedians
• Awesome cosplay events where people dressed up as their favorite characters
• Dealers' rooms to buy anime, manga, and other cool stuff
• Special Jedi events for Star Wars fans
• Karaoke where you could sing your heart out
• Live performances and shows
• Exciting martial arts demonstrations
• Panels where experts talked about different topics
• Fun video game tournaments

KotoriCon's Charity Work

KotoriCon wasn't just about fun; it also helped many important charities! Each year, money raised at the convention went to different groups. These groups helped people and animals in need.

For example, in 2011, money went to Doctors Without Borders and Child's Play. Doctors Without Borders helps people get medical care around the world. Child's Play gives toys and games to kids in hospitals.

Other charities supported over the years included:

• Direct Relief, which helps people affected by emergencies.
• The Lauren Rose Foundation and Mothers Matters.
• Groups helping victims of Hurricane Sandy.
• Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), which helps people from North Korea.
• The AbleGamers Foundation, which helps people with disabilities enjoy video games.
• Pets for Vets, which connects shelter animals with veterans.
• The Indochinese-American Council and Seabrook Buddhist Temple.
• The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Fisher House Foundation.
• Samaritan's Purse, which helps people in crisis.
• The KotoriCon Scholarship Endowment, helping students.

A Look Back at KotoriCon's History

KotoriCon started in 2010 with a different name: the Gloucester County Anime Convention. In 2011, they even had video gaming on Friday night in the cafeteria! The convention grew and used three buildings at Gloucester County College. These were the Fine Arts Center, College Center, and The Instructional Center.

In 2012, the convention was held in two places. A concert by the band Eyeshine took place at Pitman High School. The main convention was still at Gloucester County College. By 2019, KotoriCon became so popular that they limited tickets to 1,500 attendees!

Past Events and Guests

Here's a look at some of the past KotoriCon events, including where they were held and some of the special guests who attended: