Artists, maid dresses and colorful wigs crowded the rooms of the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center on Saturday, Feb. 7, for Austin’s annual Kōmori Con. Cosplaying as their favorite anime characters, students and eventgoers purchased merchandise and bonded over their love for anime and manga.
Emily Nguyen and Hanming Li, UT graduates and current medical students, started Kōmori Con three years ago after noticing an absence of anime conventions in Austin. Two years later, Kōmori Con bustles with liveliness and devoted fans, each room a new opportunity to explore anime art, play video games and watch performances dedicated to Japanese culture.
“This year has been very fortuitous because we have a lot of people now that we are more established,” Nguyen said.
The convention’s unique name and mascots, “Kō” and “Mori,” reflect its deeper Austin roots. “Kōmori” translates to bat in Japanese, a reference to the city’s famous bats, and the mascot’s name “Mori” stems from the Latin phrase “memento mori,” which directly translates to “remember you must die.” Kō is Mori’s cute bat sidekick, and Mori’s batwing-like pigtails and black-and-white outfit imbue the convention with the gothic vibe Li aspired for when drawing her.
“She is my OC and my original character,” Li said. “It’s really nice to see people interact and engage with her.”
For attendees and vendors alike, Kōmori Con represents something special in its ability to bring the Austin community together, promoting and nurturing the artists it showcases. Austin itself provides the right backdrop to uphold the convention’s intimate environment and authentic audience. One of 51 artists, Jordan Duell said he loves the convention’s connective quality, a goal Li and Nguyen shared from the event’s inception.
“I’ve had multiple people come up and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, you have this,’” Duell said. “They’re fans.”
Beyond providing for Austin’s anime community, the convention received support from Austin Books & Comics, or ABC. The store, an Austin institution since 1977, provided Kōmori Con with promotional materials and marketing support. Mia Burwitz of ABC said there’s a mutual relationship between the bookstore and the convention.
“Continuing to have a presence at these conventions is really critical,” Burwitz said. “People who come to Kōmori Con might not be interested in or might not have heard of Austin Books & Comics. … The crossing of the streams there is important and helps tie the community together.”
As Austin continues to vibrate with creative energy and youthful spirit, Kōmori Con illustrates a niche example of the city’s ability to connect communities and keep itself weird.
“Being a student here has really taught me that there’s always something to do,” Li said. “And if you become one of those things to do, it’s a great time.”
