RisuCon Leaves Its Mark in Montgomery County
Story and photo by Maestro Joyner.
From August 17 to August 18th, 2024, I attend RisuCon, a small anime and cosplay convention created by the Montgomery County Comics & Cosplay Club, a social club that is passionate about comics, anime, and cosplay. In 2023 the club held an even smaller convention at the Activity Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, using their previous name Monkeycon, a name that was later changed to RisuCon due to the feedback from black attendees that the name could be seen as racially offensive. RisuCon was held at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland, and included anime screenings, vendors, panels, a photo room, tabletop games, discos, Q&A sessions with special guests, a cosplay contest, and activities for kids.
Despite being a smaller convention, there was a lot of information and activities that I and other attendees enjoyed. The tabletop gaming room was filled with many board games and tables where attendees could try out games they found interesting. Attendees could also play games with staff members, and many were introduced to new games. This is how I was introduced to different games and had a fun time interacting with others who were interested in that sub-genre of gaming.
The vendors also provided an enjoyable experience while there, and I found myself enriched with what they had for sale. Many shops included the regular items you would see at a convention, like keychains, prints, clothing, pins, and original artwork. However, two vendors sold paperback manga images and out-of-context quotes, and made them into pins or prints. I found this very interesting since they repurposed them. This element was very unique to me since I’ve never seen people in the anime/manga community be resourceful when it comes to books instead of cosplay costumes, which is creative and sustainable.
Speaking of creativity, they also had a kids activity section which I enjoyed. It had things like puzzles, anime themed coloring books, clothes folding and organization, origami, and martial arts. I learned something new about how I interact with my clothes, creativity with paper, and overall extended my imagination to the max.
Another feature of RisuCon was the disco that was held in Brookside, the main room where big events happened. It had the lights, the action, and most importantly, the moves, as everybody danced and sang to music. It was a time where everyone could come together and dance the evening away. Brookside was the main room for discussions, Q&A sessions, contests, and much more.
A notable feature of the event is that RisuCon uses the money gained from attendees, vendors, sponsors, and others to finance Montgomery County art students that have a passion for drawing manga or anime characters. The donations helped many students achieve their dream of drawing when they can’t always afford it, with help from their sponsor, Superhero Support Causeplayers, who support nonprofit fundraising, host community-building events, and visit the sick or ill as their favorite superhero.
Understanding the goals of both RisuCon and Superhero Support Causeplayers helped expand my view on the different types of aid within the anime community that can be provided to attendees or newcomers, young or old.
Overall, RisuCon was a unique experience where I got to go local within the anime conventions that I've attended. This helped me dive deep into the smaller side of cons, and be appreciative of those that provide a space for people to be themselves without immediately stepping into an overstimulating experience as their first time. I would recommend RisuCon to others in the DC, Maryland, and Virgina area to get familiar with the anime and cosplay scene.
Maestro Joyner is a senior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.