Rules on costume design, requisites and imitation weapons for the Manga-Comic-Con 2018

So that all fair visitors can remember the Manga-Comic-Con at the Leipzig Book Fair as a great event with many pleasant experiences we would hereby like to give Cosplayers specific notes on costume design and the rules for weapons.

These rules may possibly be somewhat stricter compared to other events. We request your understanding for this as the Manga-Comic-Con is closely associated with the Leipzig Book Fair. Thereby apart from Cosplayers and Manga/Anime insiders, numerous other visitors also circulate around the fair facilities, such as e.g. families with small children, senior citizens and politicians.

For reasons of fairness we request all Cosplayers to observe these rules towards other Cosplayers.

Specific enquiries whether a costume or imitation weapon may be worn or not can be sent together with a photo and the full name to info@manga-comic-con.de.

Rules on costume design

I. Prohibited

• No full gas or latex masks or motorcycle helmets
• No representation of injuries over 10 cm diameter especially of cut, burn or tissue wounds
• No artificial blood, similar appearing fluids, respectively make up on the body, clothing, accessories and requisites whatsoever
• Zombies must not be represented
• Make up as well as "contaminations“ that belong to the costume must not rub off anywhere
• Costumes that represent army uniforms and combat gear from the time after the year 1900 or are similar to them are not permitted. We request all Cosplayers to observe the insignia act that prohibits the representation of certain signs and symbols.
• Please do not make the costumes too revealing, i.e. upper body, intimate area and buttocks must be sufficiently covered with clothing – this applies for both genders. Obscene gestures/acts are also prohibited.
• No sharp corners and edges on the clothing

II. Permitted

• Fur, morph suits/zentais are allowed
• Everyday objects such as e.g. commercially available walking sticks, music instruments and umbrellas are allowed.
• Contact lenses of any type are allowed

III. Other

• Maximum dimensions for protruding costumes:
  • Skirts/dresses: max. 2 m diameter:
  • Trains and tails: max. 1 m length from the foot end
  • Wings (fixed): max. 1 m wingspan per wing, so 2 m total wingspan
  • Wings (flexible; wings that can be folded and stretched out): max. wingspan 2 m each wing stretched out; folded max. 1 m wingspan each wing; please only stretch out for photos with sufficient surrounding space
  • Height of the costume especially with wings, crowns: 2.50 m
• If possible please dress, style and apply make up at home, respectively in the hotel rooms as only limited changing facilities are available. Anyone soiling sanitary facilities will be held liable.
• Spikes of corresponding arm and neck bands may only have a maximum length of 5 cm and must be blunt.
• Armour components made of metal must be firmly attached on the body; loose parts must be presented to the requisite check.

Rules on requisites

IV. Fundamentals

• Many Cosplay costumes cannot manage without "imitation weapons". But from the legislation of the Federal Republic of Germany and from our obligations as event organisers and operators regulations results that must be specifically observed. Therefore at the Leipzig Book Fair we will conduct a "requisite check“ (see below).

V. Prohibited requisites

• The carrying of weapons in the sense of the German arms laws is prohibited in public. In addition to this at our events objects similar to weapons (meaning imitation weapons) are also prohibited. Counted amongst the prohibited weapons are especially authentic swords, decoration swords and soft air weapons (also non-functional soft air weapons).
• Furthermore, imitation weapons or requisites that fall under one of the following criteria are also not allowed:
  
  • 1. Objects made of non-permitted materials
  • Counted amongst the non-permitted materials are all types of metal (if the metal portion dominates). Here the photo and description after an individual enquiry to the MCC organisers is the decisive factor.
    
    • Plexiglas (due to the sharpness and especially with thrusting and stabbing imitation weapons)
    • Wood over a thickness of 3 cm (e.g. baseball bat)
• 2. Other objects
  
  • Weapons that are able to be dismantled and then in individual components remain below the permitted total dimensions (see under III) are nevertheless prohibited
  • Loose, massive metal chains
  • Tanto knives
  • Hand carts, bobby cars, in-line skates, scooters, skateboards and rollers according to the house rules

VI. Permitted requisites

• Permitted under consideration of the rules I-III:
  • Imitation weapons made of foam rubber, rubber, cardboard, soft plastic as well as those which according to their overall appearance are clearly children's toy weapons
  • Blunted thrusting and stabbing imitation weapons
  • Flexible tips on objects such as spears or arrows
  • LARP weapons ("Live Action Role Play" - generally foam rubber or latex imitations with stabilisation core)
  • Weapons made of wood, cardboard, plastic, soft material, foams (e.g. construction foam) or thermoplastic materials, as well as a combination of these up to a total length of max. 1.50 m
  • Walking sticks and rods with a total length of 2 m, if these do not have any bulky attachments (example: scythe blade, crowns, etc.)
  • Scythes not larger than 1.50 m, scythe blade max. 0.80 m long
  • Non-functioning bows without real bow strings, max. 1.50 m and quivers with dummy arrows
  • Throwing weapons (for example nunchakus) only with non-metallic chains and predetermined breaking point
  • Riding crops max. 1 m, whips max. 1.50 m (incl. whip stroke)
  • Throwing weapons made of soft, flexible materials without solid core
  • Shields up to a diameter of 80 cm

VII. Further notes

• An individual carrying a weapon in the sense of the German arms law will be denied access to the event facilities.
• Show fights are only allowed on the stage during the Cosplay competitions/shows, as visitors and security personnel may not necessarily identify the costume equipment/action as being a game.
• Anyone found on the facilities with an unlabelled requisite must immediately go to the requisite check. Anyone who refuses to have it checked and labelled must turn it in.
• All prohibited objects will be stored at the requisite check subject to costs and can be collected again after the visit to the fair.
• The decision made through the safety personnel at the requisite check is final and cannot be contested.
• All visitors carry requisites with them at their own risk and are liable for all damages caused through them.
• The requisites of the participants of selected Cosplay competitions are stored separately and then brought in good time to the Cosplay stage, are issued there and are collected again after the show and then only given back again on departure from the fair facilities. For which competitions this rule applies can be enquired by the participants directly from the Cosplay competition event organisers.

Opening times requisites check

• Thursday to Sunday: 8:30 AM to 17:00 PM
• From 17:00 PM to 18:30 PM only the issue of the handed in, respectively retained Cosplay equipment will be performed

Download der Regeln für 2018:

• Download Rules on costume design, requisites and imitation weapons for the Manga-Comic-Con 2018 (PDF, 44.5 kB)

You are welcome to print out these rules and bring them along to the fair visit.

Current status: June 15, 2017