Attendee Relations

Attendee Relations is here to help with all things attendee-related. We help manage crowds and line control while also being available for attendee questions. In addition, we handle Peace-bonding to ensure that everyone is safe on the convention floor with props and costumes. 

You can email us at attendee.relations@fanime.com 

The FanimeCon Props Policy

Props Policy

FanimeCon reserves the right to modify or update this policy at any time and without prior notice. Your FanimeCon badge means that you agree to comply with this Props Policy. You further understand and agree that, for your own safety and the safety of everyone at FanimeCon, designated staff members have the absolute and immediate discretion and right to inspect your costume, prop weapons, and any other item you bring to the convention. We may temporarily or permanently remove any attendee’s peace-bond at our sole and absolute discretion at any time for violating this Props Policy.

  • Your prop must accompany the costume that you are wearing in order to be peace-bonded.
  • Canes and other assistive devices do not require peace-bonds and are allowed in badge-restricted areas.
  • No prop that is designed primarily as a weapon (such as a sword, staff, or club) may be made of metal, regardless of how sharp or dull the prop may be.
    • Props with metal decoration or adornment will be judged on a case-by-case basis.
  • No firearms, airsoft weapons, replicas of guns, or props that use components of these in their construction are allowed.
    • Any prop gun must look like a prop from 50 feet away. This is for your safety and for the safety of our other attendees.
    • Gun and firearm-style props must have an orange tip, plus 2 other orange bands.
  • No functional bows and arrows.
  • No metal or wood bats, metal pipes, or long metal chains.
  • Props should not be made of glass or contain glass components.
    • This includes, but is not limited to, bottles, glass tubes, solid glass statues, etc.
  • Any item that is designed or manufactured with the intent to cause bodily injury or death, any item that is illegal in the state of California, or any other item that appears dangerous or may pose a risk of harm will not be allowed on the premises. This will be up to the sole discretion of FanimeCon qualified staff.
  • No Smoke Machines are allowed within all convention spaces.
  • Any lights that blink rapidly or brightly enough that they disturb other attendees should not be included in props. Lights that slowly transition from one color to another or gradually increase in brightness overtime will be judged on a case-by-case basis.
    • Lightsabers are allowed, but you must be careful with them.
  • Operating a prop to shoot an object of any material is not allowed at FanimeCon and will result in your peace-bond being removed.

We may revoke the peace-bond at any time at our sole discretion. For example, we will revoke approval if you use or brandish the item in an inappropriate fashion (such as play fighting, swinging the weapon around, or if someone is hit intentionally or otherwise). We will also revoke approval if you tamper with the peace-bonding used to show that your prop has been tagged, or if we receive complaints about the way you are using or displaying your prop. If your peace-bond is revoked, then the prop must be immediately removed from the convention property.

Peace-bonded Weapons at the Event: 

You may display your prop weapons only as costume pieces. Do not swing or brandish your prop weapon in any way that could be considered unsafe or threatening. You may pose with a prop weapon in a brandishing manner, so long as no reasonable person would interpret it as anything but a pose for dramatic effect. FanimeCon staff or FanimeCon management may stop your posed brandishing at their sole discretion.

Current US military uniforms, costumes that may be confused with law enforcement, or other emergency response personnel are not permitted at FanimeCon.

If You Buy Props or Weapons at the Convention:

  •  If you buy a weapon in the Dealer’s Hall, it needs to stay taped in its box and taken off convention property as soon as possible. Live steel will not be peace-bonded.
  • If you buy a prop at FanimeCon, you may have it tagged with a peace-bond as long as it belongs with the cosplay you are currently wearing and follows the props policy. If not, it needs to be removed from the premises and taken to your hotel room or car.

FanimeCon Costume Rules & Limitations

  • All con attendees must wear shoes at all times while in official convention space. This includes, but is not limited to, the: San Jose Convention Center, Marriott, Hilton, Civic Center, DoubleTree, and Parkside Hall. Even if a character goes barefoot, the cosplayer must wear shoes.
  • Costumes and daily wear shall not expose the body in such a way as to be deemed indecent exposure under California and City of San Jose ordinances. Private parts must be covered in an opaque material and not be subject to slippage or gaps. Liquid Latex or other conformal body coatings will be judged on a case-by-case basis.
  • All costumes worn within the convention center must fit through a standard doorway.
  • No costume may generate odor, smoke, or fog, or have overly bright or flashing lights.
  • All costumes with limited visibility and/or movement must have a handler to assist with crowd navigation and safety. This also applies to costumes with large wings or other oversized elements.
  • No costumes may be realistic depictions of American Law Enforcement or current American Military uniforms, or have the words POLICE, POLICIA, SWAT, FBI, DEA, CIA or any other official Government Agency names or initials on them.
  • Official flags must be respected, and cannot be worn as part of a costume. They must be on a flagpole. Home-made or unofficial flags are exempt from this rule.