You may not carry or possess any weapon, openly or concealed, or in an inoperable or unusable condition at any time at or around the convention space, including the surrounding parking lots. Any weapon, firearm, knives, curio, relic, antique firearms, and all forms of ammunition are strictly forbidden. Even items that may be legal for you to own or carry are not welcome at Anime Expo® and are to be left at home.
Weapon: This includes, but is not limited to: firearms, ammunition, rifles, shotguns, hand guns, BB guns, pellet guns, cap guns, air-soft weapons, paintball guns, blow guns, tasers, laser pointers, laser-aiming devices, or similar laser devices, explosives, knives, swords (including katana and other martial arts style swords), daggers, sword canes, switchblades, bali-song (butterfly) knives, axes, hatchets, pole arms, staffs, clubs, wooden or metal bats and paddles, bows, arrows, martial arts weapons, brass knuckles, chains, whips, pepper spray, mace, whips, projectile items, toy or real, or any item that may infer it is a dangerous item or one which would place another in apprehension of immediate harm.
Weapons purchased at Anime Expo® must be kept wrapped and are to be immediately removed from the premises following purchase.
All prop weapons or futuristic replica must be submitted to "Access Control" for written approval. Access Control has the sole discretion to approve prop weapons or futuristic replicas at Anime Expo®. Access Control is located at the booth entitled "Peace Bonding."
Prop Weapons: homemade or commercially rendered costume prop weapons that support the overall look of a costume or character.
Futuristic Replica: Weapons portrayed in a futuristic manner such as: phasers, ray guns, or light-sabers.
Removing or tampering with the device(s) used by Access Control to designate approval is a violation of the Weapons Policy and will result in immediate expulsion from Anime Expo.
Any approved prop weapon or futuristic devise may be revoked at any time at the discretion of the Access Control and management of Anime Expo®, for reasons including, but not limited to, the item being utilized or brandished in an inappropriate fashion or if complaints are received regarding its improper display.
Prop weapons are to be displayed only as costume pieces and are not allowed to be swung, jabbed, brandished, and utilized in a threatening manner, thrust, or actively used on the convention grounds or in the surrounding parking lots. Doing so can injure others, create unsafe situations and possibly injure others. You may pose with a Prop Weapon in a brandishing manner, so long as no reasonable person would interpret the posed brandishing as anything but a pose for dramatic effect. Such posed brandishing may be stopped at the sole and absolute discretion of Access Control, and management of Anime Expo®, its security or staff members.
Anime Expo® also requests that attendees put away their prop weapons when leaving the convention site at night.
Persons giving martial arts performances or demonstrations that are officially sanctioned in advance by the management of Anime Expo® may display working martial arts weapons during, and thirty (30) minutes before and after the demonstrations or performances only. Those weapons must be used so as to avoid harm to persons or property. These martial arts weapons must be transported to and from the performance or demonstration area in cases or wrapped and concealed, and must be removed from the convention premises immediately following the performances or demonstrations. Access Control and the management of Anime Expo® reserve the right to stop any performance or demonstration at its discretion.
Anime Expo® has the absolute right and sole discretion to determine whether a uniform costume is permitted or too close to a real world uniform and to ask an attendee who is wearing a costume that is too close to a real world uniform to adjust it or remove it. In the event the attendee does not cooperate with that request, Anime Expo® may expel the person from the convention.
COSTUMES THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR OTHER EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL UNIFORMS ARE NOT PERMITTED AT ANIME EXPO®
Anime Expo® attendees understand, agree and consent that Access Control, Anime Expo® representatives, or security personnel throughout Anime Expo®, have the absolute and immediate right to inspect costumes, weapons, prop weapons, and futuristic props, and any other items brought into the convention space by an Attendee.
Access Control or Anime Expo® may determine whether any particular item covered by this policy is or is not permitted at Anime Expo®. If it is discovered that an Attendee brought any unauthorized weapon to any Anime Expo®, or violates any of the policies referenced above, that person shall be immediately removed from the convention space. Anime Expo® reserves the right to remove the such offenders from the premises, temporarily or permanently.
PERSONS WHO CARRY OR OTHERWISE BRING PROP WEAPONS, FUTURISTIC REPLICAS, OR SIMILAR ITEMS WHICH MY DEPICT A WEAPON, DO SO AT THEIR OWN, SOLE, AND ABSOLUTE RISK, AND ASSUME ALL RISKS OF LIABILITY, HARM, DAMAGE, OR LOSS TO ANY PERSON OR PROPERTY INJURED OR OTHERWISE HARMED, INTENTIONALLY OR ACCIDENTLY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY SUCH ITEMS OR THE PERSON CARRYING THEM. IT IS HEREBY AGREED THAT THE SOCIETY FOR JAPANESE ANIMATION ("SPJA"), ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES, OR THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY, HARM, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER RISK OR LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PERSON'S USE OF ANY WEAPON, REPLICA, OR PROP, WHETHER PERMITTED OR BANNED HEREUNDER, AT ANIME EXPO®. IN NO EVENT SHALL ANIME EXPO®, SPJA AND ITSAFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES, OR THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES HEREUNDER.
ATTENDEE WILL INDEMNIFY, DEFEND AND HOLD SPJA AND ITSAFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES AND THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER AND ITS AFFILIATES HARMLESS FOR ALL LOSSES, COSTS, LIABILITIES AND EXPENSES (INCLDUING ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS) ARISING OUT OF ANY CLAIM FOR PAYMENT BY ANY PERSON OR ENTITY MAKING ANY CLAIM FOR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY ACT OR EVENT AT THE ANIME EXPO®.