General Cosplay & Props

General Apparel

Shoes are required at all times while in the public areas of the convention center. Even if a cosplay character goes barefoot, the cosplayer must wear shoes.
Costumes and apparel shall not expose the body in such a way as to be deemed indecent exposure under Iowa law, City of Council Bluffs ordinances, and Mid-America Center policies. Please refer to City Municipal Code 8.42.010: It is unlawful for any person to expose those parts of his or her body hereinafter listed to another in any public place, or in any place where such exposure is seen by another person or persons in any public place or on private property across a real property boundary:
a woman’s nipple or areola, or full breast, except as necessary for the feeding of an infant; the pubic hair, pubes perineum, anus, or buttocks of a male or female, the penis or scrotum of a male, or the vagina of a female, except those body parts of an infant of either sex (ord. 5368 § 1, 1998).
Private parts must be covered in an opaque material not subject to slippage or gaps. Liquid Latex or other body coatings that conform to the body will be judged on a case by case basis. If an outfit covers less area than a bikini top, the attendee wearing it must use some form of adhesive to ensure it stays on, such as fashion tape or spirit gum. If a costume is tight or form-fitting enough to clearly show an outline of genitalia, a dance belt or other form of concealment must be worn. These will not be provided by the convention.
All costumes worn within the convention center must fit through a standard doorway (36 inches). Any attendee wearing a bulky costume, or one with poor visibility, should have a handler available to escort them. In addition, please ensure any bulky costume is properly ventilated to prevent heat stroke.
No costumes may be realistic depictions of U.S. Law Enforcement or any other official U.S. Government Agency or Emergency Services.
Any clothing displaying “Ahegao” or other sexually explicit imagery is not to be worn. All graphics or imagery must be “Rated PG-13” in nature.
A member of Anime NebrasKon Leadership may deem a costume or clothing inappropriate even if it meets the requirements mentioned above.

Signs

Contents and images of the sign must be of a “Rated PG – 13” nature which is suitable to be seen by children as there will be children at the convention, and the message of the sign cannot be selling or trading.
Signs must not represent an obstruction to foot traffic and must be able to move through high traffic areas without disruption.
Signs must not be affixed to any surfaces.
Anime NebrasKon reserves the right to remove any sign at any time.

Prop Rules and Guidelines

If it is illegal in the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa and the United States, it is illegal on convention grounds.
Attendees will not play-fight, brandish, run with, or use their prop in any kind of threatening manner. Posing for photos/videos is allowed, but should be done outside of high-traffic areas or outside of the convention center.
Live steel is NOT allowed on convention grounds, save for any merchandise purchased on convention grounds, which must not be removed from packaging and must be moved to a personal vehicle or other location as soon as possible. Live steel is defined by Anime NebrasKon as any metal object that can hold a sharp edge, whether or not it actually does. This does NOT extend to things such as armor or other garments, though exceptions will be made for anything with a sufficient point.
Nerf guns, Air-soft, BB or any other realistic firearm must have a non-removable orange safety tip, empty of ammo and will be disabled with the trigger zip-tied.
Foam bullets or any other ammo will not be allowed. Case-by-case exceptions for obvious fake ammo permanently attached to clothing may be made at staff’s discretion.
No firearms or any kind of live projectile weapon are allowed.
Props that make realistic sounds, such as gunfire or explosions, will not be allowed without the sound disabled. No costume or prop may generate odor, smoke, bubbles, or fog.
Props with flashing lights must be able to disable those lights upon any reasonable request.
Remote controlled toys, drones, and other similar devices are not allowed without special permission from convention leadership.
Speakers and other playback devices must be kept to a reasonable volume. This usually means “a conversation can be held nearby without issue”, however staff may still request the volume be lowered or the device turned off.
Roller skates, skateboards, hoverboards, and all other recreational personal transportation are not to be used on the convention floor except as a prop. Use as transportation may result in temporary confiscation, to be held at the main prop-check desk until their owner can remove them from the convention center. Medical mobility aids are excepted from this rule.
If staff deems a prop dangerous or harmful it will not be allowed regardless of whether it conforms to these rules. This will be decided on a case by case basis.
Exceptions to these rules may be made for the cosplay contest or other events, on a case by case basis.

Consequences for Violations

First offense is a single warning to either correct or discontinue improper behavior.
Second offense is a full suspension of prop privileges. Confiscated props are to be held at the main Prop-Check desk until such a time as their owner is able to remove them from the premises.
A Third and final offense will result in a meeting with the Con Chair or Vice-Con Chair, to discuss removal from the convention and revocation of badge privileges.
We reserve the right to modify or escalate the consequences at our discretion, based on individual circumstances.

Anime NebrasKon strives to be lenient in our policies to allow our attendees as much freedom as possible. However, for the safety and security of everyone present at our convention we insist that our rules be followed. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please speak with any member of our staff and we will give your input our full attention.