• Clothing/Cosplay: Anime Milwaukee is a convention for all ages. Excessively-revealing clothing or costumes are not permitted. Private areas must be covered with opaque cloth at all times. Attendees in excessively-revealing attire will be asked to change. Your attire must cover all areas normally covered by a swimsuit, as well as nipples (regardless of gender). Shoes must be worn at all times.

  • No profanity, hate speech, or graphic sexual imagery may be displayed on costumes or clothing—including ahegao and similar clothing styles. Grossly offensive outfits, uniforms, or any cosplay with the intention of being of heavy negative shock value will be asked to change out or risk expulsion from the convention.

• Costume Safety: Costumes and props as normally carried or holstered must not be dangerous to anyone who bumps into them accidentally. Costumes and props that pose an indoor safety hazard, such as Heelys (and other wheeled shoes), skateboards, rollerblades, bikes, hoverboards, scooters, or stilts, are also not allowed.

• Prop size: Props may not be longer than 6 inches above your height (not including your hair). Props that are taller than 6 inches above your height (not including your hair) must be able to be disassembled and carried in pieces when the attendee is not stationary. Costumes with tails long enough that it touches the floor must be carried when not stationary.

• Prop Blades/Blades Purchased from Vendors: Swords, knives, and other bladed or pointed weapons made of metal are not allowed in convention space, even if their edges are blunt. These are considered “live steel”. Live steel is defined as an object crafted from metal that has a point or blade-like edge, whether blunt or sharp. This includes ice skates! Live steel purchased from vendors must stay boxed while in convention space or put into an attendee’s hotel room, vehicle, or home if unboxed.

• Projectile Props: Projectile weapons such as bows, crossbows, foam dart guns, must be unloaded and disabled. Bows may be loosely strung. No bolts or arrows may be carried unless they are fake and not fireable.

• Laser Pointers: Laser pointers and similar devices are not allowed in convention space.

• Volume: Costumes and props that make noise must have volume controls and must be kept at an appropriate volume for the surroundings. If someone asks you to turn down or mute the volume of your prop, you must do so.

• Explosive-like props: Props that look like explosives, such as grenades, bombs, TNT, and so on, are not allowed in convention space unless they are made in such a way that it is obviously visible that they are prop items as viewed from a distance of 10 feet (think Bakugo’s Grenadier Bracers from My Hero Academia)

• Gun-like props: Gun-like props, including replica firearms are required to have non-removable orange tips which must be visible when the gun is carried or holstered. This orange tip must be factory installed and cannot be added later (post-purchase). A good rule of thumb is that if the prop looks like a real weapon as viewed from a distance of 10 feet, it cannot be brought into the convention center. No ammunition or props that look like ammunition may be carried at all.

• Real Firearms: Real firearms (even if they are disabled and unloaded) are strictly prohibited in all convention spaces, except when carried by uniformed law enforcement officers on duty. Airsoft guns are considered real firearms, regardless of whether they have been disabled or can no longer fire.

• Any prop being used in an unsafe or threatening manner may be confiscated by AMKE Safety. Safety staff may ask you at any time to put a prop away or change out of a costume based on its acceptability. The head of Anime Milwaukee Safety has the final say as to the acceptability of any prop or costume.

• If you are unsure whether your prop fits the rules, please come see prop check at Baird Center! We’ll check your prop and tag it so you won’t get stopped later.

Baird Center’s Prohibited Item List

Prohibited Item Exceptions for Anime Milwaukee:

• Backpacks are allowed in general convention space with some limitations. 

  • Events such as Club AMKE, Nocturnal Underground and the Charity Ball require a CLEAR bag.

• Masks are allowed.

• Professional cameras are allowed in our event.

Please be advised that our policies are subject to change and should be reviewed closer to the convention to ensure your costume still falls within our rules.

AMKE acknowledges our friends at San Japan in San Antonio, TX for their assistance with our clothing/cosplay policy. Used and revised with permission.