There is hardly any cosplay without weapons, but the German weapon law has established strict guidelines. Even the liability sums for accidents are legally secured: 10,000 Euros for injury, 100,000 Euros for death and 500,000 Euros for disability. Therefore, we must perform a weapon check at the Connichi for safety reasons.

We distinguish between three kinds of weapons:

forbidden weapons
objected weapons
permitted weapons

In case of doubt, the hall personnel has the final say. The decision made is definitive and will not be disputed.

Please note that we did not set up these rules to annoy cosplay fans, but to meet the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. We are aware that nobody would attempt any nonsense with their laboriously crafted cosplay weapons but there always is the possibility of an accident or another person tampering around with it in an unobserved moment.

Forbidden weapons may not be brought to the convention area or to the Kongress Palais. Violators will risk the immediate cancellation of their tickets. It does not matter whether the owner of the weapon possesses a valid gun license.

Among the forbidden weapons are:

• Genuine firearms, softair and gas pistols (loaded or unloaded), genuine ammunition
• Pyrotechnics and explosive devices (bangers, rockets etc.)
• Throwing weapons (e.g., shurikens, darts, throwing knifes)
• Brass knuckles, clubs, steel rods
• Choking weapons (e.g., nunchakus)
• Batons and thrustings with sharp or blunt metal blade or pointy ends (e.g., katanas, swords, sabres, machetes, hatchets, spiked maces, knifes of all kinds except pocket knifes)

Objected weapons will be confiscated at the entrance and a receipt will be made out. They will be stored in a separate convention area. If they are part of a cosplay competition or of a performance competition, they will be brought to the stage by experienced aides, and may only be carried on stage during these events. Immediately after, they must be handed in again. When leaving the convention, objected weapons can be retrieved at the weapon check.

Part of the objected weapons are:

• Firearm imitations and metal or metal/wood replica
• Batons and thrustings with blades of wood, plastics, etc. (e.g., katanas, swords, sabres, machetes, hatchets, spiked maces, knifes of all kinds except pocket knifes)
• Poles or pipes made from wood, metal, fiber glass, hard plastics or combinations of all, also multipart (e.g., kendo equipment, bamboo swords, lances etc.)
• Arrows of all kinds, independent of the material
• Riding crops longer than 1 m, hand whips with tape longer than 1.5 m, pole whips with pole longer than 1 m and tape longer than 1.5 m

Permitted weapons may be carried at the Connichi during the entire convention. They will be especially labeled at the entrance, so that they do not have to be checked again every time.

Among the permitted weapons are:

• Weapon imitations from foam material, rubber, pasteboard, or soft plastics
• LARP weapons ("Live Action Role Play" - commonly foam material or latex replica with stabilizing core)
• Weapons and poles from a combination of wood and/or pasteboard/plastic/soft material (if the wooden part does not prevail)
• Poles that clearly serve only for stabilization
• Bows and quivers, but without arrows
• Riding crops, whips (if not mentioned in the objected weapons list)

Note: If somebody refuses the labeling of an actually permitted weapon, he or she must hand it in and can fetch it again at the weapon check when leaving.

• For spike wristbands and collars, the spikes may not exceed a length of 5 cm and must be blunt
• Chains from wood and/or plastic must clearly belong to the costume
• Metal chains must be attached to the costume in a way they cannot be removed
• All clothes should not contain sharp corners or edges