Codes of Conduct 

General Rules

• SaikouCon memberships (attendance badges) must be worn at all times in plain sight and facing forward.  Any attendee that loses their badge must repurchase a membership in order to gain access to all SaikouCon events, no exceptions.  However, if you do lose your badge you may check with con staff and/or security to see if someone turned it in to the registration counter staff.
  
• SaikouCon is a family friendly event (13 +) and attendees are asked to dress accordingly.  SaikouCon staff reserves the right to ask an attendee to change clothing if it is deemed inappropriate, or if the venue demands that we do so. We at SaikouCon do not wish to stifle the creativity of our cosplay community, but we must think of the codes of conduct for our hosting venue  as well as minors in attendance. 
  
• Children 12 and under may enter the convention free of charge, but must be accompanied by a chaperone age 18 or older, that has purchased a badge (ticket), to attend the convention. Teens 13 - 17 must purchase a Teen Registration to attend SaikouCon, this negates the need for cumbersome Parental Consent Forms, speeding up Pre-Registration Badge Pick Up as well as being more environmentally sound by cutting down on use of paper and printer ink.
• For everyone’s safety: roller blades, skateboards, scooters, wheelies, and roller skates are prohibited in all areas of SaikouCon unless worn by professional stunt personnel and/or other talent in the employ of SaikouCon to perform at the convention.
  
• SaikouCon, and the venue hosting the convention are not liable for any missing belongings.  If you should lose something please contact SaikouCon staff or security to assist in helping you find your missing item(s) or check with the venue's Lost and Found at their front desk.
  
• For all 18+ and 21+ events, SaikouCon Attendance Badges WILL be checked, no exceptions.  Valid photo ID such as a passport or drivers license should be on hand to attend those events if SaikouCon staff suspect or recognize an attendee as being a minor with an invalid, fake, or of age friend's badge.
  
• Acceptance of membership (purchasing of a badge) indicates that the attendee (or parent in the case of minors under the age of 18) has read the rules of conduct outlined and consents to the use of the attendee’s image or likeness in any recording, transmission, or reproduction for the purpose of promoting SaikouCon.
  

Sign Policy

• No signs are permitted at SaikouCon except for those signs that are an established part of a costume (i.e. the sign must be part of the standard “look” of the character, such as the sign carried by Genma the Panda from Ranma 1/2), or is attached to a merchant booth for purposes of identifying and/or advertising merchant's presence at the convention.
  
• Signs with offensive content (including hate speech regarding race, religion, ethnic background, gender, preferred gender identity, sexual orientation etc.) are not allowed at SaikouCon.  Please remember that this is a family event that accepts all walks of life equally, this holds for merchants as well. Political signs and banners are also prohibited and will be removed by SaikouCon staff and/or security.
  
• Any attendee that breaks the sign rules will be asked politely to remove the sign and if any attendee continues to break the rule or does so belligerently will be asked to leave and/or escorted out of the convention by security without refund. NO EXCEPTIONS.
  

Weapon & Prop Rules

• No live steel will be allowed at SaikouCon. Live steel is defined as: Swords, bayonets, and knives (regardless of whether or not they are sheathed); star knives, shuriken, and other throwing knives also prohibited. Other objects made of metal which can take an edge also prohibited at SaikouCon. This holds true regardless of whether the object is actually sharp or not.
  
• Props are not to be used in an unsafe manner.  This includes, but is not limited to: mock-fighting (posing is fine for photos, but not actual mock-fighting), swinging, throwing, hitting.
  
• Firearms are not permitted at the convention. All gun reproductions MUST have an orange tip at the end of the muzzle.  If the plastic reproduction has a firing capacity (i.e. air guns and pellet guns) it must be empty of all ammunition and/or magazines.
  
• NO LIVE AMMO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND will be permitted, without exception. Examples include, but are not limited to: real firearms, any and all kinds regardless of whether they are functional or not. Crossbows, dart guns, blowguns, stun guns, and tasers are all banned at SaikouCon as well.
  
• NO EXPLOSIVES, CHEMICALS, or INCENDIARY DEVICES of any kind including, but not limited to: smoke powder, sparklers, flash paper, confetti poppers, snappers, bombs, flash-bangs, or fireworks of any kind are permitted at SaikouCon.
  
• No prop over 6 feet 5 inches tall will be allowed to enter into the convention space without special dispensation/inspection from SaikouCon staff and/or security at the registration counter.
  
• SaikouCon reserves the right to deem any prop dangerous to the general public, regardless of size, and ask for the prop(s) to be removed from the convention space immediately and without resistance. Failure to comply may result in termination of membership to convention without refund.
  
• All weapons purchased from the merchant area must be boxed and taken immediately to a car, hotel room, or home after purchase. No exceptions.
  

General Convention & Cosplay Etiquette Guidelines

Special Thanks to Ayu Sakata of sakevisual for her help with our Con Etiquette Guidelines

1. Please do not glomp cosplayers (or even non-cosplayers)
   It HURTS and could ruin their costume! Instead of glomping them, ask them politely for a hug. If permission is granted, hug them gently enough not to break their costume or hurt them. If they decline, a simple compliment will suffice to show them how much you like who they’re cosplaying as.This especially goes for CHILDREN COSPLAYERS. We know they’re cute, but think of it like seeing a child out at the mall or the store. You wouldn’t run up and grab them because it’s rude and downright creepy and can be construed as predatory behavior. Ask their parent or guardian if it would be alright for a hug and/or picture. Otherwise, hands off the children.
2. Ask politely for pictures and don’t be creepy about it
   Cosplay =/= Consent, but there are people out there who will attempt to take inappropriate photos of girls in skirts. This sort of thing is NOT okay. It can, and should, be considered sexual harassment/stalking. If you want a photograph of or or with somebody, ask permission. Also ask permission before touching them or getting within their personal space. Some people are less okay than others with having people randomly throw their arms around them or get very close to them, respect people's comfort boundaries. 
3. A cosplayer is not their character 
   If someone is cosplaying someone you don’t like, this does NOT give you permission to attack them. These people are REAL PEOPLE, that are pretending to be a fictional character, and physically or verbally attacking them will be the same as attacking someone in general public out on the street. You will get kicked out of the convention, and they can and should press criminal assault charges if they deem necessary. 
4. Country flags are not capes
   And wearing them as such is incredibly disrespectful. In most countries, wearing a flag as an article of clothing and/or letting it touch the ground is considered insulting and sometimes a crime. Please think of our friends from other countries, and respect their flags as well as our own. Remember, just because a character does something in an anime does not make it acceptable or polite to do it in real life. 
5. Just because your character does/says certain things does not make it okay to do in public
   No screaming the “F” word or other profanities in public. If you would not do/say it out of costume or in front of your parents/grandparents, children and/or friend's children, don’t do it at a convention. There are children present at these functions, and it is best to act like a responsible adult and set a good example for them. 
6. Hands off other peoples’ props 
   This seems like it should go without saying, but there have been instances I have seen where people have actually run off with a friend’s prop or grabbed it and started playing with it, resulting in a break. Props can take a very, very long time to make and most tend to be fairly fragile. If a cosplayer says you can handle it, handle it with care. You wouldn’t want your props broken, so don’t do it to someone else. 
7. If something about someone’s costume is inaccurate or poorly made, do not berate them for it
   There's no need to elaborate on this, since it’s a fairly straightforward guideline, let's all be nice and have fun together. 
8. Do not throw objects at other cosplayers
   This falls under the you can hurt someone tidbit. This means even plush buckets, or any sort of projectile, soft or not. Not everyone shares the same sense of “lolithrewsomethingatyou” humor, so err on the side of caution and don’t throw things. Like most of the other things, this can get you thrown out of cons (SaikouCon included) and have charges pressed for assault. 
9. Personal hygiene is a must
   Being at a convention can result in a lot of dirt and sweat accumulated over the day. Be mindful of other congoers and PLEASE BATHE. This goes double for people who like to hug cosplayers and anyone else for that matter, as nothing is more of a turn-off for a convention goer than someone getting their stink all over you or your costume. Don’t forget to also use deodorant. It really does make a big difference between smelling squeaky clean and smelling like con-funk. Beyond social etiquette, this is also the best way to prevent going home with a case of con plague as bathing prevents more than just the germs and bacteria that cause body odor. 
10. Cosplayers and non-cosplaying fans, you are representing your fandom
    If you do something stupid or mean, it won’t be you doing it, but “that fandom.” Set a good example and represent your fandom with honor and consideration. 
11. Have fun!
    Just because there are things you shouldn’t do doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy yourself at the convention. Attend panels and meetups. Make new friends. Go watch the masquerade. There’s so much you can do at a con without ruining the enjoyment for others or yourself.