Rules on costume design, props and imitation weapons at Manga-Comic-Con

• Gas masks or motorbike helmets; other full-face masks must be agreed with the MCC team in advance.
• Sharp corners and edges on clothing
• Depictions of injuries with a diameter of 10 cm or more
• Any artificial blood, similar-looking liquids or make-up on the body, clothing, accessories and props.
• Zombies may generally not be depicted.
• We reserve the right to reject too scary cosplays and horror characters (e.g. Pennywise, Michael Myers, …).
• Costumes depicting or based on army uniforms and battle dresses from the period after 1900 are not permitted (e.g. Umbrella Corporation). Should your cosplay resemble such a uniform please make sure that it can clearly be recognised as a costume.
• We ask all cosplayers to observe §86a of the German Penal Code (StGB) when depicting signs and symbols.
• Costumes must not be too revealing, i.e. the upper part of the body, private parts and buttocks must be sufficiently covered by clothing or costume parts - this applies to all genders. Furthermore, obscene gestures and acts are prohibited.
• Depiction of natural skin colours that do not correspond to one's own (e.g. brown- / blackfacing).

• Fur-, morphsuits/centais are generally allowed in all halls. Suits that are deterrent or not suitable for children must be agreed with the MCC team in advance.
• Contact lenses of any kind are allowed

• Maximum dimensions for extravagant costumes:
  • skirts/dresses: max. 2 m diameter
  • trains and tails: max. 1 m long from feet
  • fixed wings: max. 1 m width per wing, i.e. 2 m total wingspan. Extendable wings should only be opened for photos when space permits.
  • max. costume height incl. wings and crowns: 2.5 m
  • spikes on bracelets and/or chokers may not be longer than 5 cm or sharp
  • head covers: max. 1 m diameter
• Metal armour must be firmly affixed to the body, loose parts must be presented to the Cosplay Check.
• Make-up, colours, glitter and "dirt" associated with a costume are not permitted to rub off.

It is forbidden in public to carry weapons as defined by German weapons laws (WaffG). Some prima facie weapons are also banned from our event:

• Items made from prohibited materials. These include:
  
  • all types of metal (when metal is the predominant component). In these cases, the MCC organisers will make a final decision based on an individual request with a photo and description.
  • plexiglass (due to its sharpness, particularly for the imitation of cutting and stabbing weapons)
  • wood with a thickness greater than 3 cm (e.g. baseball bat)
• weapons that exceed the permissible dimensions in total length (see 2.2) are prohibited, even if they can be dismantled into individual parts
• air pressure weapons (softair, paintball or Gotcha weapons), regardless of functionality
• gas and stun guns
• real ammunition
• loose, bulky metal chains
• slashing and stabbing weapons regardless if they have a sharp or blunt blade
• genuine and decorative swords
• choking weapons, e.g. Nunchakus
• Tanto and decorative sabre knives
• handcarts, bobby cars, inline skates, scooters, skateboards, scooters and stilts
• pyrotechnics and explosives (firecrackers, fireworks etc.)
• flags, banners and banner poles

Imitation guns and weapons that are not included in the Weapons Act (WaffG) can only be brought to the fair if they comply with the regulations mentioned here and with the Leipziger Messe (PDF, 243 kB) rules. The following are permitted:

• Imitation weapons made from wood, cardboard, plastic, soft materials, foams or thermoplastic materials (e.g. swords or scythes) and combinations thereof (e.g. foam or latex replicas with stabilisation core) up to a total maximum length of 1.5 m.
• walking sticks and poles up to 2 m long, provided they do not have bulky attachments (e.g. scythe blade, skulls, etc.)
• attachments on walking sticks, poles or similar may be a total of max. 80 cm wide
• scythe blade max. 80 cm long
• shields up to a maximum diameter of 80 cm
• non-functioning bows without strings max. 1.5 m and quivers with dummy arrows
• pointed tips made from flexible, yielding material
• well-ground props made with 3D printing methods with blunt tips and edges
• knives and blades made of soft plastic
• throwing weapons made of soft, flexible materials without a solid core
• Everyday items such as standard walking sticks, musical instruments and umbrellas are permitted.

• Any person carrying a weapon as defined by the Weapons Act (WaffG) will be denied access to the venue.
• Show fights are only allowed on stage during cosplay competitions and performances.
• Anyone found on the grounds with an unmarked prop must immediately go to the Cosplay Check. Any refusal to have props checked and labelled will result in confiscation.
• All prohibited items will be stored at the Cosplay Check for a fee and can be retrieved at the end of your visit.
• Any decision made by the security personnel at the Cosplay Check is final and cannot be contested. However, if there are any disagreements, the MCC Cosplay Representative may be called in.
• All visitors carry their props at their own risk and are liable for any damages caused.
• Props for participants in selected cosplay competitions will be stored separately and brought to the cosplay stage in time for their performance. Props will be returned when you leave the exhibition grounds. Cosplay competition organisers will inform participants as to which competitions are subject to this regulation