For the safety of all con attendees and to follow local laws, the following policy towards weapons will be strictly enforced. Attendees are expected to read and comply with it completely. Failure to do so will result in the potential loss of convention membership.

Certain exemptions may be granted exceptionally for particular events. Details are to be found in the exemptions section.

Note: Any device or contraption that can intimidate, injure or threaten someone is regarded as a weapon. 

Weapons Check Schedule

Please see Otakuthon’s opening hours page. 

Registering Your Weapon

Here are instructions regarding what to do if you have weapons and props:

1. Attendees are to first retrieve their badge from registration.
2. Attendees would then go to Weapons check to have their weapons identified and approved. For unapproved weapons, attendees may decide to leave them at Weapons Check or return home to store them.
3. Attendees will be allowed into convention grounds through the convention entry points, needing to clearly display tags attached to entry controllers.
   
   

Leaving your weapon at the Weapons Check

Otakuthon is not responsible for any damage or loss of weapons left at Weapons Check.

Weapons may be left at Weapons Check due to various factors:

• A weapon was unapproved by the Weapons Check staff;
• An approved weapon was used dangerously;
• Bought exhibition hall weapons which do not follow our policy.

So what happens?

Attendees will be given a number to retrieve their item and we will add information concerning the weapon to their file.

Attendees will have until Weapons Check closing time to retrieve their weapons.

Note: Weapons Check closing and the event closing time differ.

If weapons are not retrieved by closing time, weapons will be moved into a locked room until the next day of the event. If after the end of the convention on Sunday the weapon is still not claimed, the weapon shall be given to the PDC (Palais des congrès) lost and found.

On Convention Grounds

Behaviour

All attendees are to...

• Pay due respect to the safety and peace of mind of other attendees and Otakuthon staff.
• Cooperate with convention staff when asked.
• If possible have weapons holstered, sheathed or slung when not engaging in photography.
• Not engage in violent games or horseplay (of any kind, whether participants are consenting parties or not) with weapons.

Buying weapons

Some weapons sold at the exhibition hall might not follow our weapons policy. Sold weapons restricted by our policy must be escorted out of Otakuthon’s premises. If attendees want, they may deposit their weapons at Weapons Check.

General Weapon Restrictions

All weapons must follow all the following General Weapon Restrictions and also relevant Detailed Weapon Restrictions.

No prohibited weapons, defined by applicable Canadian Laws;
No firearm;
No realistic firearm;
No real projectiles of any kind;
No glass;
No metal weapons, although the use of metal in the construction may be approved on a case-by-case basis;
No excessively sharp or excessively pointed weapon;
No flying device;
No smoke devices;
No explosives.

While there are no weight, size or shape restrictions, Otakuthon reserves the right to review, on a case-by-case basis, all excessively heavy or bulky items. Otakuthon reserves the right to classify any item deemed dangerous as prohibited at any time.

Detailed Weapon Restrictions

Projectiles

• Projectile replicas are allowed.
• Operable projectiles are not allowed.
• A quiver or container to hold projectiles is required.
• The tip of arrows and similar items must be made of soft material, such as foam. Wood or metal is not permitted.
• All projectiles must be made with lightweight material.

Projectile Devices

• It is not permitted to fire any projectile (liquid, caps, etc.) on the convention’s grounds.
• Bows are allowed if de-strung or made of material that cannot be used to fire a projectile.
• Hand crossbows are not permitted.
• Actual live firearms are not permitted under any circumstance.
• Enabled or disabled airsoft, paintball, airgun, pellet gun and BB gun are not permitted under any circumstance.
• Imitation firearms must not be made of metal.
• Any imitation gun must diverge from close resemblance to any contemporary firearm. Relevant staff is to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• A visible non-detachable orange tip of 6 mm is required for all guns/firearms resembling contemporary firearms at all times.
  • Prop guns 
    • Any exact resemblance to contemporary firearms is prohibited. 
    • Nerf guns, water guns and other toy guns will be permitted as long as projectiles are not on your person and are not being fired on convention grounds.
    • Prop guns are allowed, provided they are clearly fictional(bright colours, unconventional shapes, ridiculously large/ridiculously small).
    • Prop guns should not be able to fire projectiles. (No barrel/filled barrel, no trigger, etc.)
  • Antique firearms (e.g. flintlock, wheellock, matchlock)
    • (Definition) Any firearm manufactured before 1898 that was not designed to discharge rim-fire or centre-fire ammunition and that has not been redesigned to discharge such ammunition.
    • Real antique firearms are not permitted.
    • Replica of antique firearms may look like the original, but must not, in any way, be able to discharge projectiles.

Swords, blades, knives and other melee weapons

• All melee metal weapons, whether blunted or not, are prohibited.
• Blunt or heavy weapons such as baseball bats and hockey sticks are prohibited unless made of lightweight materials.
• Metal chains or other similar items are prohibited
• Shields or melee weapons (swords, staffs, lightsabers etc) made of foam or other lightweight materials are permitted.
• Brass knuckles are prohibited unless made of lightweight material such as foam.
• Wooden swords should be made of non-sturdy lightweight wood, approved on a case-by-case basis.

Other

• Drones are not permitted on the premises.
• Armour should not have any spikes or similar items longer than 10cm. Spikes and similar items must also be made using soft material.
• Lasers are not allowed.
  
  

Exemptions

Certain restrictions may be lifted.
All exemptions are only valid for the event they were approved for and must swiftly be stored after the event, or escorted out of convention grounds.
All requests must first go through the specific director, who will then communicate with Weapons Check.
All approvals are on a case-by-case basis.

Event: Masquerade
The Events director must approve all requests.

Event: World Cosplay Summit (WCS)
The Events director must approve all requests.

Contact us

For any questions or comments, please contact the Otakuthon Weapons Master at weapons@otakuthon.com. While the Weapons Master may offer advice on which weapons are appropriate, on-site Otakuthon staff reserves the right to reclassify any weapons regardless of any information given before the convention.

Note: We cannot reply to Hotmail emails currently.

Otakuthon reserves the right to confiscate any weapons for the duration of the convention or to escort you outside the convention area and forbid you to return with the weapon. Aggravated or repeated failure to obey the above policy may result in expulsion from the convention without a refund.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I have a wooden sword?

Wooden swords are allowed if they meet these criteria.

1. The weapon should also not be swingable in such a way as to cause blunt weapon injuries.
2. The tip of the weapon should be more round than pointed.

As such, it is recommended that the weapon be made of light wood and not sturdy.