Valid, government-issued photo ID (i.e. Drivers License, Passport, Military ID, etc.) If you are under 18, please bring your parent or legal guardian with you to pick up your badge.
Ages 14-17: Anyone 14 and older must purchase a 4-day or 1-day general attendee badge. Attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult to pick up their badge. We recommend attendees ages 14-17 have a parent or guardian close by for the duration of the event.
At Anime Expo (“AX”), we celebrate the creativity of cosplayers and encourage everyone to cosplay whomever they wish–regardless of size, gender, age, religion, shape, color, or even species.
Toy or fantasy guns that are "obviously fake" are allowed. Swords are allowed if they can be tied shut in their sheath, or if they are made of wood or plastic. Swords must never be waved around or wielded, but they can be used for still posing for photographs.
As cosplay has become more mainstream and accessible, people have been able to enter the world of costume creation at younger ages. On average, cosplayers wear their first costume to a convention at age 21. However, there is no age limit for cosplay.
COSPLAY IS AN ALL-AGES EVENT. There will have one competition for children 13 and under and then a contest for anyone else entered. The Cosplay choice should be considered a PG-13 rated event at the most.
18All attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult in order to pick up their badges. Every badge must be activated to participate at Anime Expo 2022.
Absolutely, in fact the majority of attendees don't do cosplay for the event. And if this is your first time, it may be for the best if you opt for comfort over creativity. If you have a relevant t-shirt, Comic-Con is a great place to wear it.
The cost to attend the convention For most large anime conventions, expect the ticket price to be between $80-$100. Smaller events will typically charge somewhere around $40-$60.
But unlike most of those, at the annual pop-culture convention Dragon Con, you're allowed to bring in guns — fake ones, that is. If your costume for Dragon Con includes a prop weapon, you might get a tap on the shoulder from someone like Amanda Tucker.
Replicas of firearms provided the prop is easily identifiable as a prop weapon. Prop firearms such as Nerf guns and water guns are permitted, however they must be inoperable and unable to fire any projectile. All fake, prop, or homemade weapons are permitted if they are in no way dangerous to fellow attendees.
No functional props or weapons are allowed at Comic-Con. All costume props and weapons must conform to state and federal law. Projectile costume props and weapons must be rendered inoperable. Functional (real) arrows must have their tips removed and be bundled and zip-tied to a quiver.
Badge: The first thing you need to attend Anime Expo. Ticket: Some events during Anime Expo may also require a ticket, in addition to a badge. These are called, “Ticketed Events.”. Ticketed Events include, but may not be limited to: Masquerade. Concerts.
Accessible seating is reserved exclusively for attendees with accessible needs and their companions . Anime Expo attendees purchasing accessible seating may purchase one (1) accessible seat and one (1) companion seat adjacent to the accessible seat. Depending on the availability, seats for additional guests will be located as close as possible to the accessible space. This policy ensures that we are able to provide reasonable accommodation for attendees who require accessible seating. If you need specific accommodations, please email Ticketing at [email protected] so we can ensure wheelchair-accessible locations are reserved for guests who require such accommodation. There is limited availability to accommodate other special needs as well. There is no guarantee that companion tickets will remain unsold and available.
Lost or stolen event wristbands will not be replaced or refunded.
Event Admission Wristband: General Guidelines. Some events may either require a wristband for admission instead of a ticket OR in addition to a ticket if the event has an 18+ age restriction. When issued a wristband, please refrain from tampering, in any fashion, with wristbands or you may be denied entry.
Some events at Anime Expo require an additional ticket to attend. If you are planning to attend a Ticketed Event at Anime Expo, please be sure to read all relevant event policies regarding pick-up, will-call, and other procedures.
18+ EVENTS require a wristband, which can be obtained at any Info Service booths, Event Operations (Room 508, West Hall upper floor), or at the Ticketing Booth. 21+ EVENTS require a valid ID showing your date of birth upon entry.
For most events, children 2 years of age and younger do not require a ticket to be admitted at any ticketed event; however, they must sit on an adult’s lap and may not occupy a seat. Any child 3 years of age and older will require a ticket to enter the event area or venue and must occupy their ticketed seat only.
The biwa is a very special instrument that comes from a variety of parts of the world, but in its home country Japan, it’s common to refer to an actual “biwa” as bei-ga. Bei-ga literally translates as the “beautiful sound” and by sounding out this word in an effortful, drawn-out fashion (bee-wee), it makes sense.
In the Studio Ghibli film “Spirited Away”, the biwa features prominently in the soundtrack and is used to convey feelings of sadness, nostalgia and longing.
The shamisen is one of the more recognizable of obscure Japanese instruments used in the music we hear in anime. It is a three-stringed lute that often has a snake or dragon carved into the body. The shamisen is played with a plectrum and is used to create a wide range of sounds, from percussive beats to delicate melodies.
The koto is a sizeable instrument that features thirteen strings. This instrument is approximately 160 centimeters long and about twenty centimeters wide.
The taiko is a Japanese drum. This percussion instrument comes in many different shapes, sizes, and types. The sound it produces is characterized by its loud bass tone. The presence of four slits on the body of the drum changes the pitch of the noise created when you beat it.
The sanshin is a three-stringed instrument that has strings that are made of silk, nylon, or metal. It can be played with both hands on the neck of the instrument while another hand is used to pluck the strings. The sanshin was generally reserved for special occasions or ceremonies in Okinawa where it is still performed today.
The Shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese bamboo flute. The sound is VERY recognizeable. It is made from a single piece of bamboo and has five finger holes and one thumb hole.
I kid you not. These events are some of the most enjoyable, cathartic, interesting, inspiring, and exhausting activties in which one can engage.
If you're shy, don't be afraid to ask cos players to take a photo of them- it is common practice to photograph cosplayers and nobody showing up to a convention in costume is going to get pissed if you try to take their photo so long as they're not busy with something else.
Sure, Halloween is good for costumes, but convention cosplay brings costume-wearing to an entirely new level. When taking photos at conventions, take full advantage of the front of the convention center and areas near entrances when shooting.
If you're a true fan, you'll not only attend comic conventions and anime conventions, but also attend them in costume. Dressing up in costume, known as cosplaying, is one of the coolest and most enjoyable things you can do at an anime or comic conveniton! If you have the time and resources, I recommend you really put some work into your costume.
Anime conventions and comic cons would not have much of an excuse for existing if they did not bring in interesting speakers and personalities, and these panels and appearances make up a huge proportion of these events' draw.