Props and Weapons Policy

Naka-Kon strives to continue our tradition of being a safe, family-friendly convention! We’d like to provide you with the guidelines for acceptable props and weapons, so that we can help you plan your cosplay accordingly!

Prohibited props and weapons consist of, but are not limited to:

• Metal props that have sharp points or edges.
• Props that are not made of metal, but have sharp enough points or edges to cause an injury.
• Airsoft guns, paintball guns, and other firearms, even if modified with no moving parts/coloring accommodation.
• Tasers.
• Fake firearms that look similar to real firearms.
• Crossbows or hunting bows, even if modified.
• Arrows with sharp points.
• Smoke machines and strobe lights.
• Anything that explodes (firecrackers, poppers, etc.).
• Anything that emits fire.
• Anything that can shoot a projectile (including, but not limited to, Nerf guns, water guns, marshmallow cannons, confetti cannons, etc.).
• Anything that creates excessive light or noise.
• Any props longer than 7ft.
• Peace-bound weapons or props.

Note: Any prop or weapon that Naka-Kon deems a hazard or danger will be confiscated and placed in the Access Control office for safe-keeping until the end of the convention or until your departure from Naka-Kon. The Access Control team will return your prop or weapon to you in exchange for your convention badge, and we will escort you off of convention property.

As a reminder, firearms (whether open-carry or conceal-and-carry) are not allowed on Overland Park Convention Center, Sheraton, Marriott, or Hilton premises unless carried by an on-duty police officer. We would also like to advise you that Naka-Kon, Sheraton Security, OPCC Security, and the Overland Park Police Department will treat anything that looks like a real weapon as if it is a real weapon. In order to ensure the safety of our attendees, we will not allow any prop or weapon if we mistake it for a firearm or think someone else might.

Naka-Kon will allow props and weapons such as, but not limited to:

• Wooden swords or bats.
• Metal props with dull points and/or edges.
• Simple bows, either unstrung or with a very loose string that cannot be used to shoot any projectile.
• Fake projectile guns, such as Nerf guns or T-shirt cannons, that are modified so they cannot fire at all and have no moving trigger.

In light of recent events and with consideration toward the safety of our attendees, all non-functioning projectile weapons must also meet the following criteria:

• 50% of the exterior surface area of your prop must be a bright, noticeable color such as: bright red, bright blue, pink, neon green, orange, yellow, bright purple, or a combination thereof. The majority of your prop must NOT be black, brown, silver, or another dark color, though these colors may be a part of your prop’s color scheme.
• Your prop must either have a solid orange plug affixed to the end of the barrel as a part of the device, or must have a solid orange barrel marking affixed to the exterior surface of the barrel. Both options must meet a minimum of 6 millimeters in length, and must cover the entire circumference of the barrel.
• If you are unable to meet this criteria prior to your arrival at Naka-Kon our Weapons Check table will assist you in meeting the coloring requirements with temporary painter’s tape, washi tape or gaffers tape.
• No moving trigger to ensure no firing of things is able to happen.

Mock Fighting, swinging, brandishing, shooting, throwing, crossing swords, “waving my weapon at my friend,” etc. is not allowed at Naka-Kon. For attendee/professional photographs, you are welcome to pose for photographs with your prop, but please refrain from any swinging blows! For those of you in the cosplay and/or skit contests, you will be allowed to swing your prop for mock fights, but only on stage during the contest itself. Any misuse of your weapons or props may result in our staffers confiscating it or asking you to remove it from convention space/contest stage.

If you have a large prop or weapon (between 5 and 7 feet in length, heavier than 10 pounds, wider than 2 feet), please feel free to email accesscontrol@naka-kon.com with any questions or concerns you have. Props longer than 7 feet will not be allowed, and exceptions for the cosplay competition will not be made.

Naka-Kon reserves the right to inspect and reinspect any prop or weapon and to require the removal of any prop or weapon. If your prop/weapon could possibly be an inherent danger to other Naka-Kon participants, our Access Control team may confiscate the prop/weapon. Examples of confiscation worthy props/weapons include, but are not limited to: sharp metal, airsoft or paintball props, explosive devices including firecrackers or smoke bombs and real firearms.

If you have any questions about the rules above, please email accesscontrol@naka-kon.com for clarification. We would love to help you understand if your props violate one of our rules in time to make them compliant, but we will not “pre-approve” any props or weapons