General Rules
- AnimeNEXT badges must be worn at all times in plain sight and facing forward. Any attendee that loses their badge must purchase a replacement in order to gain access to all AnimeNEXT events, no exceptions. However, if you do lose your badge you may check with staff to see if someone turned it in.
- AnimeNEXT is a family event and attendees are asked to dress accordingly. AnimeNEXT staff reserves the right to ask an attendee to change clothing if it is deemed inappropriate.
- For everyone’s safety: roller blades, skateboards, scooters, wheelies, and roller skates are prohibited in all areas of AnimeNEXT.
- Universal Animation, AnimeNEXT, Garden State Exhibit Center, Double Tree Hotels, the Holiday Inn, and the Hotel Somerset are not liable for any missing belongings. If you should lose something, please contact AnimeNEXT’s Lost and Found department to assist in helping you find your missing item.
- For all 18+ and 21+ events, IDs WILL be checked, no exceptions. Valid photo ID with birthdate, such as a passport or drivers license, should be on hand to attend any age-restricted events.
- 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 AnimeNEXT.
- Bag Policy: For the safety of all our attendees, under absolutely no circumstances are bags to be left unattended at any time during the convention. Any bag left unattended may be removed from the premises at staff’s discretion. There will not be a bag check available at the convention, so be sure that any bags you bring with you into the convention are non-obstructive and can remain with you at all times. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
Sign Policy
- No signs are permitted at AnimeNEXT 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)
- Signs with offensive content are not allowed at AnimeNEXT. Please remember that this is a family event.
- All signs must adhere to the same restrictions imposed on all props.
- Any attendee that breaks the sign rules will be asked politely to remove the sign.
Weapons & Props
- No live steel will be allowed at AnimeNEXT. Live steel is defined as: Swords, bayonets, and knives (regardless of whether or not they are sheathed), Star knives and shuriken, or other objects made of metal which can take an edge. This holds true regardless of whether the object is actually sharp.
- Do not use props in an unsafe manner. This includes but is not limited to: 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 reproduction has a firing capacity it must be empty of all ammunition and magazines.
- NO PROJECTILE WEAPONS OF ANY KIND will be permitted, without exception. Examples include, but are not limited to: Airsoft guns, any and all kinds, regardless of whether functional or not. A non-functional Airsoft gun with no moving parts is still an Airsoft gun. BB and other pellet guns, Crossbows, dart guns, and blowguns, Water guns and/or pistols, Stun guns and Tasers are also NOT allowed.
- NO EXPLOSIVES or CHEMICALS of any kind including, but not limited to: smoke powder, sparklers, or fireworks of any kind.
- No prop over six feet tall will be allowed to enter into the convention space.
- Leashes of any kind may not be worn at any time on convention grounds.
- AnimeNEXT reserves the right to deem any prop dangerous to the general public, regardless of size and ask for it to be removed from the convention space.
- All weapons purchased from the dealers room must be boxed and taken immediately to a car, hotel room, or home after purchase. No exceptions. See live steel rule above.
