General Information: Frequently Asked Questions

This page has information regarding frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Zenkaikon. Please read this page before e-mailing our department heads or chair with questions. If the answer to your question is not on this page, feel free to direct your question to the most appropriate email address on our Contact page.

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General Questions

What is Zenkaikon?

Zenkaikon is a Philadelphia area anime convention!

Since 2006, Zenkaikon has been bringing quality Japanese animation (anime), comics (manga), and popular culture themed events to the Philadelphia area. The convention is staffed completely by volunteers, who want to share their appreciation for these mediums with the Philadelphia region. Zenkaikon features a variety of activities including anime and live action screenings, video and tabletop gaming, special guests, costume competitions, panels, concerts, vendors, and more. Starting as a small one-day event, the convention has grown rapidly to welcome nearly two thousand attendees in 2009. While Zenkaikon is still small compared to the largest conventions, its staff hopes that by growing slowly each year, they can build an event that will be an integral part of the region's culture for many years to come.

Where is Zenkaikon? How do I get there?: Zenkaikon V will take place at the Valley Forge Convention Center and Scanticon Hotel and Conference Center in King of Prussia, PA. You can get directions from anywhere in the world to Zenkaikon through Google Maps. You can also view our Location page to find more information about getting to Zenkaikon via public transportation.

When is Zenkaikon?: Zenkaikon V will take place from Friday, March 18^th, to Sunday, March 20^th, 2011.

What time will Zenkaikon start and end?: More details about the start and end times of the convention will be posted soon.

How old are the attendees at Zenkaikon? Are there kids there?: People of all ages attend Zenkaikon, from young children to senior citizens. Whatever age you are, you will likely see people your own age.

What are the rules of Zenkaikon?

The full list of Convention Policies can be found on the Policies page.

Most of the rules are common sense. Anything that is illegal outside the convention is also illegal inside the convention. Zenkaikon is also a family friendly convention. We ask that you:

Respect other attendee's personal space and belongings.
Listen to and follow the instructions given by Zenkaikon Staff members.
Be on good behavior.
Observe the general policies on camera and autograph ettiquette.
Adhere to cosplay policies regarding signs and weapons.

All attendees are expected to follow these rules. Please abide by Staff instructions and do not continue behaviors if you have received a warning from a Zenkaikon Staff Member.

What is there to do at Zenkaikon?

Zenkaikon aims to have plenty of activities to cater to every age and taste. Please see our website for up to the minute information regarding our:

Main events, including anime industry guests, musical guests, live comedy, dances, and game shows
Video Rooms for anime and Japanese live action showings
Panels for a variety of educational, humorous, and fan-related programming
Dealer's Room for anime, manga, Pocky, and a whole lot more
Artist's Alley for original artwork made by Anime fans like you
Anime Music Video Contest
Video Gaming Room for a wide variety of video games and tournaments

Hotel Questions

Where can I stay at Zenkaikon? Where can I sleep at Zenkaikon?

A partial list of hotels and pricing is available here.

You can sleep at home, at a friend's home, or in a hotel room. You are not permitted to sleep anywhere in the convention areas, and you will be asked to move by Zenkaikon Staff or Valley Forge Convention Center Staff.

Where can I get food at Zenkaikon?

There are vending machines at the entrance to the Valley Forge Convention Center.

A concessions area will be open for a portion of the convention. The hours of operation and menu will be posted on the Zenkaikon website as the convention draws near. Generally, the menu includes sandwiches, hot dogs, soda, water, juice etc.

The King of Prussia Mall and a number of other national and regional food and convenience store chains can be found approximately 1.6 miles away from the Valley Forge Convention Center. Guests staying at the Scanticon Hotel can utilize the hourly hotel shuttle to get to and from the King of Prussia Mall.

For more information on dining options, check out our Dining Guide.

What should I bring to Zenkaikon?

Bring your cameras, hotel confirmations, and a photo ID. It is very important to bring a photo ID in order to check in to Zenkaikon. Also, bring money for food, beverages, and any merchandise you might like to buy. For more information on disallowed items, please visit our Weapons and Props policies.

For more suggestions on items you should consider bringing to Zenkaikon, check out our New Attendee Guide.

Can I bring alcohol to the convention?

Zenkaikon is a family-friendly convention; the consumption of alcohol and disruptive public intoxication will not be tolerated in the convention areas. You will be asked to leave the convention areas for the safety of yourself and the other attendees.

Adults who are of legal age (21) at the time of the convention may drink in one of the hotel restaurants or nightclubs or at one of the local King of Prussia Mall restaurants. Remember to bring a designated driver or to take advantage of the hotel's hourly shuttle service.

Under no circumstances should alcohol be given to an attendee who is under the legal age.

How much money should I bring?

This is up to you. We suggest keeping in mind a few things:

Registration Fees (if you are registering at the door)
Public transit or gas (if needed)
Food
Merchandise (Dealer's Room, Artist Alley, and Zenkaikon official merchandise)

There is one ATM in the Scanticon Lobby and one ATM in the Radisson Lobby.

For more tips on what items to bring to Zenkaikon, check out our New Attendee Guide

What does is cost to park at the Valley Forge Convention Center Complex?: There is absolutely no charge to park in the Convention Center parking lot.

Registration Questions

How much is it to attend Zenkaikon?: Exact costs will vary from person to person. It depends on how early you register, and if you are buying a one day pass or a weekend pass. Since Zenkaikon is a three day event, it's better to buy the weekend pass if you plan on attending multiple days. If you can only attend one of the days, then you want to purchase a one day badge. Prices for passes can be found here.

I heard that you have to bring an ID to get your badge. What types of IDs are acceptable?: You must bring some form of identification (ID) in order to receive your badge. Acceptable forms of ID include government-issued ID (Driver's License, Military ID, Government ID, etc). For those between the ages of 14 and 18 who are attending unsupervised, a school-issued ID will be acceptable. For all attendees 18 and under who are accompanied by an adult, the adult may present their ID.

I'm under the age of 13, can I attend Zenkaikon alone? Are there kids' rates/discounts?: All attendees that are age 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult. We recommend that attendees under 18 have an adult with them. Children under the age of 6 can attend Zenkaikon for free with paid admission by a parent or guardian.

How do I get my badge from Zenkaikon? Where do I get my badge at the convention? What about VIP T-shirts?

Badges will not be mailed out to Attendees. Badges can be picked up at the convention during convention hours. You can pick up your badge in the registration area when you enter the convention. If you did not pre-register, you can also register and buy a badge at the same location. VIP T-shirts can also be picked up in the registration area when you receive your badge.

For full registration and check-in hours, please visit our Attendee Registration page.

I have applied to be a Gopher/Artist/Vendor/Member of Press at Zenkaikon. Do I still need to Pre-Register?

Gophers should pre-register for Zenkaikon. Once you have completed picked up your badge, you will need to report to the Zenkaikon Gopher Head for a quick briefing and for assignment to a station. There may be some opportunities to volunteer if you register at the convention; however, we cannot guarantee you a gopher position unless you pre-register and are approved by the Head of Gophers.

We are currently revising our Vendor and Artist policies for Zenkaikon V. More details will soon be available on the Dealer and Artist Registration page.

Press interested in covering the convention will be asked to complete a Press Pass application. This application will soon be available on the press page. In the meantime, if you are a member of the press interested in covering our convention, please contact our Head of Public Relations for information about obtaining a press pass. Please keep in mind that press passes are very limited, and not every media outlet may receive a press pass.

Cosplay Questions

What is cosplay? Do I have to cosplay at Zenkaikon?: Cosplay is the act of dressing up in costume like characters from anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comic books), Japanese music, video games, etc. Many cosplayers will also act out the character he or she has dressed up as. You are not required to cosplay at Zenkaikon.

If I wear a costume do I have to enter the cosplay contest?: You do not have to enter the cosplay contest if you decide to cosplay.

How can I sign up to be in the Masquerade or Cosplay Dating Game?: Sign ups for the Cosplay Dating Game and the Masquerade will be accepted online. You may also sign up for the Masquerade at the convention. Cosplay Dating Game sign ups will only be accepted online prior to the convention.

What are the rules for cosplaying at the convention?

The main cosplay rules are:

Large costumes and props should be kept at home as the halls do have a limited amount of space. If you do have a large costume, please be considerate of the amount of space it may take up.
Please dress appropiately for the event. Neither full nor partial nudity is allowed as Zenkaikon is a family-friendly event.

What kinds of weapons and props can I bring?: The Convention Policies on cosplay weapons and signs can be found on our website.

My costume utilizes stilts, can I wear it?: Unfortunately, in the convention space, one will encounter narrow hallways, stairwells, ramps, low ceilings, and large groups of congoers. For the safety of all present, stilts will not be permitted at Zenkaikon.

Guest Questions

How are guests selected?: Zenkaikon takes guest suggestions, from the public, in the Guest Suggestions for Zenkaikon forum thread. We look at attendee and staff suggestions and they are reviewed by our Guest Liason. The suggestions get narrowed down to a handful of possibilities. Then, the Guest Liason starts to contact the guests and invite them to Zenkaikon. When a guest accepts our offer and the contracts are completed, we officially announce their appearance at Zenkaikon, and put they are listed as a Guest on our website. Until a guest has been officially announced, Zenkaikon will neither confirm nor deny if someone has been invited as a guest.

Can I be a guest?: If you are someone of note in the anime, manga, Asian music, or science fiction industry and would like to be a guest, please email us at guests@zenkaikon.com. Unfortunately, we receive many more people asking to be guests than we could possibly afford to have at the convention. Please do not be offended if we turn you down, even if you offer to come for free. We hope you understand that our Guest Department is limited and they can only handle so much work. Nevertheless, you are still welcome to attend the convention and can apply to host a panel if you wish.

Will you be getting a Japanese guest?: Our budget does not currently support guests from outside the United States. Hopefully this will change in the future!

I'm friends with someone you may want as a guest. Should I invite them for you?

Please do not invite guests on behalf of Zenkaikon, although you are perfectly welcome to send their contact information to our Guest Department.

Why? For example, let's say that a regular fan tells a popular voice actor that "Lots of people at Zenkaikon want you as a guest! You should come!" The voice actor interprets that as an offical invitation and is naturally excited by the idea. Later on, when the voice actor e-mails our Guest Department, we may have to turn this guest down due to budgetary constraints. This puts us in a really bad place, because we run the risk of offending a possible future guest. Please help us avoid this situation and do not contact guests on our behalf. Thank you kindly for your understanding.

I am close friends with someone you have as a guest. Can I meet up with them at the con?: Absolutely! Attend their guest panel. All registered attendees are welcomed to attend guest panels. You can also arrange with them before the convention to meet up with them during some of their off time. Please note, however, that being friends with a guest does not allow you to enter the guest break room, staff room, or utilize other facilities or courtesies we may have arranged for the use of our guests.

Why don't you say who you're considering as guests?

There are many reasons we don't say who we are considering:

We do not want potential Attendees to register for the convention based on rumored guests, only to be disappointed if a guest is not invited.
If a guest is unable come for some reason (such as travel, expense, or other needs that we are unable to fund), we do not wish to upset either the fans or the guests.
We would prefer to represent our convention officially with potential guests via our Guest Liason.

Why can't you get a particular Guest at Zenkaikon?

When our Guest Liasion extends an invitiation to a guest, we have no guarantee that they will be able to attend. Scheduling and personal conflicts can get in the way.

Bringing a guest to the convention can cost a lot of money for accommodations, travel, food, and other expenses. Zenkaikon does the best it can as a small-but-growing convention with a limited budget. Every year that we continue to grow, we have a bigger budget to accommodate a greater number and wider variety of guests. We try to accommodate attendee suggestions within our means. If your guest suggestion has not been selected for this year, don't feel badly! We may still be considering the guest for a future year.

Where will you announce guests?: We announce guests on our website, our Myspace Group, Facebook Group, Twitter Feed, and anywhere else we have an official online presence.

What days will the guests be there?: It varies. Some of our guests will be there Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or all three days, depending on their schedules and what activities the guests will be participating in at the convention. Check the convention schedule to see what activities guests are participating in. We will try to schedule guests for the entire convention, but his or her availability may vary depending on their schedules.

When can I get autographs? What is the Zenkaikon autograph policy?: You can get autographs at the official 'Meet and Greet' sessions we schedule with our guests. These sessions will be clearly marked on the schedule which will be released a week or two before the convention. Please review our autograph and guest ettiquette policies in advance.

What can I have guests sign?: Guests will not sign any bootleg or illegal item. Please bring licensed items only. Autographs are also limited to two items per person. You can read our autograph policies on the Convention Policies page.

Can I give the guest a present?

Yes, you may. However, you should present it during your turn at the autograph session.

Please do not give them food, as they might be allergic.
Do not ask them to put on articles of clothing during the autograph session out of respect for other members in the line behind you.
Do not expect gifts in return.