Chess is back and better than ever at Anime Boston 2010! Cosplay Human Chess is a cosplay gameshow event in which a giant chess-board is set up on stage and convention attendees in costume serve as the pieces, moving, fighting and dying live on stage at the direction of two chess masters. Highlights from last year's "Nice vs. Mean" match included the return of team SITCAS, Gary Oak defeating 2 Shinigami with just a Meowth, Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service) beating a swarm of zombies off with her broom and then swept them off the stage. These combats are not pre-scripted but take-place live on stage and no one knows what the outcome will be until the match is over.

This year:

In "Past vs. Future" our visitors from the future will be battling our favorites of the present and past in an epic battle for greatness. Which is truly better? Future tech or the past and present ingenuity? We will just have to wait and see. Cosplay Chess is now part of the Continuing Cosplay Plotline! Starting in 2007 an overarching story involving rivalries between different groups (ninjas, alchemists, pirates, shinigami and more) has continued through all the main cosplay events (the Anime Dating Game, Masquerade, Cosplay Human Chess and Catch the Barrel) knitting them together into a single story. This Cosplay Plotline will continue at Anime Boston 2010, and have its spectacular finale at Cosplay Chess! For more details, how to participate in the Continuing Cosplay Plotline, and a summary of what has happened so far, see the Continuing Cosplay Plotline Page.

How to Participate:

The participants in the chess match are chosen from among the convention attendees. No knowledge of how to play chess is required - your movements will be directed by the two chess players. If you are interested in participating, you must submit an online application form along with a sample photo of yourself in your costume. Registration for Chess is not first-come first-serve like the Masquerade and Formal Hall Costume Contest. Instead, all applications will be reviewed at the same time after the application cut-off date and the participants will be selected based on the appropriateness and popularity of the characters and the quality of the costumes. Be certain to read the Chess Rules before you submit your application. This year's application deadline is March 1st 2010.

What kinds of characters get picked?

Priority is given to popular and easily-recognized characters, since the match is more fun for the audience if they know who the characters are. Priority will also be given to characters who fit the "Past vs. Future" theme so if you want to be the Future Queen of the World or the School Girl Next Door, try to pick a character who fits the ideals of that side. In some cases, especially when casting the King and Queen pairs, priority is given to pairs or small groups from the same series. You may apply with more than one costume in which case we will select the most appropriate one. The more costumes you include on your application, the more likely you are to be accepted.

Special Attacks and Special Event Characters:

In addition to the thirty-two pieces on the board, Cosplay Human Chess also has Special Attacks and Special Event Characters. A Special Attack is a cosplayer who is not a piece, but is summoned onto the stage by another piece. Last year's special attacks included Ash Ketchum (Pokemon) summoning Vaporeon, Sora (Kingdom Hearts) summoning Yuffie using a cell phone. Allen Walker summoning Lenalee Lee. If you have a character who you think would make a good special attack, or if you have a second person willing to cosplay as an appropriate special attack for your character, you can apply as a special attack - see our Chess Rules and online application form. Special Event Characters are similar to Special Attack Characters but come on for a variety of reasons besides just combat. Last year many ninjas, pirates, shinigami, alchemists and other characters made brief appearances as Special Events to spice up the game. If you apply and there is not room for you to be a piece on the board, you may be invited to participate as a Special Event Character instead.

Application details:

Individuals participating in other cosplay events at the convention this year may also apply to Cosplay Human Chess. You may use the same costume for Chess which you wear in the Masquerade or Formal Hall Costume Contest but if two people apply as the same character and one of them is also in the Masquerade, priority will go to the other. You may apply to both Cosplay Human Chess and the Anime Dating Game with the same costume, but it will usually only be selected for one event. When you apply, you must submit a link to a photo of yourself in your costume, A front view and a back view are preferable and must include all props that will be used on stage, - a picture of you without the costume, of the costume without you in it, or a screencap or manga image from the series is not acceptable. We please ask that you not send Myspace and Facebook links unless you have a public profile or public photo album (They are not automatically public these days so please check before you send). These links do not open for us and we will have to request another one if that happens. Applications are not first-come first-serve so if you don't have a photo yet, please wait to apply until you have one rather than submitting an incomplete application. There is room on the application form for four costumes to be submitted - if you wish to submit more than four costumes, there is a space for you to note additional costumes.

IMPORTANT: This event will take place on Sunday so if you apply, you must make certain that you will not have to leave the convention early!

Group applications:

We are no longer accepting group applications for Chess. If you want to apply as a group, simply have all members fill out separate applications, then write a note in your application forms saying you are a group and include the names of other group members.

Want to participate? Please be sure to read our Chess Rules before filling out our online application.

Minors applying must submit a participation permission form signed by a parent or guardian.

Remember, the application cutoff for Cosplay Human Chess is March 1st 2010.

To apply for Cosplay Chess, please fill out the Cosplay Chess form.