MechaYard Wars

Love building robots? Want to give it a try? Take part in the MechaYard Wars contest!

About

Every year Anime North challenges all scrap loving, duct tape sticking and hot glue sniffing otaku to build a robot during a Sunday afternoon hour of constructive mayhem. In teams, or as individuals, contestants compete for the winner’s privilege of holding aloft the fabled Mechayard Wars trophy. Since the contest only lasts an hour the robot is not expected to function, but in past years some have done so, and were judged accordingly.

Where

The contest takes place in the events area of the TCC. All contestants have to attend a short safety briefing at 12.45 on Sunday. A heap of materials, tools, glue, paint and duct tape will be provided. Contestants may bring their own tools, but no power tools, soldering irons, other heated tools, crazy glue and contact cement are forbidden. Miniature hot glue guns are provided and they are the only powered tools allowed in the construction area.

Instructions

Before the contest starts teams draw lots and take three items from the material pile in order. Once the contest starts one member of each team can take parts from the pile.

The robots should project an annual theme that will be announced at the start. But the mecha don’t have to mimic humans, and anime’s humanoid creations range from Chobits’ miniature mobile persicoms to power suits and Patlabor’s Alphonse.

Following an hour’s building contestants will have ten minutes to paint and adjust their creations. Each team will be expected to describe their mecha and its purpose during a short presentation to the judges. The judges mark on originally of concept, ingenuity in selecting and using available parts, the workmanship and the presentation. The weirder, the funnier, and the more outrageous the presentation is, the better. Corruption of the judges is encouraged, but there is no guarantee that it will sway the result.

Prizes

A wide selection of valuable prizes awaits the creators of the winning robots.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s MechaYard Wars.