Cosplay is the ultimate dress-up, honouring your fantasy, sci fi and sporting heroes and heroines by dressing just like them. But it often goes deeper, with cosplayers taking on their subjects' personalities.
These home-made outfits can be incredibly elaborate and complex, often based on designs by Oscar-winners for movies with massive budgets.
If you want to create realistic-looking armour, swords and helmets at home, you need to ask the experts. And some secrets are about to be shared at workshops in Wellington, ahead of the annual Armageddon expo.
The tutor of these Masterclasses not only works on costumes for Weta, he's a keen cosplayer himself - Sanit Klamchanuan.
Lynn Freeman first asked Sanit what is his own favourite cosplay outfit.
The Masterclasses with Sanit Klamchanuan are on at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School in Wellington in April.
