For Dunedin student Lucy Morris and her friends, that something weird is creating and dressing in costumes from movies, videos or games.
She first got involved in what is known as cosplay, a combination of the words costume and role play, three years ago after she came across pictures of others involved.
Armageddon Expo conventions, held three times a year in New Zealand, were the most common place to find cosplayers.
It was a "form of escapism" and added something to a person's day when they saw someone dressed up, she said.
"It's nice to add a bit of fantasy to an otherwise boring world."
The movement was just starting to take off in New Zealand, with about 700 members on a national forum.
The tight-knit community ranged in age from 12 to 20 and came from varied backgrounds.
In Dunedin, however, it was less well-known, with only about 10 cosplayers, and Miss Morris was keen to get more involved.
Their most common activity was to attend conventions together but they also had picnics, sewing parties and travelled to visit cosplayers in Christchurch.
It was really about hanging out with like-minded people, she said.
