5 March, 2010 4:47PM AEDT

Frock up, wig on, get your sword out; it's AICon time

It's not every weekend that you can spend your time with a storm trooper and a ninja turtle, but you might just have a chance this weekend at the Anime Island Convention.

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"I was in casual clothing and I was with a group of my friends and a group of high schoolers randomly yelled out 'oh look! There's cosplayers.' and we had to pause for a moment and wonder how the heck they knew who we were because we were out of costume...we were very stunted."

If you've ever been recognised on the street as a storm trooper or pokemon character, then AICon is the place for you.

AICon, or Anime Island Convention, is weekend to celebrate Japanese anime and pop culture.

"It's not just anime; we have a gaming room and trading hall for various things. We talk comics and pokemon cards a lot...books are really popular," says Sammi Cure, a regular AICon goer and Cosplayer.

"We're very internet based as well, there are a lot of internet based jokes as well."

The two day convention includes movie screenings, theatre sports, panel discussions, games and competitions, but for most of those attending the main aim is to meet people who like what they like and have a good time.

"I think sometimes it can come off as a bit geeky if you say you're going to a convention, I think it's a bit of a stigma," says Anna Nguyen, who has travelled from Melbourne to attend the convention.

"But if you don't label yourself a geek or a nerd or an anime fanatic you can still get to have a really good time and just get to know a bunch of really good people.

"In small convention like these you really do get to know people and you get to go and say hi...and it's so much more interactive as well because when it's a smaller convection they can cater for those numbers.

"AICon really gets the audience to participate in it and gets them riled up and happy and I'm always happy to come back here. It's my third time."

A big part of AICon, as with most other anime orientated conventions, is the cosplay, or dressing up as your favourite character, so you might notice a few brightly coloured wigs and extravigent outfits around UTas this weekend.

"You have fun when you're not dressing up, but when you do dress up it's like that extra layer is taken off and you can be so much more confident, you talk to people, you hug people, people come up and talk to you because they like how you're being the character and your costume, it's a great way to meet people," says Anna.

"There was a ninja turtle last year. We had Leonardo turn up," says Sammi.

"We have storm troopers this year. The people from the sci fi convention are turning up. We're just a popular culture labelled anime, it's for everyone."

AICon is being held at the Stanley Burbury Theatre at the Sandy Bay UTas campus Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March.

If you do head along, we'd love to see what you get up to. Share your photos by uploading them to ABC Contribute.