A Japanese man who wanted to be a four-legged hairy pet as a child spent more than £12,000 on a lifelike Collie dog outfit.
Toco, who wanted to look like his favorite dog breed, spent two million Yen on a Collie costume made to fit a human.
He claims that he has always wanted to “become an animal,” and due to the hard work of an excellent costume company, he now dresses as a dog to fulfill his dream.
Toco has thousands of subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he frequently posts videos of himself learning to play, eat, and train like a dog.
Toco Doesn’t Want His Friends to Think He’s Weird
However, he admitted to the Mirror last year that he still worries about ‘coming out' in real life because of the reaction he could receive.
He said: “I rarely tell my friends because I fear they will think I am weird. My friends and family seemed surprised to learn I had become an animal.”
Toco claims he most loves “doing things that only dogs do” because it helps him feel like a genuine pet while he learns how to explore his peculiar alter-ego best.
He may be seen in social media videos rolling over for belly massages, sitting down, and walking on a lead while imitating a Collie.
Additionally, he has recorded himself laying on a hammock, eating fake “dog food,” and even entering a cage.
But when wearing a costume, he finds it particularly challenging to perform human tasks that require using his hands because his big paws tend to get in the way.
He explained his wish to become a dog: “Since childhood, I have had this unspecific fantasy of becoming an animal. I wonder whether it was a desire for transformation.”
He continued by stating that the Collie is his preferred breed of dog.
Toco purchased the human-sized costume from Zeppet, a Japanese company renowned for producing sculptures and models for movies.
Their trained workers created the costume over the course of 40 days, as Toco continuously made adjustments to make it better.
One worker described how, after conducting extensive research, the team discovered the optimal approach to constructing a dog's skeleton.
They said: “In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the Collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally.”
Millions of people have watched Toco's YouTube videos of him living life on all fours, which were posted on the “I Want to Be an Animal” channel.
These videos have given those with similar interests a forum to discuss their aspirations.
“You inspire us to fulfill our dreams too,” one subscriber commented on a recent video, while another said: “Toco, I’m happy that you are living a dream I had. It looks so fun to be a dog!”
Many followers have also advised him not to keep his aspirations from those who love him.
“Don’t be nervous about people seeing you! You’re just a guy with a quirky hobby. There’s nothing wrong with that!” someone wrote.
