Man who became a dog for £12,480 worries his friends will think he's 'weird' – The Mirror
A man with a desire to become a dog has fulfilled his lifelong dream after purchasing a £12,480 human-sized collie costume – but worries his friends will think it’s a peculiar habit
A Japanese man named Toco is sharing updates of his life as a 'giant dog' after he spent two million Yen – which equates to £12,480 – on a human-sized collie costume. Toco has always dreamed of "becoming an animal" and now dresses up as a dog a few times a month to live his childhood fantasy.
Toco, who has his own YouTube channel, regularly shares videos of himself learning how to eat, play and train like a pooch. Speaking about the opinions of his peers, Toco told the Mirror : "I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird. My friends and family seemed very surprised to learn I became an animal."
Toco says he most enjoys "doing things that only dogs do" because it makes him feel like a proper pet.
He finds activities that involve his hands the most difficult as his paws often get in the way.
"Since childhood, I have had this unspecific fantasy of becoming an animal. I wonder whether it was a desire for transformation," Toco explained.
Clips on Toco's social media show him rolling over for belly rubs, pretending to sit and lift his paws and walking on a lead just like a dog.
He's also learnt how to eat fake dog food, venture outside in a lift and even hang in a hammock.
Toco says he chose a collie because it's his "favourite" breed of dog, and purchased the realistic costume from Zeppet, a Japanese agency known for creating sculptures and models for movies.
It reportedly took Zeppet 40 days to make the costume, as Toco kept adding improvements to make it perfect.
A Zeppet employee spoke about how the team found a way to create the skeleton structure of a dog, and spent a lot of time studying it.
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."
Toco's costume has attracted fans from all over the world and his YouTube has created a space for likeminded individuals to open up.
"You inspire us to fulfil our dreams too," one subscriber commented on a recent video, while another said: "I hope I become the animal I want to be as well. You're an inspiration to us."
Toco's fans reassure him that he isn't weird and he shouldn't hide his animal desire from his close family and friends.
"Don't be nervous of people seeing you! You're just a guy with a quirky hobby. There's nothing wrong with that!" someone wrote.
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