Japanese man splurges $15,000 to 'become a dog'
The lifelike collie dog costume was provided by Zeppet, a Japanese company renowned for crafting costumes used in television and movie productions.
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A man in Japan wearing a fur suit and frolicking around on all fours. (ZeppetJP/Twitter)
A Japanese man who chose to be referred to as Toco, to protect his identity, invested nearly $15,000 to craft a remarkably lifelike collie dog costume.
On his YouTube channel, which boasts almost 30,000 followers, Toco shares videos of himself parading in public donning the intricate outfit. While being led on a leash, he engages in dog-like behavior, playfully sniffing other dogs in a park and rolling around on the grass.
“I became a collie, fulfilling a dream I had since I was a little child to be an animal,” Toco was quoted as saying at the start of one of the video clips.
“Do you remember your dreams from when you are little? You want to be a hero or a wizard,” he added. “I remember writing in my grade school graduation book that I wanted to be a dog and walk outside.”
A MAN SPANT $20,000 to BECOME A DOG!! WTF
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) July 29, 2023
This is a Japanese man, Toco, who transformed himself into a ‘human dog’ by spending $20K.
This is WILD! I have seen a lot of wild stuff, but this is scary. What is next?! pic.twitter.com/wiN83LRqtn
Although Toco showcases himself as a popular herding dog in public, the human side of him feels less at ease when it comes to sharing his spare-time activities.
“I don’t want my hobbies to be known, especially by the people I work with,” he said as quoted by the Daily Mail last year. “They think it’s weird that I want to be a dog. For the same reason why I can’t show my face.”
In another interview with the UK publication The Mirror, he said: “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.”
Last September, Toco ventured outside in his complete collie costume for the first time, choosing the secure setting of his backyard. Despite the absence of prying eyes, he admitted feeling a mix of nervousness and fear during the experience.
Toco commissioned a Japanese company, Zeppet, renowned for crafting costumes used in television and movie productions to create the fur suit.
