28 July 2023 , 09:34
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The whole world loves dogs - they're cute, they're fluffy, and they're full of love. But one man has taken his love of dogs to the next level, spending over £12,000 on a costume so he can look just like a Collie. Known only as Toco, the human dog has achieved internet stardom, amassing 30,000 loyal YouTube fans who want to see him live out his dream of being an animal.
In a recent video on his channel, he can be seen playing in his back garden, performing tricks in exchange for food. But he's now ventured into the outside world to see humans and other animals for the first time in his two million Yen costume - which equates to £12,480.
Sharing the news with his fans, he wrote: "This time, I finally get to fulfil a dream I've had since I was a little child: turning into a dog and going for a walk outside!" And in the video, he did just that, as he can be seen on a leash, sniffing other dogs in the park before rolling around on the floor.
Toco's antics were well-received in the video by dogs and passers-by, who were intrigued by him - but previously, he was worried about what people would think of him, admitting he was "very nervous" to go outside. 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 went outside on a lead for the first time (Youtube/I want to be an animal)"Since childhood, I have had this unspecific fantasy of becoming an animal. I wonder whether it was a desire for transformation," Toco explained. In his latest video, he likened his journey to wanting to be a "hero or a wizard or a dog" as he thought it was impossible to be any of those things. But he's now fulfilled his dream and others on his YouTube channel shower him with support.
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"Don't be nervous about people seeing you! You're just a guy with a quirky hobby. There's nothing wrong with that!", someone reassured him. "Showed this to my bf and he was totally unsuspecting!", another reassured. "He thought you were just a super cute doggie with some trouble walking. We absolutely would've walked up to pet you and been none the wiser!!"
Toco interacted with members of the public in his £12,000 costume (YouTube)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 as perfect as possible.
Some had questions about the costume, with one asking: "But how do you walk in it, where does your leg go? Would be very interesting to see how it actually looks inside the costume." Someone else praised the costume maker, writing: "The SKILL that was put into this is BAFFLING."