This Japanese Man Spent $14K To Become A Dog In Order To Fulfill His Life-Long Dream
Toco, a Japanese man has dreamed of becoming an animal since he was child. Now, he has finally made his life-long dream come true.
A Japanese man has finally achieved his life-long dream of becoming a dog after spending thousands of dollars on a hyper-realistic dog costume.
The man, identified only as Toco, said he has dreamed of becoming an animal since he was child.
“I remember writing in my grade school graduation book that I wanted to be a dog and walk outside,” he told Japanese news outlet, Mynavi.
Last year, Toco hired the Japanese costume company, Zeppet, to create a two million yen (nearly USD$14,000) rough collie dog suit.
He said he decided to become a rough collie because it’s his favorite dog breed and is almost the same size as a human, making it a perfect option to create a realistic model.
The outfit, which took about 40 days to create, allows Toco to walk on all fours like a dog.
Toco has documented his journey as a dog on his YouTube channel titled “I want to be an animal”, which has already garnered thousands of followers.
His most popular video with 6.7 million views shows Toco walking around the streets of Japan for the first time while meeting real dogs and performing dog tricks.
“This time, I finally get to fulfill a dream I’ve had since I was a little child: turning into a dog and going for a walk outside!” he wrote in the video caption.
Toco said he had previously only changed into a dog within the walls of his home, so he felt “nervous” and “scared” while stepping outside as a dog for the first time.
He said he has chosen to stay anonymous and hide his identity for the time being, fearing judgment from colleagues and family.
“I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird,” he told the UK news outlet, the Mirror.
While some on social media praised and supported him, he has also received criticism.
“I’m just sad that people can think that. I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie,” Toco said in response to the backlash.
“This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”