Japanese man who transformed into dog says people 'misinformed' about him

The Japanese man who spent almost $15,000 (twomillion yen) to look like a border collie using a custom-made hyperrealistic costume has stated that people are 'misinformed' about the idea that he wants to 'live like a dog'.

The man identified as Toco said he only wears the costume as a hobby and that too once a week, mostly at home.

“My desire to be an animal is like a desire to transform…a desire to be something that I am not,” Toco told The New York Post.

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When quizzed about the netizens trolling him for his bizarre fetish, Tuco said he was 'sad' about it.

“I’m just sad that people can think that. Ilove animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie," said Tuco.

“This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”

The Japanese saidhe had not anticipated such a big response for his 'hobby', adding that his family had accepted him with his eccentricity intact.

“The family was surprised but received it favourably.I am very happy that they accepted it.”

Toco goes viral

Toco made headlines last month when photos and videos of him wearing the costume, walking on all fours and interacting with other canines went viral across social media platforms. Initially, the public believed that Toco had transformed himself into a dog before it was revealed that he was wearing a costume.

In the videos shared on his YouTube channel with the title ‘I want to be an animal’, Toco was seen taking a walk on the streets and sniffing at other dogs present in a park as well as rolling around on the floor. The video has since garnered nearly 20 million views while his channel's subscriber count has shot up to 51,000.

Toco, giving an introduction on his YouTube channel, explained through a series of written notes translated from Japanese, “Nice to meet you. I became a rough (sic) collie because I wanted to be an animal...Please let me know your request for the video you would like to see in the comments!”

Toco stated that he has been hiding his human identity because he does not want people, who know him, to judge him for his new look.

Watch |A Japanese man spends 2 Million Yen to become a dog

According to reports, it took Tuco more than 40 days and multiple revisions to get the costume right. It was made by a company named Zeppet, which specialises in producing costumes for TV commercials and shows.

“Modeled after a collie dog, it reproduces the appearance of a real dog walking on four legs," a company spokesperson said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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