The Japanese guy who spent about $15,000 (two million yen) on a custom-made hyperrealistic border collie outfit has declared that people are “misinformed” about his desire to “live like a dog.”
Toco, the man, stated that he only wears the outfit as a pastime once a week, primarily at home.
“My urge to become an animal is similar to a wish to convert…”I have a desire to be someone I am not,” Toco told The New York Post.
When asked about the netizens who were mocking him for his strange fixation, Tuco stated he was sad about it.
“I’m just sad that people can think that. I love 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 said he had not expected such a large response to his ‘passion,’ but that his family had accepted him with his eccentricity intact.
“The family was surprised but received it favorably. I am very happy that they accepted it.”
Toco has gone viral
Toco made headlines last month when photographs and videos of him dressed up, walking on all fours, and mingling with other dogs went viral on social media. Before it was proven that Toco was wearing a costume, people assumed he had changed himself into a dog.
Toco was seen enjoying a walk on the streets, sniffing at other dogs in a park, and rolling around on the floor in films posted to his YouTube account with the headline “I Want to Be an Animal.” Since then, the video has received approximately 20 million views, and his channel’s subscriber count has risen to 51,000.
Toco revealed through a series of written letters translated from Japanese on his YouTube channel, “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 explained that he has kept his human identity hidden because he does not want those who know him to condemn him for his new appearance.