Japanese man who spent £12,480 to become Toco the dog speaks out in first in-costume interview
Toco the dog - known for his £12,480 collie costume - has reportedly done his first interview whilst dressed as a dog.
The Japanese man went viral last year after unleashing his canine alter ego and his ridiculously realistic costume, which has shocked the internet.
Watch below:
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This is not just a fancy dress outfit by the way, as Toco has always dreamed of transforming into a dog.
"I've thought about it since I can remember," he told MailOnline last year.
His identity remains hidden as he doesn't want his co-workers to know about his unique hobby.
"They think it's weird that I want to be a dog. For the same reason why I can't show my real face," he added.
In a previous interview with Mynavi, he explained: "I made it a collie because it looks real when I put it on.
"My favourite is quadrupedal animals, especially cute ones. Among them, I thought that a big animal close to me would be good, considering that it would be a realistic model, so I decided to make it a dog.
"I met such a condition and made collie, my favourite breed of dog."
And now, after appearing in his very first in-costume chat, Toco claims that fans want to follow in his footsteps.
"I receive all kinds of messages, among the positive messages, some tell me that they want to do what [I’ve done]," he said, according to The Daily Star.
"This has allowed me to see that there are other people like me."
A representative from Zeppet, who made the £12,480 costume, said: "The point is that the skeleton of a dog can be reproduced on the skeleton of a human. Since the structure of the skeleton is very different, we spent a lot of time studying how to make it look like a dog."
And it seems a lot of research goes into that process, even down to the fur colour: "In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally."
As footage of Toco has gone viral, Toco has received all sorts of responses in the comments.
One person wrote: "Imagine waking up hungover and your buddy has this on and he's talking to you laying on your chest."
Another commented: "I'd trick people into thinking i was a real dog for a few minutes than get up on my legs and start coming after them."
While someone else said: "I'd like to see him out in public and talk out loud and everyone is looking at him like WTF did I just witness."
I feel that this will not be the last we hear from Toco the dog.
Anish Vij