A JAPANESE man has spent almost £13,000 transforming himself into a real-life dog – and now wants to find his Lassie.
Pooch-wannabe “Toco” gained fame after posting a clip of himself in his ultra-realistic Collie costume as he walked down the streets of Tokyo.
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Speaking to the New York Post, Toco said after gaining confidence walking on all fours in public, he’s ready to find a partner and be in cinemas.
Toco hopes to meet other “therians” – people who identify as nonhuman species – at gatherings and maybe find romance.
He said: “I think it would be great if something like that existed. I would like to meet them.”
Toco also hopes to grace the silver screen and become a movie star.
He barked: “I think it would be great if I were able to use my skills and get the opportunity to appear as a dog in a movie.”
Toco said he chose the collie costume because he enjoyed raising the breed while as a human.
He explained: “If it wasn’t a naturally large size breed, it wouldn’t look unnaturally disproportionate when worn by someone as a costume.”
The collie’s long hair helps to hide Toco’s “human form” well and allows him to pass as a “realistic dog.”
He added: “There are restrictions, but you can move in it. However, if you move too much, it will not look like a dog.”
“Rather than being tough or physically uncomfortable, the feelings of excitement and fun I receive from this experience are stronger.”
Toco ordered the dog outfit from a specialist movie and TV costume maker and began sharing his journey to become a canine on YouTube last year.
Since then, the dog-lover has racked up over 50,000 followers online and explained to fans: “I became a collie because I wanted to be an animal“.
Toco has even invested in a full-sized dog cage to sleep in.
In footage of his first outdoor walk, Toco could be seen trotting up a road while being walked by a young woman.
He performed tricks and interacted with other people and their real-life pups and later admitted that he “did not expect such a big response” about his life as a dog.
Toco said his family were left “surprised” after learning about his canine identity but “received it favourably”.
“I am very happy that they accepted it,” he said.
And Toco doesn’t allow the negativity get him down though and said: “I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie.
“This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”
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