Weeks after taking his first public walk, the Japanese man-dog now known around the world as “the human collie”, thanks to his extreme commitment to cosplay, has revealed his future plans.
“Toco” achieved internet notoriety after spending close to $22,000 on a custom-made collie costume he wears in public to help him realise his dream of “becoming an animal”, and posting the results on his YouTube channel.
Now, the human-turned-canine has chosen to reveal the secrets behind his unconventional life in an exclusive interview with the New York Post.
“The reason I chose a collie dog breed specifically is primarily because I like raising them,” dished the doggelgänger, who has owned multiple pups in the past.
“Secondly, because if it wasn’t a naturally large size breed, it wouldn’t look unnaturally disproportionate when worn by someone as a costume.”
Toco added that the collie’s long fur helps “camouflage the human form discreetly”.
After achieving his doggie dream, Toco now has another wish — to become a movie star.
“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,” he yelped.
The Japanese native also revealed that he long dreamt of living as an animal, but could never muster up the courage prior to ordering his current collie costume.
“Approximately two and a half years ago … I actually spoke to several companies about wanting to make a realistic dog costume like this,” Toco explained.
Once he found someone willing to take on the project, the furry fashion garment took about six months to construct. It was finally completed last year.
After wearing the costume in private for almost 12 months, Toco made his doggie debut earlier this year; the video of his first walk wound up going viral across multiple platforms.
Since that time, he has grown more comfortable being out and about while clad in costume and has been filmed playing fetch and even pretending to eat dog food.
Toco has gone so far as to create his own YouTube channel, which boasts 50,000 subscribers.
And while Toco has revealed his puppy proclivities to his family, his next step is to find love — doggy style.
“I think it would be great if something like this existed,” he said, speaking of a romance with a woman who also liked to dress up in a dog costume. “I would like to meet them.”
One psychologist has previously declared that Toco is a “theriac” — someone who identifies with a non-human species — and not a “furry,” referencing a subculture in which people dress up as dogs and other animals and may partake in sexual activity with one another.
Toco admits that it’s often physically strenuous spending much of his day on all fours, but says it’s worth it for the sense of fulfilment he feels.
“Rather than being tough or physically uncomfortable, the feelings of excitement and fun I receive from this experience are stronger,” he said.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and reproduced with permission