The identity of the person who spent £12,000 (two million yen) on a hyper-realistic Rough Collie suit continues to be a mystery to most.
But while the Japanese man isn’t ready to disclose pictures of his human form with the rest of the world, he has shared his secret hobby with his family.
And the man, identified only as Toco, said the conversation went down well with his loved ones.
He told the New York Post: “The family was surprised, but received it favorably. I am very happy that they accepted it.”
Toco became an internet sensation thanks to his YouTube channel, titled “I want to be an animal”, which he launched a year ago.
He has since gathered more than 52,000 subscribers on the video-sharing website – and can also count on a loyal following on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram.
Prior to getting his suit done, Toco had harboured the dream of being able to be a dog for years.
The video that skyrocketed Toco to worldwide popularity was published in July, and saw the man wearing his full costume outside for the first time.
In the video, which included clips from his interview with German broadcaster RTL, Toco could be seen interacting while on all fours with humans and dogs alike.
While he didn’t speak in the video, he waved at passersby and performed tricks in exchange for pets and fake dog treats.
But fame came at a cost, with many misunderstanding his lifestyle, Toco said, as he stressed in his latest interview he has no desire to live like a dog.
He explained: “My desire to be an animal is like a desire to transform … a desire to be something that I am not.”
The man said he wears the suit, which took company Zeppet 40 days and multiple revisions to make, perhaps once a week, mostly at his home.
In a previous interview, he also hit back at critics who claimed his decision to spend a fortune on the animal suit was a bizarre fetish.
He said: “I’m just sad that people can think that. I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie.”
Toco described wearing the collie costume and performing tricks in it as his “hobby”.
He continued: “It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”
