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14th August 2023
11:46am BST
A Japanese man who spent over £12,000 to become a dog says people have the wrong idea about what he really wants and are "misinformed."
While many might assume the man, who recently unmasked himself as Toru Ueda, is barking mad, the 32-year-old says what he wants is really quite simple - a dog's life.
Toru made headlines around the world after posting a series of videos of himself in his rough collie costume on his YouTube channel - 'I want to be an animal'. They feature him sitting in his crate, getting used to the lead, and even meeting - terrifying- other dogs at the park.
After his last video went viral, Toru revealed he had also spent £19,000 on a wolf costume that he mainly liked to relax in at home.
Speaking to the New York Post, Toru has since said: "My desire to be an animal is like a desire to transform…a desire to be something that I am not."
He went on to detail how he wears his dog costume once a week, mostly at home, and how he did not expect such a big reaction to his unusual hobby.
At home, Toru is yet to be put in the dog box, with the social media star saying, his family have been understanding.
"The family was surprised, but received it favourably," he told the Post.
"I am very happy that they accepted it."
When asked by the Post how much he makes from his YouTube channel which recently passed 50,000 subscribers, he refused to comment.
Despite a few people not getting Toru's choice to spend his down-time as a dog, he hasn't been put off.
"I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie," he added.
"This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too."
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