It’s a doggone mystery.
A viral YouTube video shows how Toco, the man who had a hyper-realistic collie suit made, might fit inside the $14,000 canine costume.
Posted by creator Alberto “Bertie” Ruiz, known online as “tuv,” the 12-minute clip has clocked up more than 2.1 million views in the wake of Toco’s first public appearance as a pooch.
After analyzing the “body movements” of Toco, Ruiz declares himself “99% sure” the Japanese man is walking on his hands and knees inside the costume with his feet tucked up behind him.
Accompanied by a digital rendering, the YouTuber explains that the “front wrists are way slimmer than the ankles,” which makes him think Toco’s knees are acting as hind legs.
Toco has become a source of “creepy entertainment,” Ruiz said. YouTube
Ruiz imagined how the anonymous man might have to contort himself inside the collie costume. YouTube
“I mean, it just seems like an extreme body workout to always be on your hands and knees, and probably sweating inside the costume,” said Ruiz, who called Toco’s canine transformation “creepy.”
For instance, Ruiz called Toco’s attempt to scale a flight of stairs in the collie costume “unsettling.”
Toco recently captivated the internet — and his 37,000 YouTube subscribers — with footage of himself frolicking in his custom-made Zeppet suit, playing fetch, chowing down on dog “food” and even venturing outside in public despite expressing apprehension.
Toco — who hasn’t disclosed his real identity — previously revealed that he hasn’t told friends about his unusual animal hobby out of fear they’ll think him “weird.”
In a 12 minute video, Ruiz took his subscribers through his theories about Toco’s costume. YouTube
The canine cosplayer previously explained that becoming a life-sized dog was a longtime dream. YouTubeToco admitted online that he was fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming an animal — but his unusual activities haven’t been without barklash.
While haters jeered at the canine cosplayer online this week, Toco bit back at the trolls, saying he’s “sad that people can think like that.”
“I love animals and enjoy playacting like a collie,” he wrote. “This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”
But Ruiz mused that the doggy display seems like “attention-seeking” behavior, despite Toco’s desire for anonymity.
Toco has reeled in thousands of subscribers and millions of views online. YouTube
Toco desires anonymity, but Ruiz argues that flaunting his fluff on the internet is “attention-seeking.” YouTube“Is this a case of a person being stupid with their money, or just someone getting what they want because they have enough money?” Ruiz wondered.
While the human-dog hybrid isn’t “hurting” anyone — outside of causing some “nightmares” — Ruiz said it’s fair game to “judge” the cosplayer.
“I think we have a right to judge people based on what they buy if they’re posting it on the internet and it seems like they want attention,” he said.
