Featured Image Credit: Zeppet Workshop
Topics: Weird, Animals, Dogs, World News
Bec Oakes
A Japanese man who went viral for his £19,000 wolf costume has unmasked himself, saying that it makes him feel 'no longer human'.
Toru Ueda, a highway engineer from Tokyo, spent a whopping three million Yen (nearly £19,000) on the custom-made costume to to fulfil his childhood dream of transforming into the fury predator.
The 32-year-old previously hid his identity but has since spoken out about how he enjoys life in the costume.
He stresses that doesn't wear his wolf suit out and about but instead slips it on at home to relax and forget his troubles.
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"When I wear my costume I feel I'm no longer human," Ueda told The Times.
"I'm free of human relationships. All kinds of troubles, related to work and other things - I can forget about them."
Ueda commissioned the costume from Zeppet Workshop, a specialist production and modelling company that provides costumes and figures for the film and TV industries.
The costume took more than 50 days to complete and Ueda said he was 'amazed' at the final product.
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He says that putting on the suit is a powerful experience for him.
"When I look in the mirror, I see a wolf, and that is very moving," Ueda said. "I'm not a werewolf - that's a kind of monster, and I am not a monster."
The engineer previously told Zeppet's website: "Because of my love for animals since childhood and some realistic animal suits appearing on TV, I dreamed of being one someday.
"At the final fitting, I was amazed at my transformed self in the mirror. It was a moment when my dream came true."
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He added: "My order to 'look like a real wolf walking on hind legs' was difficult – to say the least – but the complete suit looked exactly like what I imagined.
"Not only did the specs perfectly cover all of my preferences, but the ventilation slit for the wearer's comfort and the devices that let the wearer put it on without help showed me that the designers paid close attention to the wearer's comfort."
Ueda wanted his wolf costume to be as realistic as possible and met with the Zeppet team on multiple occasions to ensure it was exactly what he was looking for.
He also compiled a book filled with photographs of the creatures to give to the company.
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Zeppet says it has seen an increase in customers commissioning life-like suits from them with more than 50 people requesting suits similar to Ueda's for personal use.
Last year, a Japanese man who goes by the name Toco spent two million Yen (£12,500) to transform into human-sized rough collie and keeps people up to date with his experiences as the dog via his YouTube channel.
In recent updates he’s revealed that he’s bought himself his own dog crate to sleep in and shared what it was like to go on a walk wearing his leash.
Woof woof, I guess.