Donning a disguise can enable full immersion into a character. Commonly, this activity is linked with Halloween festivities or theatrical performances; yet, for Toko Ueda, it represents much more.
The engineer from Japan invested 2 million yen—roughly US$16,000—in a bespoke canine outfit resembling a rough collie, crafted by Zeppet.
Once enveloped in this lifelike suit, one could easily confuse him for an actual dog, at least with a cursory look. Demonstrating its realism, Ueda even ventured into the public eye for a stroll in his canine guise, an experience documented and shared via video.
The footage, which only recently became public, reveals the scenes of Ueda attired in his dog outfit during an interview by RTL, a broadcaster from Germany, in 2022. Having received the go-ahead to post this footage on his channel in the current month, the clips have soared in popularity.
The sequence features Ueda, garbed as the collie, navigating a quaint park on all fours accompanied by a German journalist and filming crew. At times, Ueda seems to rely on a rolling cart for smoother transportation—mimicking canine movements is evidently challenging for a full-grown human clad in a constrictive suit.
Nevertheless, the deception is impressively convincing. The clip even records genuine dogs approaching and scrutinizing this peculiar being, just as they would when meeting another of their kind. Ueda adopts canine behaviors, having mastered their typical gestures.
In a playful moment, the journalist interacts by offering a hand, which Ueda, staying in character, obliges with a ‘paw shake.’ The costume’s striking realism inevitably gathers spectators, and numerous passersby pause to engage with Ueda.
