Man Who Hates People Spends 23,000$ To “Become A Wolf”

A man who spent $23,000 on a custom-made wolf suit said that while wearing it he “no longer feels human.” That’s the very least I’d hope for after shelling out that kind of money. Toru Ueda, a Tokyo-based engineer, finds that dressing up as a wolf is a great way to de-stress and enjoy himself, as it allows him to temporarily suspend his human identity and experience life through the eyes of a wild animal. The costume, which took four people seven weeks to make, was a labor of love.

The 32-year-old Ueda commissioned Zeppet, a business that creates models and costumes for TV and movies, to design a one-of-a-kind outfit for him at a cost of three million yen. Although it’s a large lot of cash to part with, it’s worth every cent to Ueda as it affords him a sense of independence.

“When I wear my costume I feel I’m no longer human. I’m free of human relationships. All kinds of troubles, related to work and other things – I can forget about them.” Said Ueda. He had three in-person meetings with Zeppet, during which they discussed the suit in great detail, right down to the tiniest of particulars, such as the pattern and texture of the wolf’s coat. He also sent the company a number of photographs of wolves and they corresponded via email a total of forty times.

And in the end, everything paid out for Ueda who said: “When I look in the mirror, I see a wolf, and that is very moving. I’m not a werewolf — that’s a kind of monster, and I am not a monster.” Ueda spent a lot of time and money on his outfit, so you’d think he’d be proud to show it off.

He claims he would feel out of place wearing it in Tokyo and hence won’t be donning it for any upcoming costume parties. The neighborhood canine population probably wouldn’t approve, either. In his spare time, Ueda instead hosts his pals around for a drink while dressed as a wolf.

Ueda said that he and his friends don’t really do anything special, but that they support him doing whatever makes him happy. Other people besides Ueda have also used Zeppet to become animal personas.

Toco, a fellow Japanese national, made headlines last year with the debut of his terrifyingly lifelike canine outfit. “I have had a vague dream of becoming an animal since I was a child,” he wrote in the caption (dogs can’t talk, remember). “When I fulfilled that dream this is how it turned out. I’ve wanted to be an animal ever since I can remember.”

“So what was the trigger? It is difficult to answer the question.” When asked more about his choice to take on the form of a collie, he explained: “The reason for this is because it is my favorite breed and because of its size. I am particularly fond of cute quadrupedal animals. The fact that the size gap with humans is not large was also a deciding factor.”

The company provided some background on the creative process by saying: “Since the structure of the skeleton is very different, we spent a lot of time studying how to make it look like a dog.” They added: “In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally.”