For those who don’t want the burden of reading what is likely to become a long and rambling post, I’ll put the “too long; didn’t read” summary up front:
Comic Water is better than Purified Draenic Water, I cancelled my WoW account this morning and have begun the process of reassembling what life I had before mid-June.
For a bit of introspection on two months of lost time and a look ahead at the future of this site and its operator, feel free to read on:
The first thing I need to say is that I don’t regret spending the past two months in Azeroth. The game is one of the most wildly entertaining things I’ve ever done, but more importantly it was the break I needed from work on HD and a lifestyle that was feeling increasingly pointless and self-limiting.
HD had gotten to the point by June of this year that I found myself in a vicious cycle of consumerism and content generation, where one justified the other – I had to buy “x” so I could review it, which would drive sales to affiliates and generate revenue that could then be used to buy “y”, again for review purposes. I found myself buying much more than I could review in the free time I had, to the extent that I was trapped under an ever-growing pile of mail orders with no expendable cash to get out and do anything else – the only avenue I saw to fix things was to review more, review faster, generate more site content and attract more visitors. I couldn’t really enjoy the stuff I was getting because it was always on to the next thing.
So, I ran away. It wasn’t deliberate, though the timing was perfect; I was wasting time on another game when a friend offered me codes from an extra copy of WoW he had laying around. I accepted, with a pretty good knowledge of the implications; I’d been avoiding WoW because I knew if I started it would instantly consume my life. I didn’t start playing to deliberately abandon all other responsibilities, but subconsciously I’m sure the knowledge of the awaiting drug coma played a part in the decision.
As I said, I don’t regret stepping back from the world for the past two months. I realize there have already been consequences from this and there will continue to be for some time, especially in terms of site readership. I can accept that. HD two months ago wasn’t something that was ultimately sustainable anyway, so something like this was bound to happen sooner or later; honestly I needed the break from the high-stakes pressure of event coverage of Wonder Festival and Comiket this time around.
That said, attending Comiket yesterday had the effect it always has – it gave me a serious jolt of desire to get back into the thick of things, and that’s good. The WoW account is dropped, and I doubt I’ll be going back to it. I’m still left with some fundamental questions about the future of this site however, questions that persist from last June; how can I continue in a way that feels honest to me, and doesn’t cannibalize my life as a fan?
As regular updates resume I’ll be tackling this question and others, so if things change a bit around here that’ll be why. If you’ve attempted to communicate with me over the past two months and I haven’t responded I’ll be doing my best to do so in the next few days, but it may be quicker (if you haven’t abandoned me as a lost cause) to send that email or post that comment again.
Finally, though I started with the claim that I didn’t regret my time in Azeroth, I do regret my time away from the people who have come to rely on HD for information or who have tried to contact me for whatever reason. I profoundly apologize to you for my absence; I have betrayed your confidence in my ability to treat your time with the respect it deserves, and I’ll do what I can to make things right.
Now I know how Satou felt playing FF11…

Shingo had a level 70 retribution spec paladin in full epic gear by the time he quit WoW. That has to count for something… no, wait – it doesn’t. He has rediscovered the novel invention known as e-mail and if you write to him at the above address he will try to respond.
So that’s why you’ve been away for a while. Lots of things have happened since then. Nothing big, except for Comiket and Wonder Festival, I suppose.
Once more, the denizens of the Internet welcome you back into the fold. :P
Thanks! I’ll try to round up what interesting bits of info I can from the past several weeks and get them up for the record, if nothing else. I’ve been glancing at the news when I can, there are definitely some nice things coming up.
I was starting to think that they had simply stopped releasing Kanu Unchou figures, and so you simply stopped blogging. ;)
Glad to see you back!
It’s great to see a new post!
WoW is evil…I quit since last year, and boy, I am glad I did. It’s really time consuming game!
I love your reviews, news, figure updates and your spotlights. I’ve been checking your site continuously to see if anything’s going to happen. Happy to see you back, but I’d be happier to see more of your awesome reviews. ;p
So happy. ;)
I’m incredibly glad to see you back!
As long you return in some capacity I’m sure your readership will be happy.
Good to have you back – looking forward to the next news you’ll bring.
Glad to see you’re back Shingo!
Hopefully now C74 and W.Fest. have passed some of the pressure is off of you perhaps.
Take it easy! (God that meme is stupid).
Glad you had experienced wow, fyi epic gear means nothing since dark portal
lol welcome back
fortunately i never got into WoW too much, instead wasting my time in FFXI lol
Anyway just do things at your own pace. As they say in japanese, どんまい、どんまい lol
WoW is definitely a life killer as I’ve seen it first hand with friends. But at least you considered it a good break from the blogsphere as everyone needs a break now and then. As for Comiket, I bought too much, lol.
welcome back. No matter how you sees it, comic water is better lol
I almost bought you comic water, it was so tempting….
You’re lucky you got out after only a few months. I’ve been at it over a year and I’m only just managing to pull myself free of its grip and I know the expansion will suck me right back in. :(
Also, I’m slightly envious. Despite all that play time my main (a Paladin) is still only 63.
Nice to see you’re alive and kicking Shingo! Just glad to hear you’ll be back to blogging in some shape or form in due time; and no worries about taking a 2 month break, everyone hits some type of “burn out” eventually…
… heck it happens to me every other month!
Good to see you are back doing your thing. I too am in the process of quitting WoW. It’s definitely a great game, addicting to the max, but then again like you, there are better things in life, and things we all need to do. There is just not much time to play a game that requires lots of it.
Maybe now that I am quitting, I can finally finish Grandia III and FFXII -_-”.
Best of luck to you and looking forward to what the site will bring in the future, whenever you can. It’s all about when and what you want to do now. Best of luck!
I couldn’t even believe when I saw a new post. Taking breaks is always good, makes you enjoy everything a lot more when you return. I never played WoW but I know how it feels to be sucked in by a game…
All right, sounds like things will be up and running again. I understand how evil WoW can be, I’ve gotten out of playing it right now because I realized there are better things I can do with my time. I’m looking forward to new reviews and good to see you haven’t abandoned your site.
Go with the flow Shingo; remember: nothing lasts so there is nothing to give up (is this zen ;)?
WB. I guess your “vicious cycle” sounds like something most bloggers only dream about — making enough money from their sites to buy merchandise. Most of us just have regular jobs (and therefore incomes) and blogs are a hobby (I choose not to monetise partly for this reason).
Personally I don’t get too hung up about traffic and revenue and stuff like that, but that might be because my living doesn’t depend on blogs.
I think we all just have to slow down from time to time and smell the roses (or the plastic, as the case may be). It’s great to take an extended break to get back in touch with the fundamentals of why you are running a site.
Hope you were at least a blood elf paladin…
Welcome back Shingo.
Are you sure we’re not clones of each other? I had an addiction to WOW too for a while…
BTW, if you need someone to help with a 2nd opinion on the reviews, or even pictures of some of the hotter figures (read : castoffable figures), I can help. 8)
Yeah, I do have a similar problem as you. I have more figures than display space now, and the last 30 figures I bought in the last 6 months are actually still MITB. 8p
Sigh I have three level 70’s now and a multitude of other alts of various levels. They should name this game “World of Warcrack” becuase it surely feels like an addiction.
Well done on breaking yours Shingo – I envy you :-)
Good to see you back! Who’s gonna do serious hobby news and reviews without you?
Online games are the worst addiction… I haven’t played any since putting 500hours into EverQuest.
Don’t push yourself too much to the point where you feel like an automaton, simply going through the motions. This is YOUR blog, not your affiliates’ and certainly not ours. Anything that’s forced will be tainted with the fact that it’s just that: forced. Think positive and, most importantly, do what YOU want. Whatever that may be. The fact that people, myself included, still frequent HD is testament that you’ll be supported no matter what you choose.
>>phaedrine
I believe the day they stop releasing Kanu Unchou figures will roughly coincide with the apocalypse, and will likely result in more than just the temporary end of posting on HD. <_< Plenty of Kanu news to catch up on, hehehe... >>Hobo Zombie
Thanks! It’s good to be back.
>>cloudkun
WoW is like sweet, delicious candy. That you can’t stop eating. And that turns you into a zombie. Not the good hobo-ey kind either. Still, a damn fun game…
>>Johno
Thanks, I’ll be working on that. Hope to have some new review action up within the next day or two – if you continue to refresh the site I promise something will come up eventually, for reals. ^^;;
>>e-imi
Thanks! I’ll try to stay back for good this time.
>>hiero_yo
I’m not sure if I can do it in half-measures; I feel like I need to devote myself to this 100% or I’m not being honest with myself or those who’ve come to use the site as a resource. We’ll see how it goes.
>>Zeroblade
Thanks! I’ll be working hard to make up for lost time.
>>KAMI
I’ve had all the yukkuri’ing I’ll need for awhile, I think. Bwehe.
>>Dvine
Ah, but this is BC epics we’re talking about! The welfare-y kind! Arena season two bought with honor and endless grinding of BGs! … Ok, I’ll shut up now.
>>suneo
Thanks! I’ll be マイing a lot more in the future, despite your reassurances, I think. ^^
>>Adun
Never too much! Comiket is for wallet destruction, anyone who tells you otherwise is …selling something? Or maybe not…
>>asd
The thing about Purified Draenic Water is that it’ll be deprecated as soon as Wrath comes out. *punches self*
>>MK
Hehe, thanks for the drinks regardless, much appreciated!
>>NegativeZero
It might be the result of a rather extreme binge-and-purge effect… I pretty much put everything else on hold to grind WoW, so after reaching a certain point the choice of paths ahead became much more starkly contrasted than it might otherwise have been. I guess that’s a silver lining, if there is one.
>>moyism
If you know any good tricks for breaking out of a burnout stretch I’d love to hear them. As much as I’d like to think it won’t happen again I know these things come in cycles; I guess all we can try to is mitigate the down time as much as possible.
>>ElShaz
Thanks! I don’t know that it’s a question of “better things in life” as much as a question of “real things in life”. If I didn’t have to eat, sleep, worry about deteriorating muscle tissue or bedsores, I’d probably be fine living in WoW until I died… heh. We do live in the real world though, and there are other things far more real than WoW that deserve attention and priority. So, I’m back.
Now if they introduced hug pillows with customized textures in WoW… or BWH sliders in character creation…… <_< >>Deathy
I agree that taking breaks is good, but communication is also good, and I’m kind of an epic failure at that at times. If this ever happens again I’ll do my best to clearly spell out what’s happening on my end instead of just disappearing. Less surprises all around that way.
>>thebucket
Thanks! If I ever do abandon HD I’ll be sure to bring it down in a blaze of glory and not just let it fade away – that said, that thought is furthest from my mind. HD is still alive and kicking and will be so as long as I am, as far as I’m concerned.
>>nirodha
Going with the flow is really all I can do. ^^ I try not to angst too much about what happens (sometimes succeed, sometimes fail) and realize that what is, is, and what is done can’t be changed – forward motion is all that remains. Mmm, vacant philosophical thoughts…
>>icie
I don’t think I described the cycle accurately – HD has never produced enough income to support my 2D addiction, not even close. It’s occasionally paid for a month’s worth of food, though (instant noodles mostly). It’s the justification that’s been key to the equation; grinding HD justifies further purchases regardless of any monetization that actually occurs.
Treating HD as a cash cow is never something I wanted to do, and worrying about stats or conversion or any of that rubbish is not something I’ll be doing in the future. It’s certainly not a legitimate incentive to continue working on the site, and if it was I’d be better off quitting right now.
>>omo
Nope, no belfs for me. Draenei female here (bust + waist + hip + tail + hooves + horns = win).
>>blacklotus
I have lots and lots of figure boxes to open, and lots and lots of pending reviews… trying not to think too hard about it lest I get overwhelmed by the tide once again. XD
Thanks for the offer – I’ve been pondering if and how I could integrate outside contributions or other collaboration into the site, still haven’t come up with a perfect solution but if I do I’ll let you know.
>>Jekias
Hehe, senpai! I could easily find myself going down that route as well, I’m know I definitely have it in me… still hearing the siren song of WoW playing in the background, I hope I can resist the allure. I think it’s just as valid a pastime as anything, really – I just can’t afford to indulge in it any more right now.
>>EvoSpace
Thanks! I’m not sure that online games are the _worst_ addiction; they’re relatively cheap, and not actively harmful to the physiology. Though the fact that makes the addiction more sustainable may be a strike against them, hmm…. regardless, it’s good to be back. I’ll be bringing the news fast and furious!
>>FS-fan
Words of wisdom, sir. You’ve stated exactly what I strive to keep as my philosophy, and I’ll try to live with it actively in mind as I pick up the pieces and move forward over the coming days.
It’s great to see u back and well. Everyone deserves a break.
I’ve stopped playing Warcraft after Frozen Throne. I never got into WoW and will never will because it has really never been my thing with MMO games.
Well, I’ve known you were back for the last few days now, but I shall comment here regardless.
It certainly is good to see you back here and living the life of an otaku once again. I for one don’t lose any sleep over you not being here, but it definitely was a blow to see absolutely nothing from you for the last two months (other than one or two posts). So, I am glad to see you’ve come nack, and for the first review – a huge review, at least in terms of figure size (as well as expense!) :P
Really, don’t try too hard to get up to speed on the last two months – there’s well over six or seven hundred items you’d have to review, so don’t bother! ^^ Just be sure to let us know of other things coming up! ^^
By the way, shall I tell you of the quilt covers of Zero no Tsukaima and Kanokon available at Hobby Search? I’ve got the ZnT on preorder already! :P
Money, money, money! -_-;
i had been wondering what was going on with HD, glad to hear youre back.
Glad to see your back Shingo.
It takes a lot to pull away from something like WoW. I’m thankful I lost interest in games long ago. Nevertheless, it was a shocking joy to see new posts up on here. I’m sure your readership will continue to trickle back in once word gets out. It’s good to have you back!
PS: Have you signed up with HobbySearch and their new affiliate program? – I’m sure you wouldn’t have to continue the cannibalism if you linked up with them :D
Good to have you back man!
it’s good to see you back :P
Glad you’re back. I’ve really missed the weekly eroge release roundup.
I tried WoW at one point, but could never really get into it due to the lack of overarching plot. Sounds like I dodged a bullet.
Just echoing what everyone else is saying. Glad you’re back. As you can see you’ve got some people who aren’t going anywhere any time soon, myself included. Excited to see some new content – don’t kill yourself producing it this time around! :)
You live! I was fearing this place had died for good. Which would have really buggered me, because its like the only figure (and etc) site in a tongue I can read and understand, and I only discovered this place about half a year ago…
A very welcome back Shingo! It seems you were right to stop when you did as the figure scene/hobby really wasn’t fun for you anymore. You seem to have figured out what’s important for you and you’re going forward.
I look forward to future updates.
Welcome back, man. I’m glad to see that you’re doing okay. ^_^
WoW is extremely addicting, I understand that completely. I wish you could enjoy it while still doing other stuff, but I also understand your stance on it.
And… TWO MONTHS to full epic ret gear!? Hax. XD
<– hunter/warrior (tank)
No, I don’t play too much. Really. <.<;
nice to have you back.
Perhaps you can consider opening to reader contributed reviews of figurines that you never bought. That way you can cut that vicious cycle of having to buy X just to review it.
Wow- an official “I’m back” post…that i have completely missed (ignored) for the past few days.
Welcome back!! YAY!!
>>Shingo
Hmm, so how overweight are you now?
>>to all other ex-WoWwers
you know what I am talking about!!! *grin*
I weigh about the same as I did when I started playing. Other things have caused my weight to fluctuate, though. >.>
Welcome back, and congrats on breaking away from WoW~
Look forward to your news posts and reviews again, been hard to find any site that does them as well as you :)
WOW is definitely addictive, but I’m glad you got the break needed (don’t we all sometimes).
Great to have you back, Shingo.
finally went to the front page instead of just following my bookmark to the hobby page and ran across this ‘Editor’s Desk’ post, and I must say as a creative person, sometimes you need a break, everyone can understand that. I personally have never understood the appeal of WoW, but the break I understand. I am glad you decided not to retire the site for good though. HD is a great resource for us English reading chara-hobby fans, and while I like many others I am trying to cut back on orders (it’s hard), you always want to know what new even if you decide to pass on buying it.
So a proper, good to have you back, Shingo! And god is the Shunji Hagii Daiki Vol. 13 Kanu awesome:) … and expensive:(
yes, well… that would be ‘what’s new’ not ‘what new’… and me with a typo is certainly not new. Sigh.
Oh, and thank the maker for Moeyo and context clues while you were away.
Haven’t been here in a while but I’m glad to see you back in action! The pressure of always having to be on top of the latest news and event can get too much sometimes. You definitely deserved a break, and, well, there are worst things that you could have became addicted to.
just to let you know the final volume of hirohisa onikubo’s ikenie fujin series was released 2 weeks ago ^.^
Any chance you were able to read lust train while getting experience points in azaroth?