As of today, I am retiring as an official caster for Identity V.
The 2026 Summer IJL Finals held on August 2nd was my final appearance as an official caster.
To everyone who warmly watched over my activities as an Identity V caster and supported me with kind words for five years... thank you so much!!!
The first time I handled commentary for an Identity V tournament was the COA IV Mainland China Regional Qualifiers on March 20, 2021.
At that time, a request arrived via Twitter DM, and I think they probably reached out with the feeling of "let's just give him a try once."
Within less than six months from there, I began working as an official caster, and before I knew it, over five years had passed.
Looking back, I have commentated on so many matches.
Matches where I instinctively shouted at a player's super play.
Matches where the outcome was unknown until the very end, and I held my breath in the caster's booth.
I've seen the smiles of winning players and the tears of losing ones.
There were even moments, like when AL defeated Gr, where I found myself shedding tears.
Each of those memories has shaped who I am today.
And the reason I was able to accumulate those memories is thanks to the people around me who supported me.
To NetEase, who created and nurtured Identity V
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to NetEase.
Because NetEase developed the game Identity V and has continued to operate it for eight long years, the Identity V competitive scene exists.
And because that competitive scene existed, I am who I am today.
A single company rents a large venue, handles its own competitive game, and creates a tournament structure where the top players of that game can compete for the championship.
Furthermore, involving professional e-sports teams and creating the "frenzy" that entertains so many people through venues and broadcasts.
This is by no means something that can be taken for granted.
I am truly grateful that they have not only operated the game Identity V for a long time but have also continued to create a place where players compete seriously, athletes challenge themselves with their lives on the line, and viewers can cheer with passion.
Because I had the title of "Official Caster," there were sights I could see, people I could meet, and experiences I could have.
I cannot thank them enough for finding me when I had no track record and giving me the opportunity to stand in the Identity V commentary booth.
Without Identity V, I wouldn't be here today.
Thank you very much.
To everyone who found me and supported me
And I also want to sincerely thank the viewers who found my activities and supported me until now.
Before I was approached to be an Identity V caster, I had been posting commentary and analysis videos to YouTube every day for three years.
Because there were people who found those activities, watched the videos, evaluated them, and supported me, I have the influence I do today.
Even after my appearances in official tournaments were decided, there were people who watched the broadcasts, wrote comments, reacted on social media, and spoke to me at the venues.
Every bit of time you spent for me and thought about me brought me to this point.
Currently, my video postings to YouTube have stopped for over a month.
I feel sorry for everyone who has subscribed to the channel and is waiting for updates.
However, I am thinking about something new, so please look forward to it just a little longer.
In my own way, I will continue to deliver content that everyone can enjoy.
I want to continue broadcasting with the feeling of gradually giving back what I have received so far, so that the lives of everyone involved with me become even a little more enjoyable and rich.
To my fellow performers who walked with me for 5 years
I am also truly grateful to my fellow performers.
In particular, I have spent a truly long time with the members of the Identity V official casting team over these five years.
We sat in the same play-by-play and analysis seats many times, created tournaments and programs together, and talked endlessly about the good and bad points of our commentary.
By now, we are close enough that we can somewhat understand what each other is thinking without even exchanging words (lol).
Because we have worked hard together for five years, I believe I have become able to fulfill my responsibilities in the caster's seat with confidence.
Not just about work, but also in other areas, we have come this far while supporting each other in various ways.
Since these were five years spent as an adult, it is a particularly deep relationship in my life.
You have taken great care of me.
And I look forward to working with you in the future.
Of course, beyond the official casters, I was blessed with so many people, including the casters and performers I worked with at tournaments, those I co-starred with at events different from tournaments, and those who played Identity V with me during regular broadcasts.
The encounters with everyone and the time spent together are also precious assets to me.
To the players who continue to seriously aim for the top
And I have nothing but respect for all the players and the teams supporting them.
The world of competition is very harsh.
Everyone seriously aims for number one, works hard for that goal, faces the actual performance, and gives their full effort.
I have been allowed to watch that from beginning to end.
The players who are working seriously are always dazzling and incredibly cool.
I always hope that everyone can achieve results they are satisfied with.
However, only one team can become number one in each tournament.
It is a world where, no matter how hard you work, more players experience frustration.
Even so, no matter how many times they lose or how many times they feel frustrated, they don't give up and challenge themselves to aim for the top once more.
That appearance also looks dazzling to me.
To deliver the effort the players have built up and the feelings they have put into the match to the viewers watching the tournament.
I believe that is my responsibility as a caster who calls the players' names.
As long as I am given the opportunity, I will continue to fulfill that responsibility.
I am not leaving Identity V
Hearing about this retirement, some might think:
"Is he quitting as an Identity V caster?"
"Will he no longer appear in Identity V tournaments?"
However, I am not leaving Identity V.
Only the title of "Identity V Official Caster" is being removed; if I receive an offer to appear in the future, I will fulfill my duties as an Identity V caster with responsibility.
Even if I am no longer an official caster, the knowledge, experience, and feelings I have for Identity V will not disappear.
Regardless of whether I have the "official" title, I can convey the value of Identity V's play and deliver the stories of players and teams to the viewers.
Of course, simply calling myself an "Identity V caster" doesn't make me one in the true sense.
Continuing to follow the competitive scene.
Continuing to learn about the environment and players.
Not forgetting respect for the players.
And fulfilling my role in the commentary booth when I am needed.
I believe that only after accumulating those things and being recognized by everyone watching Identity V can I truly be an "Identity V caster."
That's why I will continue to face Identity V.
I will continue to leave behind my experience and knowledge
Over this past week, I have written about how I became an official caster, the difference between play-by-play and analysis, the role I found for myself in the booth, and what I have done to keep standing there for five years.
The reason I put my thoughts into writing was not just because I wanted to leave them as memories since I am retiring as an official caster.
It's because I wanted to give back the experience and knowledge I gained in the Identity V commentary booth to the Identity V competitive scene.
What an e-sports caster thinks about while watching a match.
How they understand and verbalize the players' moves.
Where the fun lies in watching a tournament.
There are still many things in the Identity V competitive scene that can be put into words and left behind.
I will continue to share my experiences and thoughts through articles.
I would be happy if, through that, watching tournaments becomes even a little more interesting, if people want to support players and teams more, or if the number of people interested in the job of an e-sports caster increases.
I have reported today as a milestone in the five years I have walked as an Identity V official caster.
To everyone who has been involved with me up to this point, thank you very much.
I would be happy if you could watch over my activities as a caster, as well as my new challenges.
I have been updating articles daily from 8/3 to 8/9, but from now on, I plan to do it at a pace of one per week, so the next post will be in one week.
To everyone who read the articles every day, let's meet again in an article in one week!!
