Actually, I Am... Review: A Boy Who Cannot Keep Secrets Discovers His Classmate Is a Vampire
by Eiji Masuda
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Quick Take
- The premise — a boy with zero ability to keep secrets must protect a vampire's identity — generates consistent comedy from the gap between Asahi's role and his capability
- The expanding cast of supernatural beings adds variety without losing the core premise
- 22 volumes complete; longer than most monster-school comedies, held together by consistent character work
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want school harem comedy with supernatural beings in gentle content
- Anyone who enjoys comedy based on character flaws rather than situations
- Fans of Rosario+Vampire and similar supernatural school comedy
- Readers looking for complete longer-form supernatural romance comedy
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) Content Warnings: School harem comedy with supernatural beings; mild romantic content; comedy violence
T rating — gentle content; appropriate for its rating.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★☆☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★☆☆ |
Story Overview
Asahi Kuromine has one defining characteristic: his face betrays every thought he has. He cannot keep secrets. His poker face is physically impossible.
Youko Shiragami is a vampire girl attending the same high school under a strict condition from her father — if anyone discovers her nature, she must transfer. When Asahi accidentally walks in on her with her bat wings deployed, the secret he must now keep is the one he is least equipped to hold.
The series begins as a two-person comedy — Asahi trying to maintain a secret with zero ability to do so — and expands as more supernatural classmates are revealed: an alien, a werewolf, a demon, and others, each with their own secrets Asahi must somehow protect.
Characters
Asahi Kuromine — A protagonist whose incompetence is the premise; his genuine desire to protect Youko despite his total inability to maintain any deception makes him sympathetic.
Youko Shiragami — The vampire whose natural cheerfulness and innocent approach to her situation make her a genuinely warm protagonist alongside Asahi.
The expanding supernatural cast — Each new supernatural character adds a new secret and a new comedic dynamic.
Art Style
Masuda's art is clear and expressive — Asahi's transparent face is the series' main visual comedy tool, and the expressions are well-drawn. The supernatural beings are designed with variety and the school setting is rendered simply but effectively.
Cultural Context
Actually, I Am... ran in Weekly Shonen Champion from 2013 to 2017. The "supernatural beings hiding in human school" genre has a long history in shonen manga, and this series works within it by making the human protagonist's incompetence rather than the supernatural beings' adaptation the primary comedic focus.
What I Love About It
Asahi's face. The series knows that the comedy is watching someone who deeply wants to help someone completely fail at the most basic requirement of helping them — and that his genuine effort makes the failure funnier. He is not careless; he simply cannot do the thing he is trying to do.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Actually, I Am... as an underappreciated supernatural school comedy — specifically noted for Asahi being a more sympathetic harem protagonist than the type usually produces, for the comedic premise holding up longer than expected, and for the supernatural cast having genuine personalities. Recommended alongside Rosario+Vampire for supernatural school comedy.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Any chapter where Asahi attempts a specific deception strategy that fails in a new way — and the failure is caught by someone different than expected — demonstrates the series' consistent invention within its core premise.
Similar Manga
- Rosario+Vampire — Supernatural school with monster girl cast
- My Monster Secret — Very close to the same premise (this is the alternate English title for this series)
- Interviews with Monster Girls — Supernatural beings in school setting in calmer register
- Kamisama Kiss — Human-supernatural interaction in romance register
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Asahi and Youko's initial situation, the problem of his face, and the first secret-keeping attempt establish everything.
Official English Translation Status
Seven Seas published the complete English series. All 22 volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Core comedic premise is strong and holds
- Asahi is more sympathetic than standard harem leads
- Supernatural cast has real variety
- Complete in 22 volumes
Cons
- 22 volumes is long for the premise
- Later volumes introduce complexity that the premise doesn't fully support
- Harem structure limits individual romance development
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Seven Seas; complete series |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Get Actually, I Am... Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.