Actually I am..

Summary: >

Asahi is notoriously bad at keeping secrets, earning him the nickname the "leaky basket". He's decided to willingly reveal his feelings to a girl he's grown to have a crush on, only to discover she's a vampire. Strangely enough, Yoko is so incredibly dense, she doesn't get how Asahi feels. It also doesn't help that his fumbling confession turned into a request to become friends. Can the "leaky basket" keep a secret of this magnitude? If that wasn't stressful enough, he discovers other girls have equally unusual secrets for him to keep.

Thoughts: >

My Monster secret (also known as "Actually I am..") has a generic setup and characters. My expectations were low considering shows of this sort are generally an exercise on how to half ass things. Although nothing new, this anime fairs well with what little it has to work with. If you watch any amount of anime, you've probably been bombarded with this kind of show, but if you're not tired of it, this one might be worth checking out.

But what about the glaring plot hole? How does a guy who can't keep secrets, keep a huge secret? Asahi doesn't necessarily blurt out what he's trying to hide, it's just obvious that he's hiding something. In a card game, it's obvious what that would be, however if the situation is vague it's not clear what it is. My Monster Secret never forgets this core aspect of the show either, which is an amusing ongoing thing in the anime. Something I can appreciate considering how often shows ditch their hook these days.

For a male protagonist, Asahi is a little whiny but otherwise not too bad. His relationship with Yoko isn't as generic as the characters. While Asahi is easy to read, Yohko is actually an airhead who doesn't pick up on his interest, leading to Asahi becoming friend-zoned. However Yoko's feelings develop through the course of the anime, even if she can't quite admit it. Anime being what it is these days, other girls also take an interest in Asahi although the number seems to cap at three. Romance is not the strong point of this show, as it feels a little forced even if it seems to have its heart in the right spot. On the other hand the comedy was better than expected. It's not funny all the time, but I certainly got some good laughs on occasions where things came together.

This anime has its share of weaknesses, unoriginality being prime among them. While I liked the pervert werewolf girl, there is this weird thing where she turns into a man if seeing a full moon. However after her introduction episode, the anime doesn't even so much as mention this again (what was the point?). My Monster Secret also doesn't have much of a climax or even conclusion, with the relationship between Asahi and Yoko only somewhat progressed. Because it's only at the 13 episode mark, I think that's forgivable for now. Also they're apparently dating in the manga, meaning this shouldn't be eternal limbo "romance" most shows like this turn into.

Through and through nothing in this anime stands out. The designs are clean but unremarkable, the music is okay (although intrusive in the lovey-dovey parts), and the characters fulfill their roles well enough but are otherwise the usual assortment of anime girl traits. Despite the tiredness in this genre, My Monster Secret is worth a try in my opinion. It's not strong enough to rate it better right now, but I could see an upgrade with more episodes made, provided there is relationship progression too. It doesn't promise a lot, but delivers well enough.

Screen Caps: >