Digital Manga Publishing has announced the acquisition of Kaoru Tada’s Itazura Na Kiss, a classic romantic slice-of-life shojo manga that debuted in 1991 and chronicles the saga of unlikely high school sweethearts to their marriage and beyond.  The manga, which follows the classic shojo paradigm of the pursuit of a handsome, aloof and often imperious male by a determined, lively and occasionally inept female, has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and inspired two live action TV series adaptations (in 1996 and 2005) as well as a 25-episode anime series that aired in Japan in 2008.  The ending of the anime is closely based on the author’s plans for the end of the series—Ms. Tada died tragically in 1998 before she was able to complete the manga.

Itazura Na Kiss was published serially in Shueisha’s manga anthology magazine Margaret, and originally released in 23 tankoubon trade paperback collections.  DMP plans to follow the lead of the recent Japanese edition, which consists of 12 double-size volumes.  The first of DMP’s omnibus volumes, which will retail for $14.95, is set for release in November, 2009 with the second volume slated for March 2010.