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イタズラなKiss [Itazura na Kiss] #1
Itazura Na Kiss Volume 1
High school senior Kotoko Aihara has had a crush on Naoki Irie since his freshman year. Unfortunately, a few things are discouraging her from him: he's a member of "Class A," the top ranking class in school, whereas she's in "Class F"; he gets the top score on every exam; and he's so smart, popular, and handsome that he's been class president every year. When Kotoki finally musters up the courage to present him with a love letter, though, Naoki outright refuses it, telling her point blank ― with a look of disgust and boredom ― that he doesn't like "stupid girls." Poor Kotoko's worst nightmare!
300 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2009
75 people are currently reading
1215 people want to read
About the author
Kaoru Tada
195 books79 followersTada (多田かおる) made her debut in 1977, when still a high school student, on Shueisha's "Deluxe Margaret" magazine. Tada's stories belong to the shōjo genre of manga and feature love stories centred around young female characters and their love interests. The storylines include comedic moments and are characterised by essential and sharp drawings. Some of Tada's most popular works are Ai Shite Knight, Itazura na Kiss and Kimi no na wa Debora.
Ai Shite Knight portrays the Japanese rock music scene of the early 1980s. The anime series based on Ai Shite Knight was the first ever to feature original songs performed within the episodes. Another of Tada's works, Miihaa Paradise is also set in the rock 'n' roll world.
Itazura na Kiss (Mischievous Kiss) - begun in 1991 and never completed - was by far Tada's most successful work in Japan. It tells the love story between Kotoko and Naoki from high school until after their marriage. The series inspired also an illustrated art book and two novels written by Nori Harata and published in Shueisha's "Cobalt" series. In 1996 a live action Japanese TV series based on Itazura na Kiss was also produced, starring Aiko Satō as Kotoko and Takashi Kashiwabara as Naoki. In 2005, the series was adapted into a Taiwanese drama under the name of It Started With a Kiss and in 2008 an anime was also released.
Kaoru Tada died in 1999 of a cerebral hemorrhage. While moving to a new residence, she hit her head on a marble table and fell into a coma. Three weeks later, she died. She was 38.
Ai Shite Knight portrays the Japanese rock music scene of the early 1980s. The anime series based on Ai Shite Knight was the first ever to feature original songs performed within the episodes. Another of Tada's works, Miihaa Paradise is also set in the rock 'n' roll world.
Itazura na Kiss (Mischievous Kiss) - begun in 1991 and never completed - was by far Tada's most successful work in Japan. It tells the love story between Kotoko and Naoki from high school until after their marriage. The series inspired also an illustrated art book and two novels written by Nori Harata and published in Shueisha's "Cobalt" series. In 1996 a live action Japanese TV series based on Itazura na Kiss was also produced, starring Aiko Satō as Kotoko and Takashi Kashiwabara as Naoki. In 2005, the series was adapted into a Taiwanese drama under the name of It Started With a Kiss and in 2008 an anime was also released.
Kaoru Tada died in 1999 of a cerebral hemorrhage. While moving to a new residence, she hit her head on a marble table and fell into a coma. Three weeks later, she died. She was 38.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
January 1, 2012
How do I break in the new year? By curling up in my bed and reading a ginormously sized volume of shoujo manga. Good start, I hope this sets the tone for the rest of my year.
So review!
This is one of those shoujo where an academically inept girl sets her sight on the most ~wonderful man in the world~. In this case class F Kotoko falls in love with A student and master athlete Naoki. This is how I feel about Naoki:
He is such a dick! I'm not even joking with that gif, I shrieked ass! and threw the volume across my bed more than once. I should have been prepared because I watched Playful Kiss but in the early episodes I was distracted by the leads cute faces. Plus the kdrama toned him down, Seung Jo never told Oh Ha Ni to deal with it when she was being groped on a train.
And I do not like how being good at everything is effortless for him. Let's ignore realism for a minute, what is compelling about a character like that? I get amazing grades and I'm good at tennis and great at cooking and an excellent teacher because I'm ~Naoki Irie~. Uhh okay. That's great for you buddy. Go away now.
I get that seeing Kotoko try so hard is waking him up from the ennui of his effortless existence. But damn son. Boring dickbag is boring.
The side characters here are fun though! I didn't realize how entirely accurate the kdrama was to the source; again I like Naoki's family much better than I like him. Except for his brother. His brother can leave.
In conclusion: I'd like this manga a lot better if it was a series of Kotoko getting things over Naoki. The proper treatment for dickbags is to put them in their place, not win them over with your unending love and devotion. Blackmail him with his baby pictures some more Kotoko! Or at least continue to make use of him, if he's going to be a dick the least he can do is be a dick who cooks and tutors for you. 2.5 stars
So review!
This is one of those shoujo where an academically inept girl sets her sight on the most ~wonderful man in the world~. In this case class F Kotoko falls in love with A student and master athlete Naoki. This is how I feel about Naoki:
He is such a dick! I'm not even joking with that gif, I shrieked ass! and threw the volume across my bed more than once. I should have been prepared because I watched Playful Kiss but in the early episodes I was distracted by the leads cute faces. Plus the kdrama toned him down, Seung Jo never told Oh Ha Ni to deal with it when she was being groped on a train.
And I do not like how being good at everything is effortless for him. Let's ignore realism for a minute, what is compelling about a character like that? I get amazing grades and I'm good at tennis and great at cooking and an excellent teacher because I'm ~Naoki Irie~. Uhh okay. That's great for you buddy. Go away now.
I get that seeing Kotoko try so hard is waking him up from the ennui of his effortless existence. But damn son. Boring dickbag is boring.
The side characters here are fun though! I didn't realize how entirely accurate the kdrama was to the source; again I like Naoki's family much better than I like him. Except for his brother. His brother can leave.
In conclusion: I'd like this manga a lot better if it was a series of Kotoko getting things over Naoki. The proper treatment for dickbags is to put them in their place, not win them over with your unending love and devotion. Blackmail him with his baby pictures some more Kotoko! Or at least continue to make use of him, if he's going to be a dick the least he can do is be a dick who cooks and tutors for you. 2.5 stars
December 12, 2012
Another adorable cute manga~
Sadly I'll never know the ending in manga, as the mangka died before she could finish the manga, but she told her husband how it was supposed to end, so what we see in the anime is how she wanted to end it.
May she rest in peace.
The manga follows the life of Aihara Kotoko who is head over heals for Irie Naoki. She is cute, cheerful and a little stupid, while he is the cold genius who never shown any feelings for her (though they start to develop as they grow closer)
The drawing is so-so but she certainly makes it up with a cute and interesting storyline. He thanks to kotoko, starts to think to have a dream of his own (to become a doctor), while she little by little starts to develop her own character instead of just following him around.
The side characters are so cute too, their families are just adorable. the friends too (though the Matsumoto or whatever sisters really got on my nerves), but I really loved Kin Chan, I hope in the anime he'll find love, instead of waiting for Kotoko (I only read the manga, I only started today to watch the anime, so I have no idea what happens after Irie's dad in a critical condition and he decided to take care of the company and abandon his dream to become a doctor!)~ a cliffhanger!
This has to one of the best shoujo mangas ever, but Kotoko's character at times really managed to annoy me, luckily she started to build a character of her own in later chapters, because she is way too clingy and dependent on Naoki.
Anyway, though the manga will never be completed, it's really recommended, and you can just watch the anime to know how will it end. :)
Sadly I'll never know the ending in manga, as the mangka died before she could finish the manga, but she told her husband how it was supposed to end, so what we see in the anime is how she wanted to end it.
May she rest in peace.
The manga follows the life of Aihara Kotoko who is head over heals for Irie Naoki. She is cute, cheerful and a little stupid, while he is the cold genius who never shown any feelings for her (though they start to develop as they grow closer)
The drawing is so-so but she certainly makes it up with a cute and interesting storyline. He thanks to kotoko, starts to think to have a dream of his own (to become a doctor), while she little by little starts to develop her own character instead of just following him around.
The side characters are so cute too, their families are just adorable. the friends too (though the Matsumoto or whatever sisters really got on my nerves), but I really loved Kin Chan, I hope in the anime he'll find love, instead of waiting for Kotoko (I only read the manga, I only started today to watch the anime, so I have no idea what happens after Irie's dad in a critical condition and he decided to take care of the company and abandon his dream to become a doctor!)~ a cliffhanger!
This has to one of the best shoujo mangas ever, but Kotoko's character at times really managed to annoy me, luckily she started to build a character of her own in later chapters, because she is way too clingy and dependent on Naoki.
Anyway, though the manga will never be completed, it's really recommended, and you can just watch the anime to know how will it end. :)
September 3, 2018
Bon je triche car je n'ai jamais lu le manga, mais je suis en train de regarder l'anime.
En ce weekend de rentrée, je desesperais de ne rien trouver à regarder, du coup je le suis relancée cette histoire toute mignonne déjà vue il y a des années.
C'est assez neuneu (du shojo quoi) mais je regrette quand même de ne pas avoir d'autres références du même type à regarder...
En ce weekend de rentrée, je desesperais de ne rien trouver à regarder, du coup je le suis relancée cette histoire toute mignonne déjà vue il y a des années.
C'est assez neuneu (du shojo quoi) mais je regrette quand même de ne pas avoir d'autres références du même type à regarder...
December 15, 2015
Naoki Irie tiene cara de chupar limones.
May 4, 2017
I found this manga from watching its Korean drama adaptation: Playful Kiss, which I really enjoyed. It took me a little while to adapt to Kotoko Aihara being Oh Ha-ni and Naoki Irie being Baek Seung-jo. I had really enjoyed Kim Hyun-joong's portrayal of Seung-jo and admitted I was comparing the manga version Naoki to him. And I had started watching this drama mainly for Kim Hyun-joong (loved him in Boys Over Flowers!).
But I did find that this also has a Japanese drama adaption, Mischievous Kiss, which I've started watching as well and its helped get more used to the Japanese cultural aspects of the story. (I also recently found out that there was a new Taiwanese adaptation made last year, Miss in Kiss, that I will be checking out also :) )
I love seeing how Kotoko's energetic, yet clumsy, personality starts to warm up Naoki's cold and arrogant personality. I would definitely call this a slow burn romance and I enjoy watching Naoki slowly fall for Kotoko though he doesn't realize it himself.
I found it sad to discover that the manga-ka, Kaoru Tada, passed away before she could finish the series. But with her widower's approval, the story's been continued. I just wish this manga was available at book stores, I've yet to find it at Barnes & Noble or Books a Million. So, my only source is Amazon,....and I've already ordered volume 2.
Hoping it arrives soon, so I can continuing reading!
But I did find that this also has a Japanese drama adaption, Mischievous Kiss, which I've started watching as well and its helped get more used to the Japanese cultural aspects of the story. (I also recently found out that there was a new Taiwanese adaptation made last year, Miss in Kiss, that I will be checking out also :) )
I love seeing how Kotoko's energetic, yet clumsy, personality starts to warm up Naoki's cold and arrogant personality. I would definitely call this a slow burn romance and I enjoy watching Naoki slowly fall for Kotoko though he doesn't realize it himself.
I found it sad to discover that the manga-ka, Kaoru Tada, passed away before she could finish the series. But with her widower's approval, the story's been continued. I just wish this manga was available at book stores, I've yet to find it at Barnes & Noble or Books a Million. So, my only source is Amazon,....and I've already ordered volume 2.
Hoping it arrives soon, so I can continuing reading!
December 31, 2023
Hab dieses Manga nachträglich updated. Hab die ganze Reihe also glaube 12 Volumes in meiner ersten Klausurenphase im Studium gelesen. Es ist eigentlich ne toxic romance aber irgendwie war es doch cute,spannend und witzig zugleich . Es endete leider abrupt,weil die Autorin verunglückt ist :( Hab kurz nachdem ich das Manga gelesen habe auf YouTube die J Drama Adaptation dazu geguckt(war mein Highlight nach dem Nachtdienst).,,Love in Tokio “. Der Ehemann der verstorbenen Autorin hat die Serie veranlasst .Sie selbst hat sich wie in ihrer Geschichte als das naive dumme Mädchen gesehen,welches sich in diesen ach so perfekten und hochbegabtenJungen verliebt und ihm hinterher rennt bis er endlich nachgibt.In der Serie haben wir mehr Einsicht auf den love interest. Seine flaws werden mehr offenbart und den Struggle mit Gefühlen umzugehen. Die Protagonistin ist auch bewusst klüger und hübscher als im Manga.Damit wollte der Mann der verstorbenen Autorin zeigen wie er sie und ihre Liebesgeschichte gesehen hat.
February 7, 2017
I'm not going to mince words here. This thing was terrible. It's probably among the worst manga I've ever read, and I've read a lot of manga over the years.
There were a bunch of reasons this didn't work for me, but here are the biggest ones:
The Art
So, not the biggest reason I didn't like it, but the art definitely left me disappointed. Normally I don't mind older art styles. This one looks like it came out of the late 80s, and wen I looked it up, it started in 1990, so I wasn't far off. The problem wasn't the age, though. It was that much of it felt incomplete. Eyes were often left unshaded. Hair often looks more like incomplete line work than something that should come out of a person's head. In fact, much of the art looks like incomplete line work. All of this makes the art look messy and unfinished. I don't think this was a stylistic choice, however, as there are panels and pages throughout that DO look like they were finished, which leaves me wondering why so much of it looks so bad.
The Characters
They were all flat and one-dimensional. No wait, scratch that, there was ONE character who felt like a properly fleshed out manga character, and that was side-character/little brother Yuuki. He's a little jerk, but he has a REASON for being a little jerk (he's a third-grader whose room has been girlified and given to some stupid chick). He practically hero-worships his older brother
Otherwise, the characters are mary-sue/gary-stu shells. Kotoko is a stupid girl with no hobbies or aspirations, and but for a crush on Irie because he's hot and intelligent, has no motivation either. It's a good thing her crush on him is defined by his good looks and intelligence. Otherwise, she might start to hate him because he's an ass hole when she realizes he wasn't the good guy she thought he was.
Speaking of Irie-the-love-interest, he's just a hot(?), intelligent ass hole. That's... about I can say about him. He's just a jerk with a lot of brains and supposed beauty. Well, there's one more thing I can say about this gary stu. He never studies (apparently, he has a form of photographic memory that allows him to understand everything the first time he reads it), and despite never practicing or exorcising, can kick butt at tennis tournaments. And despite hating helping others and being a super-genus, he's also the best teacher in the universe. Because apparently, Tada-sensei was desperate to find reasons for us to actually LIKE Irie despite the fact he has all the personality of a rock.
Otherwise, we had one-dimensional side characters. Kotoko's female friends with names I can't be bothered to remember; "Kin-chan", a guy who is obsessed with Kotoko and marrying the girl (and I'm convinced is a stalker); Irie's mother, a woman so obsessed with getting a daughter that she dressed Irie as a girl until he was old enough to understand what was happening and later is desperately trying to get Kotoko as a daughter-in-law; and lastly, The Dads, who are practically interchangeable as they just want to convince Kotoko and Irie to get married.
Story
The story I've seen before.
Girl tries to tell guy she likes him, guy turns her down flat. Then another trope gets introduced: girl moves into guy's house for reasons. That pretty much sums it up. Yup, that's it. Well, I guess there's some stuff with Kotoko desperately trying to pass tests because her head is full of rocks and blackmailing/begging Irie for help studying. There's also a sports festival with its own tired set of cliches.
All in all, it's just not worth it. There are so many other shoujo manga that are better. This one just hasn't aged well at all.
There were a bunch of reasons this didn't work for me, but here are the biggest ones:
The Art
So, not the biggest reason I didn't like it, but the art definitely left me disappointed. Normally I don't mind older art styles. This one looks like it came out of the late 80s, and wen I looked it up, it started in 1990, so I wasn't far off. The problem wasn't the age, though. It was that much of it felt incomplete. Eyes were often left unshaded. Hair often looks more like incomplete line work than something that should come out of a person's head. In fact, much of the art looks like incomplete line work. All of this makes the art look messy and unfinished. I don't think this was a stylistic choice, however, as there are panels and pages throughout that DO look like they were finished, which leaves me wondering why so much of it looks so bad.
The Characters
They were all flat and one-dimensional. No wait, scratch that, there was ONE character who felt like a properly fleshed out manga character, and that was side-character/little brother Yuuki. He's a little jerk, but he has a REASON for being a little jerk (he's a third-grader whose room has been girlified and given to some stupid chick). He practically hero-worships his older brother
Otherwise, the characters are mary-sue/gary-stu shells. Kotoko is a stupid girl with no hobbies or aspirations, and but for a crush on Irie because he's hot and intelligent, has no motivation either. It's a good thing her crush on him is defined by his good looks and intelligence. Otherwise, she might start to hate him because he's an ass hole when she realizes he wasn't the good guy she thought he was.
Speaking of Irie-the-love-interest, he's just a hot(?), intelligent ass hole. That's... about I can say about him. He's just a jerk with a lot of brains and supposed beauty. Well, there's one more thing I can say about this gary stu. He never studies (apparently, he has a form of photographic memory that allows him to understand everything the first time he reads it), and despite never practicing or exorcising, can kick butt at tennis tournaments. And despite hating helping others and being a super-genus, he's also the best teacher in the universe. Because apparently, Tada-sensei was desperate to find reasons for us to actually LIKE Irie despite the fact he has all the personality of a rock.
Otherwise, we had one-dimensional side characters. Kotoko's female friends with names I can't be bothered to remember; "Kin-chan", a guy who is obsessed with Kotoko and marrying the girl (and I'm convinced is a stalker); Irie's mother, a woman so obsessed with getting a daughter that she dressed Irie as a girl until he was old enough to understand what was happening and later is desperately trying to get Kotoko as a daughter-in-law; and lastly, The Dads, who are practically interchangeable as they just want to convince Kotoko and Irie to get married.
Story
The story I've seen before.
Girl tries to tell guy she likes him, guy turns her down flat. Then another trope gets introduced: girl moves into guy's house for reasons. That pretty much sums it up. Yup, that's it. Well, I guess there's some stuff with Kotoko desperately trying to pass tests because her head is full of rocks and blackmailing/begging Irie for help studying. There's also a sports festival with its own tired set of cliches.
All in all, it's just not worth it. There are so many other shoujo manga that are better. This one just hasn't aged well at all.
September 5, 2015
I started this, because I'd seen the two seasons of the Taiwanese Drama It Started With A Kiss and They Kiss Again, and got hooked. Now I'll have finish the whole series- to see how the first few differ from the show, and then to see what happens after the point where the show left off. I love the characters. Kotoko is a naive girl who has been in love with just one guy, Irie-kun. Irie-kun is a guy that has a cold heart because he doesn't make friends easily. I love the story. Can't wait to read the rest!
June 2, 2023
♡ nigdy mi się nie znudzą
October 5, 2025
Reviewed November 27,2021
Read:
Summer of 2014.
This is one of the most funniest manga I EVER read. I read this manga years ago and I'm planning on reviewing it after I finish re-reading it.
Kaoru Tada's Itazura na Kiss, is one of those 90s romantic comedies I can definitely say is worth a read, Mrs. Tada's characters are funny,fashionable and heartwarming.
In Itazura na Kiss we see the characters go through school/family/love troubles/drama and grow into adults and get careers. Yep even someone like me can enjoy a decent girl's (shojo) manga here and there. The story is very wholesome and entertaining especially if you like 90s shojo manga.
I recommend this story from ages 12+ for the first few volumes and the last half I recommend to ages 14+ (depending on the child's maturity but still you shouldn't read something before 'your time') because of some suggestive themes in the story that occasionally "pops up" especially after time passes and Kotoko and the others became adults.
You guys should try Kanae Hazuki's Say I love you, it's a josei series that covers the same topics but in more more serious and mature way. I recommend that series 16+ for the suggestive themes,dark themes,smoking scenes and some brief inappropriate scenes.
Read:
Summer of 2014.
This is one of the most funniest manga I EVER read. I read this manga years ago and I'm planning on reviewing it after I finish re-reading it.
Kaoru Tada's Itazura na Kiss, is one of those 90s romantic comedies I can definitely say is worth a read, Mrs. Tada's characters are funny,fashionable and heartwarming.
In Itazura na Kiss we see the characters go through school/family/love troubles/drama and grow into adults and get careers. Yep even someone like me can enjoy a decent girl's (shojo) manga here and there. The story is very wholesome and entertaining especially if you like 90s shojo manga.
I recommend this story from ages 12+ for the first few volumes and the last half I recommend to ages 14+ (depending on the child's maturity but still you shouldn't read something before 'your time') because of some suggestive themes in the story that occasionally "pops up" especially after time passes and Kotoko and the others became adults.
You guys should try Kanae Hazuki's Say I love you, it's a josei series that covers the same topics but in more more serious and mature way. I recommend that series 16+ for the suggestive themes,dark themes,smoking scenes and some brief inappropriate scenes.
January 15, 2010
my impossibly high expectations did not disappoint, which is fairly astonishing given i've seen two versions of this already (and the kdrama to come! hurrah!). goes to show what a strong, character-based story it is. but what makes the manga in particular is Tada's art. i was not expecting it to be so delicately skewed and subtly (and ubsubtly too, sometimes) comic as well as just plain well-drawn - unlike some other beloved 90s shojo *cough HYD cough*. justifiably and dservedly a classic.
(plus huge props to DMP for licensing it. i promise i will buy lots of your books if you continue to bring it out. thanking you in advance.)
(plus huge props to DMP for licensing it. i promise i will buy lots of your books if you continue to bring it out. thanking you in advance.)
February 12, 2010
BLISS. I can't believe they FINALLY have put English translations of this manga into print...available at my lovely local book store! At present, one of my all time fave series. Funny, sweet, lovely. I can read this over and over again and never tire of it. Kotoko is an adorable idiot who always sacrifices her dignity on the alter of unrequited love. And the smart, talented, socially inept Naoki is the focus of her pining. Throughout the series, readers witness Naoki coming alive through his interactions with Kotoko. And we see Kotoko herself mature through her interactions with Naoki. Lots of hi-jinks, lots of tenderness, lots of fun. *happy sigh*
May 13, 2015
Fofo e divertido. Vou ler a continuação
March 18, 2023
ah yes my favourite red flag: naoki irie <3
December 31, 2023
Lớn rồi đọc vẫn thấy đáng yêu.
March 31, 2025
Dirty pleasure… read and watch it again and again…
August 28, 2010
Kotoko of Class F has a secret: she's head over heels in love with Naoki of Class A! When she finally summons up the courage to give him a love letter, Naoki doesn't even read it. In fact, he even goes out of his way to tell Kotoko he doesn't like stupid girls. Ouch! It seems like Kotoko's heart has been broken and there's no hope in her and Naoki ever coming together - that is, until a natural disaster of fateful proportions intervenes. When Kotoko's family house is turned into rubble by an earthquake, her father has them all shacking up with an old school friend and his family - and this old friend's son is none other than Naoki! Whether it's trying to get past Naoki's cold demeanor or getting picked on by Naoki's little brother or studying like never before to get into college with her crush, Kotoko's life is harder than ever before. Can living under the same roof as Naoki improve Kotoko's chances of a whirlwind romance - or will Naoki just shoot her down again?
Itazura na Kiss (イタズラなKiss/Mischievous Kiss) is Kaoru Tada's most well-known shoujo series from the early nineties that has gained a huge fan following back in Japan and is considered one of the titles in its respective genre as a classic - and after reading DMP's release of the first seven chapters in omnibus format, it's not hard to see why it is so well-loved (or why its English language release was so anticipated by shoujo fanatics). It's a romance story full of drama and humor, all led by the impossible couple that is Kotoko and Naoki. I find myself loving the Kotoko/Naoki dynamic a lot - they squabble all the time and act more like rivals that love interests, but they also genuinely care about each other in the end, once you strip off all the bluster and posturing. Kotoko still is in love with Naoki and Naoki is slowly warming to Kotoko's energy and upbeat spirit. You can clearly see that living under the same roof has changed both characters in notable ways. Could one of those changes in the end be a romantic relationship? It's the slow but involving progress of their unusual high school courtship that will bring readers back to read more of their story together.
Overall, this manga is a welcome throwback to the shoujo era of the late eighties/early nineties, from the artwork down to the old school manga references in text. In a market when a lot of romantic manga is angsty dramatic messes that read like rejected Degrassi scripts, Itazura na Kiss is a lighthearted entry that succeeds in creating a suspenseful "will they or won't they?" style series while still maintaining its good humor. As the heart of the series, Kotoko is a strong-willed young woman who may still be in Class F with the rest of the academic failures but can still work hard when it comes to working to become Naoki's equal. If you enjoy a romantic push and pull story between two people as their feelings turn tender towards each other, you can't go wrong giving this series a go. I am looking forward to reading the next volume featuring those turbulent lovebirds Naoki and Kotoko - and once you finish the first book, I think you will too.
Itazura na Kiss (イタズラなKiss/Mischievous Kiss) is Kaoru Tada's most well-known shoujo series from the early nineties that has gained a huge fan following back in Japan and is considered one of the titles in its respective genre as a classic - and after reading DMP's release of the first seven chapters in omnibus format, it's not hard to see why it is so well-loved (or why its English language release was so anticipated by shoujo fanatics). It's a romance story full of drama and humor, all led by the impossible couple that is Kotoko and Naoki. I find myself loving the Kotoko/Naoki dynamic a lot - they squabble all the time and act more like rivals that love interests, but they also genuinely care about each other in the end, once you strip off all the bluster and posturing. Kotoko still is in love with Naoki and Naoki is slowly warming to Kotoko's energy and upbeat spirit. You can clearly see that living under the same roof has changed both characters in notable ways. Could one of those changes in the end be a romantic relationship? It's the slow but involving progress of their unusual high school courtship that will bring readers back to read more of their story together.
Overall, this manga is a welcome throwback to the shoujo era of the late eighties/early nineties, from the artwork down to the old school manga references in text. In a market when a lot of romantic manga is angsty dramatic messes that read like rejected Degrassi scripts, Itazura na Kiss is a lighthearted entry that succeeds in creating a suspenseful "will they or won't they?" style series while still maintaining its good humor. As the heart of the series, Kotoko is a strong-willed young woman who may still be in Class F with the rest of the academic failures but can still work hard when it comes to working to become Naoki's equal. If you enjoy a romantic push and pull story between two people as their feelings turn tender towards each other, you can't go wrong giving this series a go. I am looking forward to reading the next volume featuring those turbulent lovebirds Naoki and Kotoko - and once you finish the first book, I think you will too.
June 27, 2016
VOLUME N. 1
Consigliato!!!
Me lo ha consigliato Aryaali76..e così..mi dirigo in fumetteria..e..lo vedo..è lì sullo scaffale...
Mi dirigo verso di lui...e subito mi colpisce il volume "cicciotto"..poi guardo il prezzo..e mi viene da piangere, i disegni poi..non sono bellissimi..ma...quel volume mi attirava troppo...
e così lo prendo..vado in cassa..pago, salgo sull'autobus...e..inizio a leggerlo..ed è subito amore!
Come non si può amare lei così stordita!!! e lui così gelido..e il fratellino di lui? ne vogliamo parlare?
Se prima avevo qualche dubbio...ora non più!
Non vi aspettate il solito shojo..questo è di più!
Fortunatamente una ventata di aria fresca, anche se l'argomento è il solito: amore e scuola, vi assicuro che non vi annoierete per nulla.
Un GRAZIE ad Aryaali76 per avermelo consigliato!
VOLUME N. 2 LETTO A LUGLIO 2009
ALLUSCINOOOOGGENO!
Si si ha gli stessi effetti di un allucinoggeno!
Mi ha talmente catturato che: sono rimasta chiusa nel treno che andava verso il deposito, ho sbagliato più volte fermata e altre volte ho rischiato di dbagliare.
Sono feliccissima di averlo inziato! non è il solito shojio...ed è davvero divertentissimo! ogni personaggio è uno spettacolo! non riesci a staccarti dal leggerlo perchè ne succede sempre una..sono più o meno le solite cose ( o no? )..cque è così scorrevole e piacevole che è una gioia per gli occhi (anche se i disegni lasciano a desiderare...ma vi assicuro che le facce sono talmente espressive e azzeccate che proprio non ci fai caso!) e per l'umore...perchè è troppo divertente!
Leggetelo leggetelo leggetelo!
Consigliato!!!
Me lo ha consigliato Aryaali76..e così..mi dirigo in fumetteria..e..lo vedo..è lì sullo scaffale...
Mi dirigo verso di lui...e subito mi colpisce il volume "cicciotto"..poi guardo il prezzo..e mi viene da piangere, i disegni poi..non sono bellissimi..ma...quel volume mi attirava troppo...
e così lo prendo..vado in cassa..pago, salgo sull'autobus...e..inizio a leggerlo..ed è subito amore!
Come non si può amare lei così stordita!!! e lui così gelido..e il fratellino di lui? ne vogliamo parlare?
Se prima avevo qualche dubbio...ora non più!
Non vi aspettate il solito shojo..questo è di più!
Fortunatamente una ventata di aria fresca, anche se l'argomento è il solito: amore e scuola, vi assicuro che non vi annoierete per nulla.
Un GRAZIE ad Aryaali76 per avermelo consigliato!
VOLUME N. 2 LETTO A LUGLIO 2009
ALLUSCINOOOOGGENO!
Si si ha gli stessi effetti di un allucinoggeno!
Mi ha talmente catturato che: sono rimasta chiusa nel treno che andava verso il deposito, ho sbagliato più volte fermata e altre volte ho rischiato di dbagliare.
Sono feliccissima di averlo inziato! non è il solito shojio...ed è davvero divertentissimo! ogni personaggio è uno spettacolo! non riesci a staccarti dal leggerlo perchè ne succede sempre una..sono più o meno le solite cose ( o no? )..cque è così scorrevole e piacevole che è una gioia per gli occhi (anche se i disegni lasciano a desiderare...ma vi assicuro che le facce sono talmente espressive e azzeccate che proprio non ci fai caso!) e per l'umore...perchè è troppo divertente!
Leggetelo leggetelo leggetelo!
September 18, 2015
The art is not amazing but the story is cute.
The main character are fun but can get annoying at times, especially the girl as her whole existence revolves around the guy.
I had originally planned on reading this whole series but i just realized that it is an incomplete work (author died before finishing it). I will now stop at this first volume and remember this work through the taiwanese drama form that i watched and loved.
The main character are fun but can get annoying at times, especially the girl as her whole existence revolves around the guy.
I had originally planned on reading this whole series but i just realized that it is an incomplete work (author died before finishing it). I will now stop at this first volume and remember this work through the taiwanese drama form that i watched and loved.
April 1, 2014
Frankly the male lead in this series is a down right, self-centered, arrogant Jerk! Why this girl is so persistent when there is another male support that is so devoted to her, I have no idea. That guy should not be so firmly Friend-zoned just because the other guy is good looking and/or smart. Looks and brains are nothing without a kind heart. Girls and guys take heed. This is a great example of how NOT to be. Guys, be kind and compassionate. Girls, if a guy is a jerk move on!
October 15, 2012
I started this, because I'd seen the K-Drama TV Show (Playful Kiss) on Netflix, and got hooked. Now I'll have finish the whole series- to see how the first few differ from the show, and then to see what happens after the point where the show ended.
Also, the first Manga I've ever read...you get used to the backwards/right-to-left pretty quickly.
Also, the first Manga I've ever read...you get used to the backwards/right-to-left pretty quickly.
March 3, 2013
ME ENCANTA ESTA HISTORIA!!
He estado leyendo todos los tomos del manga, vi el anime, el drama taiwanés y coreano, y sigo sin tener suficiente. Una historia completamente PRECIOSA, con personajes divertidos y adorables, que me hicieron pasar más de un buen rato. <3
He estado leyendo todos los tomos del manga, vi el anime, el drama taiwanés y coreano, y sigo sin tener suficiente. Una historia completamente PRECIOSA, con personajes divertidos y adorables, que me hicieron pasar más de un buen rato. <3
March 24, 2013
Thank you, Phoebe for lending this to me. I can finally and totally say that I've seen THEM all. The anime, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and now, where it all began -- the original shojo manga :D
June 6, 2025
3.5. Cute and used as inspiration for the genre.
January 13, 2024
I firstly watched the 1996 live action series adaptation (totally NOT because of Takashi Kashiwabara as Irie Naoki... definitely not...). People claim that the 1996 series is superior to the other adaptations, I think there are, what, 10? I'm not watching all of those, come on - but I'm going to be mainly comparing this original canon manga to the 1996 series, especially since it was the first adaptation.
AS FOR THE ACTUAL MANGA: It's a story to make girls feel giddy and tempted to squeal, otherwise known as a Shoujo (meaning "targeted towards girls"). Aihara Kotoko, a stupid clumsy high school girl, ends up having to temporarily live in the home of Irie Naoki after her newly built house is destroyed by an earthquake. He is the smartest student in Tokyo and probably all of Japan with an IQ of 200 and a photographic memory. Not to mention, he's insanely handsome. The issue is, Kotoko had been crushing on Irie for the past 2 years and had attempted to confess love to him before he rejected her for being stupid!
Okay, I get it. It sounds over-the-top and the results of their relationship are honestly predictable. I rarely indulge in dramas like this, it's my first time reading an explicitly Shoujo manga. BUT HEAR ME OUT. IT IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD. I love the story-telling, the character development, and the actual subtle romantic scenes are few but well executed. I know people are complaining because of their "toxic" relationship, but I really don't think it's that. Kotoko butted into Naoki's life unwanted, so of course he's harsh with her at first, but it's evident even from the start that he really does care for her. ANYWAY THE STORY IS AMAZING AND I LOVE THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY FUN AND SILLY AND SAD TOO AND I RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL AUDIENCES *PLEASE*.
COMPARED TO THE SERIES: I understand that during the time of the 1996 series release, the manga was STILL being made, and was never finished due to Kaoru Tada's death in 1999 (RIP). I MUCH prefer the series' introduction compared to the manga's, but so far, I would say I'm tending to like the manga overall. Kotoko is clumsy and stupid, sure, but she's nowhere near as cringe as the series' Kotoko. Naoki is to die for in both series, just in slightly different ways. The 1996 adaptation was a Japanese romance drama from the 90s... Expect it to be more like an overdramatic Indian drama than anything else, and I still love it so much. I can bare with the cringe and it being rushed because of the incomplete manga. Therefore, I think both the 1996 series and the manga deserves its own individual spot acknowledged as its own thing and shouldn't really be compared... But I still think I prefer the manga overall, and I'm a simp for Takashi playing as Naoki (please marry me). I also love the theme song, it's in my Spotify.
AS FOR THE ACTUAL MANGA: It's a story to make girls feel giddy and tempted to squeal, otherwise known as a Shoujo (meaning "targeted towards girls"). Aihara Kotoko, a stupid clumsy high school girl, ends up having to temporarily live in the home of Irie Naoki after her newly built house is destroyed by an earthquake. He is the smartest student in Tokyo and probably all of Japan with an IQ of 200 and a photographic memory. Not to mention, he's insanely handsome. The issue is, Kotoko had been crushing on Irie for the past 2 years and had attempted to confess love to him before he rejected her for being stupid!
Okay, I get it. It sounds over-the-top and the results of their relationship are honestly predictable. I rarely indulge in dramas like this, it's my first time reading an explicitly Shoujo manga. BUT HEAR ME OUT. IT IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD. I love the story-telling, the character development, and the actual subtle romantic scenes are few but well executed. I know people are complaining because of their "toxic" relationship, but I really don't think it's that. Kotoko butted into Naoki's life unwanted, so of course he's harsh with her at first, but it's evident even from the start that he really does care for her. ANYWAY THE STORY IS AMAZING AND I LOVE THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY FUN AND SILLY AND SAD TOO AND I RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL AUDIENCES *PLEASE*.
COMPARED TO THE SERIES: I understand that during the time of the 1996 series release, the manga was STILL being made, and was never finished due to Kaoru Tada's death in 1999 (RIP). I MUCH prefer the series' introduction compared to the manga's, but so far, I would say I'm tending to like the manga overall. Kotoko is clumsy and stupid, sure, but she's nowhere near as cringe as the series' Kotoko. Naoki is to die for in both series, just in slightly different ways. The 1996 adaptation was a Japanese romance drama from the 90s... Expect it to be more like an overdramatic Indian drama than anything else, and I still love it so much. I can bare with the cringe and it being rushed because of the incomplete manga. Therefore, I think both the 1996 series and the manga deserves its own individual spot acknowledged as its own thing and shouldn't really be compared... But I still think I prefer the manga overall, and I'm a simp for Takashi playing as Naoki (please marry me). I also love the theme song, it's in my Spotify.
May 8, 2020
It took me a while, but I finally finished this series, or as much as I could. It sounds like the mangaka suddenly passed away before she could finish it, sadly. I also started watching the jdrama adaptation from 2013/2014 as I was reading the manga, so I've been quite engrossed in the story and the characters for the past couple days.
I'm not the biggest fan of either of the main characters. I admit Kotoko has some good points as well, but I was quite frustrated with her at multiple points throughout the series. She's just so annoyingly incompetent at everything she tries to do. I don't know how Irie-kun puts up with it. For example, I was wincing the entire time during the scenes where she had to draw a patient's blood as she stabbed their arm multiple times looking for the vein. I would definitely not want her to be my nurse lol
As for Naoki / Irie-kun, his character was a tad too cold for me. He almost never gives a hint of actually liking Kotoko, until the sudden kiss in the rain scene and the very abrupt marriage proposal that followed. I wish that transition had been done better. You just never quite know what's on his mind. I actually feel bad for Kotoko for being married to him, since she clearly has a complex around the strength of feelings they have for each other. Because Irie-kun barely shows any emotions, it's easy to think that Kotoko loves him more than the other way around, even though that isn't the case at all.
However, despite the character flaws, I still quite enjoyed the manga. I appreciated that it didn't end when they got together or after their marriage but continued to tell the story into their adult lives. It's really quite rare to find a shoujo manga like that. There are a lot of popular shoujo tropes used in this manga, but I guess that's why it is considered such a classic in the genre.
There were certain chapters or scenes that had me cracking up. Some of my favorites were Kotoko's interactions with the anime club members at her college and Kotorin as well as when Kotoko first transferred to the nursing department and had to pretend she wasn't married to Irie-kun in front of her new classmates. Kotoko certainly got into some hilarious situations as well following Irie-kun on his dates with other girls.
It sucks that the best guy friend and nice guy never gets the girl. I felt so bad for Kin-chan the entire time. It's clear he cares so much about Kotoko, yet she never even gives him a chance. The bit when Chris first appeared was kinda odd and random, but whatever I'm glad he ends up happily married.
The artwork took a bit getting used to, and even by the end, I can't say I was a huge fan. I know Irie-kun is supposed to be super hot, but I really did not like how he looked. I chalk it up to the older nature of the manga and what was considered 'pretty' back in the 90s.
I'm not the biggest fan of either of the main characters. I admit Kotoko has some good points as well, but I was quite frustrated with her at multiple points throughout the series. She's just so annoyingly incompetent at everything she tries to do. I don't know how Irie-kun puts up with it. For example, I was wincing the entire time during the scenes where she had to draw a patient's blood as she stabbed their arm multiple times looking for the vein. I would definitely not want her to be my nurse lol
As for Naoki / Irie-kun, his character was a tad too cold for me. He almost never gives a hint of actually liking Kotoko, until the sudden kiss in the rain scene and the very abrupt marriage proposal that followed. I wish that transition had been done better. You just never quite know what's on his mind. I actually feel bad for Kotoko for being married to him, since she clearly has a complex around the strength of feelings they have for each other. Because Irie-kun barely shows any emotions, it's easy to think that Kotoko loves him more than the other way around, even though that isn't the case at all.
However, despite the character flaws, I still quite enjoyed the manga. I appreciated that it didn't end when they got together or after their marriage but continued to tell the story into their adult lives. It's really quite rare to find a shoujo manga like that. There are a lot of popular shoujo tropes used in this manga, but I guess that's why it is considered such a classic in the genre.
There were certain chapters or scenes that had me cracking up. Some of my favorites were Kotoko's interactions with the anime club members at her college and Kotorin as well as when Kotoko first transferred to the nursing department and had to pretend she wasn't married to Irie-kun in front of her new classmates. Kotoko certainly got into some hilarious situations as well following Irie-kun on his dates with other girls.
It sucks that the best guy friend and nice guy never gets the girl. I felt so bad for Kin-chan the entire time. It's clear he cares so much about Kotoko, yet she never even gives him a chance. The bit when Chris first appeared was kinda odd and random, but whatever I'm glad he ends up happily married.
The artwork took a bit getting used to, and even by the end, I can't say I was a huge fan. I know Irie-kun is supposed to be super hot, but I really did not like how he looked. I chalk it up to the older nature of the manga and what was considered 'pretty' back in the 90s.
February 25, 2018
Ok, so I actually really liked this manga. More so than I thought I would. I would say 4.5 just because it was so much better than I thought it would be. To be honest, the reoccurring 'unrequited" love thing is a really boring tropes which are why I steer FAR away from it every time I see something that might hint at it in the summary. Which is why Itazura Na Kiss is a very strange choice or manga for me to read. I honestly thought this was gonna be freaking typical in that the girl confesses and the guy is like OH I LIKE YOU TOO or like SORRY IM TAKEN or EW NO GO AWAY. The 3rd option was what happened here but unlike most girls, our main character (Still don't know her name... I'm really bad with names...) accepts that ya, this guy is a jerk. Most shoujo girls are so blinded by their one-sided love that they always see the best in the guy and want to be together and just cry when they're rejected. Now I'm not saying that our main character here didn't feel sad about being rejected... but she dealt with it in a far better manner than I thought she would. Also, the fact that there's a random side guy to help progress the ship is nice too. I find myself really rooting for the main girl instead of hating the guy as usual. (Still kinda hate him... but like... the ship) So ya, overall this manga was really nice. It's wasn't as cliche as the summary makes it and honestly, it's quite funny. Anything funny is really a win for me!
February 23, 2021
I am really glad that I have gotten back into this series. I remember watching the anime and loving it because it starts in their senior year of high school through their adult career and that was something that I had never watched before. Until reading this, I did not realize how old this series is (there was a calendar saying 1991 in it and my eyes widened at the sight). But the artstyle was very unexpected especially when it came to some of the hair (I wonder if its the subject of its time or what). Since I know the story I wasn't turned off by it but I can definitely see why people who are new manga readers would not like it. As far as subject matter, the leading guy can be mean but endearing, the family is such goofballs, and the leading girl has feelings but can't act on it because of the guy's feelings (I know its something that I sometimes hate) However, for me this series is so much fun and starting volume 1 has been a lot of fun and I wonder how much new content I will be seeing continuing on away from the anime. Because of these points, I have to give this manga a 4 out of 5 stars
June 16, 2024
Had an urge to watch the K-drama adaptation but I didn't feel like it so I read the source material instead. Hahaha, this is so old. And it didn't age well? There's the typical heroine who seems like her life revolves around the ML, and there's the cold and super smart male lead. I did hear others say that this inspired other manga series like Fruits Basket (this was originally published in 1990) so I had high expectations.
There are enjoyable moments but it's getting tiring how Kotoko repeatedly thinks "it's time to give up of Irie-kun" and how Irie doesn't assure Kotoko. Like, literally one kiss solves everything. Plus Kotoko and Irie's mother keep plotting together. Even if Irie himself is aware of that, it reminds me of fictional mothers who plot with a woman (who isn't the FL) to trap the ML. I also personally don't think they're very compatible. However, I was delighted when Kotoko shifted to nursing because I study in the same field.
Note: Goodreads doesn't have the complete number of volumes listed here as the series ends at Volume 23.
There are enjoyable moments but it's getting tiring how Kotoko repeatedly thinks "it's time to give up of Irie-kun" and how Irie doesn't assure Kotoko. Like, literally one kiss solves everything. Plus Kotoko and Irie's mother keep plotting together. Even if Irie himself is aware of that, it reminds me of fictional mothers who plot with a woman (who isn't the FL) to trap the ML. I also personally don't think they're very compatible. However, I was delighted when Kotoko shifted to nursing because I study in the same field.
Note: Goodreads doesn't have the complete number of volumes listed here as the series ends at Volume 23.
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