PURPOSE: To convert standard characters into italic characters at a character unit with high speed and print them by providing a shifter wherein a converting character data from a page buffer memory is shifted and converted in accordance with a shift data from a shifter controller and the converted data is stored in the memory.

CONSTITUTION: A printing device comprises a microprocessor 5 for outputting character conversion instruction and character conversion information, a page buffer memory 4 for storing character data, and a shift controller 1 for outputting a shift data calculated based on the character conversion information from the microprocessor 5. Also, a memory controller 3 for controlling input/ output of the memory 4 in response to a conversion request from the shifter controller 1 and a shifter section 2 for shifting and converting the character data from the memory 4 in accordance with the shift data from the shifter controller 1 and for storing the conversion data in the memory 4 are provided. An italic character having optional obliqueness can be formed based on standard type face, so that a high speed printing is possible in optional type face for every character.