To the Western world, Japan, including its people and culture, is an intimidating mystery. However, the intimidation that Westerners associate with Japanese comes not from Japan's foreignness (relative to Westerners), but rather from the image of Japan and its people that Westerners grew up with. Focused exclusively on work and success, the Japanese turn their backs on personal pleasures and emotions; romantic and passionate does not apply to the Japanese. This is the image that Westerners have created of Japan and its people. This is the stereotype with which Westerners have crowned the Japanese. But this stereotype does not do justice to the Japanese soul. Westerners are unaware of the existence of the Japanese soul, a soul that beats with passion and desires “something deep and beautiful” (Izawa 1), but sometimes, the Japanese themselves, under all the work and pressure of having to succeed, forget your soul and ignore its passionate heartbeat. Yet, in recent years, the Japanese have rediscovered their soul and Westerners have noticed it. Westerners themselves have begun to explore the depths of the Japanese soul and passion through the use of Japanese manga. Manga offers a window into Japanese society and, to a greater extent, the soul; shows readers, most of whom come from the Western world, the real Japan that hides behind the stereotype of cold calculation that has been accepted. Manga has changed the way Japanese people and culture are viewed; he broke the Japanese stereotype. But at the same time, it continues to support and maintain the Japanese culture and traditions on which these stereotypes are built. And this is the foundation of the paradox of but...... middle of paper ......and living in the earth. But this does not apply to Japanese readers. For these readers, manga is not an escape; it is the memory of a lost soul, of the desire to dream, of a wonderful world at hand. Works Cited Izawa, Eri. “Romantic and Passionate Japanese in Anime: A Look at the Hidden Japanese Soul.” Japan Pop!: Into the World of Japanese Popular Culture (2000): n. page Rpt. in By Tim Craig. Np: np, 2000. Print.Lent, John A. Themes and Issues in Asian Cartoons: Cute, Cheap, Crazy, and Sexy. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular, 1999. Print.Navok, Jay, Sushil K. Rudranath, and Jonathan Mays. Warriors of Legend: Reflections of Japan in Sailor Moon (unauthorized). North Charleston, SC: Urgent, LLC, 2005. Print.Schodt, Frederik L. Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley: Stone Bridge, 1999. Print.