The appeal of pokemon is not that it's a JRPG. most people don't even know what that acronym means.
No, Pokemon is about the joy of collecting things. Has been since day one. People love collecting rocks, people love collecting butterflies, and people love collecting Pokemon.
Final Fantasy has nothing to do with it.
Ahh but the way I see it is that - people are More likely to play what they know already. They know Pokemon. They know the underlying system behind JRPGs. So they are not afraid to play a turn-based game much the same way a shooter-player is willing to play More shooters. They're familiar with it. Yes you are right, it has nothing to do with the acronym JRPG.
Also I wouldn't boil down to 'collecting things' as the only way to enjoy that game. It is more than that. People like the inherent sense of progress that RPGs provide (which pokemon also provides). They like the social aspects of Pokemon and some of us do speed-runs or min-max the IVs and EVs of our fighters.
Final Fantasy is a possible step. But it is not a logical step. To begin with it is hardly turn-based anymore. Then again who is here to say that pokemon-graduates have to play the exact same system? So what DO they play actually? Do they quit gaming altogether?
