Honestly, do JRPG makers even realize how hard it is to save the world? That shit is impossible!

There's no greater and bigger adventure than saving the world. As gaming progresses, saving the world isnt big enough for JRPG so saving the universe/galaxy etc.. will be the "mainstream". Ill guess it to be like +1000hrs long when they do that lol

Well rpg's where you save a kitten just aren't quite as epic for some reason.

That's true for most shooters and platformers as well. It's a common plot element in videogames. It shows the good nature of the protagonist and their struggles, and the deviousness and power of the antagonist. But most of all, it gives you a grand, overarching goal to achieve throughout the course of the game.

So no, JRPGs are fine with these sorts of plots. Stop asking them to be something they're not.

JRPGs (and almost every other genre) are fine with the, "we're fighting for the fate of the city/country/kingdom/planet/galaxy" storyline.

I wonder if the OP has actually played video games that aren't JRPGs. Stereotypes and similar plots aren't something that's exclusive to JRPGs.

Has to be something worth the 60++ hours invested.
Though there is a lot of normal hair too. In that line of thought, I'm also fine with having mostly teen/young adults characters in those games.

Princesses = nintendo (zelda, mario)

There have been RPGs where saving the World or even fighting a major evil character weren't the main focus.  Of course they require much more thought and are probably a more difficult sell than the fight the big bad and save the World games.  It would be nice to see more games come out that break with convention but it'll probably always be a very rare thing.

One of my favorites is Ultima IV:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_IV:_Quest_of_the_Avatar

Ultima IV is different among RPGs in that the game's story does not center on asking a player to overcome a tangible ultimate evil.

After the defeat of each of the members of the triad of evil in the previous three Ultima games, the world of Sosaria underwent some radical changes in geography: three quarters of the world disappeared, continents rose and sunk, new cities were built to replace the ones that were lost. Eventually the world, now unified in Lord British's rule, was renamed Britannia. Lord British felt the people lacked purpose after their great struggles against the triad were over, and he was concerned with their spiritual well-being in this unfamiliar new age of relative peace, so he proclaimed the Quest of the Avatar: He needed someone to step forth and become the shining example for others to follow.

The object of the game is to focus on the main character's development in virtuous life, and become a spiritual leader and an example to the people of the world of Britannia. The game follows the protagonist's struggle to understand and exercise the Eight Virtues. After proving his or her understanding in each of the virtues, locating several artifacts and finally descending into the dungeon called the Stygian Abyss to gain access to the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, the protagonist becomes an Avatar.

Conversely, actions in the game could remove a character's gained virtues, distancing them from the construction of truth, love, courage and the greater axiom of infinity -- all required to complete the game. Though Avatarhood is not exclusive to one chosen person, the hero remains the only known Avatar throughout the later games, and as time passes he is increasingly regarded as a myth.

Stop asking us to stop asking things that we don't want to stop asking.