(Ok well 2nd if you count My Life As A King) but this is my 1st numbered game in the series. I chose Final Fantasy IV on the DS and so far Im really enjoying it (wish my characters would stop dying/leaving though...

so ya I take back all the mean things I said about Final Fantasy, its pretty fun.

Perfect choice!  FF4(FF2 SNES) was my 1st RPG and gateway to where i became a choosen( JRPG Guru)... I love it to death.

ya I dont know why I took so long to start it, I bought it like 2 years ago lol

If you are not a JRPG fan now..FF4 will make you into one. Thats a promise! enjoy one of leading titles in the genre

Don't get your hopes up too high.  4 and 6 are amazing, but it's all downhill from there.

I own both : p and I recently got V Advance

ya I'v heard that too

Yes, definitely stay away from III.

FFIV, while my favourite game, I would not recomend as a starting point. Very difficult, especially if you're not accostumed to having to actively play to your enemies weaknesses (or simply playing JRPGs in general). If you don't figure them out, some bosses can be exceedingly frustrating.

That said, you're enjoying it! The game is just so thematically driven and tight; it really is quite unique in the series.

that bad eh?

Though not quite as good, I would classify both IX and XII as amazing too (XIII in terms of gameplay, too). But you're right, it pretty much goes downhill - which isn't to say that some of them aren't great..