as far as characters and plot structures, they generally are pretty generic.  However, in setting and artistic design they are incredibly imaginative.  Just depends on what you focus on...

Pier solar looks amazing! i'll probably get the PC version, sucks they aren't making a PS3 version :(

Edit: I found this on there page so there is still hope :D - WM Team

P.S we might just have our eyes on PS3...who knows? :D

In a nutshell, and with gross oversimplification:

JRPGs tend to be more linear and less choice-driven. All the characters are their own individuals, and you just happen to be playing through a pre-set story. Think of it as being a more interactive movie.

WRPGs tend to be more about individual choices, with your player character in particular often being a blank slate. The original ones were modelled after tabletop RPGs, and tended to have the freedom to go along with that.

There are also generally a host of differences in how they approach their underlying mechanics, inventory systems, and quest structures. For example, WRPGs will often have you directly putting points into attributes like Strength and other points into skills like Fire Spells, where JRPGs tend to be more automated in that regard. Of course, remember what I said about this being extremely reductionist: that can't be emphasized enough. Especially as WRPGs are trying to become more cinematic, with resulting increase in linearity.

An interesting note here

9 of the top 10 selling RPGS for the PS2 were JRPGs

Only 2 of the best selling RPGS on the PS3 are JRPG and both of them are Final Fantasy

It seems they still do well on handheld devices. They went were the audience buys them, which is on handhelds in Japan. If you want the genre to come back to HD consoles then support Ni No Kuni. Show there is still a market for them in the west.

It also didn't help that MS tied up some jrpg exclusives on a console with a fan base that wasn't really interested in jrpgs at the start of its life cycle.

Wait until Persona 5 at the end of this year. It will be the ultimate swan song of the current gen consoles and alone bring back JRPGs to their previous glory.

I honestly don't remember what you are talking about. Maybe if you can provide an image of the leveling system then i'd remember. I remember the bullshit thing about the leveling was that the bosses and monsters leveled up with the characters so if you had trouble with a boss you couldn't grind

In every generation before when RPG was said, that meant Japan. The only competition Japan had was themselves. This is why it was easy for games like .hack// and other niche jrpgs to get face time. Not the case anymore. Japan has not adjusted to competition from the western..stuff.. and just in general this generation. They dont get that the free pass they had in being market leaders in previous gens no longer exist. It also does not help that when they do develop jrpg's its usually for a specific small market. JRPG's popularity is diminishing because Japan is letting it.

Another interesting number

Combined JRPG sales of titles over 1 million last gen

45.93 million

Combined sales of JRPG titles over 1 million current gen

11.26 million

Massive decline

JRPG's are boring in my opinion,I played the demo of ni no kuni and granted I really really wanted to like it but the turn battles are just horribly boring. If jrpgs implemented battle systems like kingdom hearts, ill be fine with them