Trails is alright-ish, if too generic JRPG. Don't think I ever finished it, because I've seen it all before, but not bad a start. I heard that Cold Steel games are better, but I've yet to play them.
JRPG as a whole like their repetitive fights. Some build pretty good flow with them but you might still not like them much. Wouldn't know until you try though.
Anachronox is a west-made game that tried JRPG gameplay. If you don't mind slightly dated graphics and cliffhanger ending, it's a good piece to start, and if you won't like it, well, it's cheap.
Strategic Mind is only buyable if you're a commie/wehraboo, and even then it's just... meh, there are much better and cheaper strategies and tactics that'd get you that fix.
There's plenty Final Fantasy games with more or less decent faces and decent gameplay.

Just emulate original FF6.

What RPGs have young faces with big heads (Im guessing like Nemroids?). I can only really think of World of Final Fantasy. Games like TWEWY are anime but dont have the nemroid look.

And every game has repetitive fights. FPS has the same enemies but in slightly different configurations. Action games have a limited variety of enemies. Grinding is a part of RPGs to get stronger.

Anyway, a classic is Chrono Trigger. A rare RPG where grinding isnt really that necessary if you know how to play the game (grinding helps but low level runs exist), battles can be avoided to reduce *repetition, and has a great story even though it may be dated (and one of the few that does time travel decently right).

Any FF except 2, 8, 12, 13, and 15 is also good (with special mention for 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10). FFX is also a great beginner JRPG. No ATB so you wont panic as a player, good story, and not that much grinding is needed unless you are going after the bonus bosses. 2 is quite non-traditional. 8 breaks alot of RPG tropes (its actually very anti-grind but you need to understand the system), 12 is grind with a MMO slant, 13 is contentious, and 15 is more action RPG than traditional.

Persona is also good but not for a first RPG imo.

I would stick with strategy if that is your usual meal. Or even better, play another round of x-com or phoenix point for that matter. J's are most of the time pretty bland compared to those segments, excelling in presenting the most bland challenges that grow awkwardly slow

Oh, boy

Here's the ones I'd recommend:

➢Bravely Default - only on the 3DS afaik
➢Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- - story adds nothing to FFVII, but the gameplay is fun
➢Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy - crossover game
➢Dragon's Crown - sidescroller ARPG and beat 'em up
➢Ever Oasis - only on the 3DS
➢Final Fantasy II - I recommend either the PSP, Android or iOS versions
➢Final Fantasy VI - I'd suggest going for the SNES or PS1 versions
➢Final Fantasy VII - there aren't major differences between each port, so any should suffice; also I'd suggest not going for the sequels, prequels and spin-offs
➢Final Fantasy X - HD Remaster if you want an extra challenge and better graphics, else any version should suffice
➢Final Fantasy XII - go either for the OG PS2 release (no limitations on how you build your characters) or The Zodiac Age remaster (progression system is an improved version of the International PS2 release)
➢LiEat - minimalist RPG
➢Mary Skelter 2 & Mary Skelter: Nightmares - both have DRM free versions here on GOG, and they play nice on handhelds too (both the PS Vita release of MS:N and the Switch release of both games)
➢Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - feels like playing through a Ghibli movie (it's co-produced by Studio Ghibli, by the way); probably better to avoid the NDS version and stick to the Switch/PS4/PC version
➢Odin Sphere Leifthrasir - remaster of a PS2 sidescroller ARPG
➢Parasite Eve - only for the PS1 and for the Vita, PSP and PS3 PS Stores, at least in the last time I checked
➢Persona 3 FES - best version of Persona 3
➢Persona 4 Golden - hard recommend, but mostly because you either need to go for the PS Vita version, or the Denuvo-infested PC version
➢Persona 5 - haven't played the Royal edition, but the OG version is good
➢Solatorobo: Red the Hunter - Only for the NDS, and good luck finding a cartridge of the game for an acceptable price; still, it's a fun game
➢Tales of Hearts R - Only played the Vita version; dunno how's the NDS version

I realize this thread is just an excuse to post your favorite JRPGs, but the premise is awful. Why would you encourage the (currently) biggest troll on the site at all? Just do what I do: block all posts and all quoted responses from the user. gog suddenly becomes a better place. During the regular, off-topic Linux-related trolls this user was formerly famous for, one statement was made that is rarely said and that I agreed with. I didn't care or publicly agree. Even when a troll agrees with you, you don't want a troll on your side. Sometimes your "allies" just serve to make you look worse.

The *best JRPGs, in someone's opinion, would be their favorite, right?
He's not a malicious troll, he may be mildly annoying but it's harmless. Same thing goes with Jon_of_Irenicus_PL (or something like that idk). He makes stupid bait topics but he's not a bully.

After thought, I think Dragon Quest 11 is my choice to recommend to Orkhepaj. Sadly it's not on GOG, but it's probably the one least likely to go against his preferences while also being a through and through jRPG.

Of the Final Fantasy games, for Orkhepaj, I'd most recommend FF12 (though it's not among my favorites), since I know he's good with MMOs, and it's basically an "offline MMO". Going with an emulated version for speedup (or the remaster that added speed-ups) will work. It's also one of the better, "least anime" stories (though it still has its weird "surprise 'outsiders'" twist, but that's always going to be there. Would recommend the remaster for myriad reasons.

Of other FFs, for Orkhepaj FF8 would be my next choice, though stop at the end of "disc 1". It's a trash story after that -- even for most people who do like it. So I can't recommend it overall. But its mechanics are a bit obtuse and it's definitely less "this is what you get in a JRPG".

10 might cut it too. It's good. 7 might be too old/ugly for him. And the 7 remake is a blargh game (and not really a JRPG anymore but an action-RPG now).

Someone mentioned World of Final Fantasy -- While it's one of my favorites, it's very much a "greatest hits for people already into jRPGs"..

I would not recommend Trails in the Sky for Orkhepaj. The battle system, while I can enjoy it, gets repetitive a bit more quickly. And the story is good, it's mechanically shallow. At least the first one. It's also daunting to play just one game that's tightly connected to a series with continuity. (FF/DQ games are a series, but they're each on their own.)

I would not recommend Anachronox. It's weird. It's easy to get lost/stuck. I like it, but I don't think it's a good "gateway trial". I share the same sentiments about Septerra Core.

I'm omitting sRPGs, since they're essentially their own genre.

So looping back for why I do recommend he select DQ11 as the trial:
* It's new, so no issues about "too dated", or "awful pixel graphics" or anything like that.
* It is definitely a good, traditional, turn-based JRPG. It has solid mechanics. Not unusual growth systems.
* Its art style is almost traditional "western fantasy" but still with the JRPG flair.
* The story is fine. Nothing too far out of the ordinary or outrageous.
* It does stand well on its own. But it also, if enjoyed, does give a gateway to others if the desire comes.
* But also because it has some of the annoyances that JRPGs often have. [We do have to admit the genre often has bad elements.]: Casino (not-required fortunately), "fake ending, play more" (twice in this game), mini-game (very helpful to craft stuff, and resource acquisition is MMO-style "spawn points that recharge after time", but the mini-game to do it isn't the worst as mini-games go), at least one character with terrible voice acting.
* Something tells me Okrhepaj would appreciate "puff puff".

My runner up-choice would be Lost Odyssey for all the same reasons as DQ11. (It's personally my favorite JRPG as well.) I don't know how well X360 emulates, or if Orkhepaj has one though, otherwise it might have been my first pick. It's got a lot of intro features, good depth and mechanics, kick-ass story. Non-anime art, but still "overdesigned" characters. Yadda.

WE are his/her JRPG :-D
(S)he's so low-key provoking (and actually often shamelessly right, yet still in a hugely untactful way) (s)he's become something of an icon. The "So bad is so good" sort of. To call him/her a troll is kind of too much: there are still lines that haven't been passed.

I did not play it but I know for sure Disgaea is gorgeous, humorous and full of pranks... why not?

Im surprised you recommend FF8. I think its a good game that could have been great with some reworking but a pretty bad recommendation for a first RPG, mainly because of the enemies also level up mechanic.

One of the tenets of JRPGs is of you cant beat a monster, grind until you can hit hard enough/take enough hits so you can beat the enemy. FF8 is unique in that it actively discourages this method. Monsters level up to reflect the average level of the party but have higher stat growths so leveling up means you just face harder and harder enemies that outpace you.

To get around this, you need to learn the junction system which can then easily be abused to break the game. FF8 is the rare game where a low level run is easier than a max level run.

If he's OK with 2d game, definitely Chrono Trigger. It's like the safe bet. 2nd safe bet would be Lufia 2 Rise of Sinistrals

If he prefers 3D game, things get trickier. I say the safe bet is the FF7 remake but getting to play that might be difficult
Tales series might be too anime
Ys 8 / 9 is pretty good representation if he prefers real time action, but also anime
A more classic choice would be FF 10

I've tried Edge of Eternity, I do not recommend it to anyone.

I don't get why they make battle system as slow as possible.

The story premise is meh too, some tech civilization comes to invade magic users' planet, so it is hitting robots equipped with machine guns and rockets with swords, right...

As far as I know Japan doesn't make rocket propelled grenades.

Personally, my recommendations for someone new to the genre would be something like this:

* Dragon Quest 3. This is a classic game where you get to make your own party members, and then go out on an adventure to defeat the demon lord. It may not be the easiest game out there, but it isn't the hardest. If you're playing the game in English, It's also interesting in how it starts linear, but becomes less so as the game progresses, aside from one particular choke point where you have to kill a major boss to access the final world of the game. I recommend the Game Boy Color version (but reset if you get a stat decrease while playing Pachisi; there's a bug here); if playing in Japanese the Super Famicom version is recommended. Note, however, that if you're planning on playing more of the series, I would recommend playing the original Dragon Quest first, as you'll appreciate the later part of DQ3 more if you do. (For DQ1, play either the NES version, if you like to spend hours fighting the same enemies over and over to earn experience, or the GBC version if you don't; the SFC version, IMO, actually has worse graphics and music (especially music) than the other versions.)

* Final Fantasy 4 and 5. FF4 works as a nice introduction to more story-focused games; the version released as "Final Fantasy 2" in the US is a decent beginner option. (Don't play the 3D version first; that version is significantly harder than other versions and has permanent missables that weren't in other versions. Also, avoid the GBA 1.0 version (the one that the US got) because of bugs; the European GBA release (which is 1.1) is OK.) Final Fantasy 5, on the other hand, is a more gameplay-focused game, allowing for a wide variety of character builds without making it easy to break balance. FF5 can be hard, but it takes a bit for the difficulty to ramp up; in fact, I'd argue that FF5's early game might actually be easier than FF6's.

* I wouldn't recommend the SaGa series, however. (If you're used to WRPGs, Romancing SaGa 1 or 3 (not 2) might be a reasonable choice, while SaGa Frontier (and the Game Boy SaGas) are interesting entry points for existing JRPG fans, but the series is very unconventional and shouldn't be your introduction to JRPGs.)

FF8 is one of the least conventional and worst balanced games in the series, so I wouldn't recommend it (or FF2 for that matter) to somebody new to the genre.

Honestly, the best Japanese RPGs in my opinion are those that copy Western RPGs, particularly Wizardry. When Japanese RPG devs "do their own thing" we get really cringey anime characters and stories. Japanese devs also seem to be quite good at gameplay and mechanically focused type games, which is why their DRPGs are really nice.