But recently Japan has started climbing out of its rut, but the most successful ones do it by using western techniques and influences to improve their worn-out Japanese styles, as opposed to refining their genres and coming up with brand new stuff. Games like Xenoblade, Skyward Sword, new Ace Combat, Demon's Souls...
I hesitate to call that a list of JRPGs, let alone most successful recent JRPGs. I'm also not sure what the point of it is; obviously some Japanese games are going to be borrowing ideas from North America; I'd be worried if they weren't.
On the other hand, I definitely agree with you that if JRPGs are going to become more relevant again (although I do think their current relevance is being a touch underrated here) then they'll have to do it without just copying the west. WRPGs have lots of traits that I have no interest in (heavilly exploration/quest-based rather than a structured narrative, combat based around reflexes rather than planning, only one customisable/controllable PC, etc.), and I know lots of JRPG fans feel the same way, and you can bet for sure that Japan has oodles of like thinkers.
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