Sure, you can make the argument that JRPGs, like shonen manga/anime, are primarily targeted at teenagers, despite the majority of fans being adults. That said, why do people like there’s this unbreakable rule that ALL the main characters should be middle or high schoolers?

All I can guess is that the developers hate themselves and wish to relieve their youth. They act like anyone older than 20 is a senile old fart who’s gonna croak at any second now.

yakuza doesn't

They don't. Just the popular ones do because JRPG fans are pedophiles

nobody wants a jrpg about toddlers
nobody wants a jrpg about old farts
add in the obsession of japs with high school and it's easy to understand why they prefer to use this setting instead of say college
>They act like anyone older than 20 is a senile old fart who’s gonna croak at any second now.
they are correct
you literally peak by your 20 in any way: best lifting gains, best reaction, easier to learn new stuff and change habits, can take drinking and not sleeping easier and so on

i think most jrpgs don't revolve around teenagers actually
play something besides persona

>>717943768 (OP)
Still looks better than Persona 5 the Animation

>>717943838
yakuza is the exception because RGG are literally the only middle-aged devs who don’t loathe themselves, they even revel in and embrace their strange gen x ways.

>Plays the highschool drama JRPG series
>Surprised to find highschoolers
Just play more videogames. I will admit your misconception is rather common, which is probably due to Japan tending to use deceptively neotenous art for people in their 20s and 30s, especially women. Not that that's a bad thing.

>>717943768 (OP)
>wish to relieve their youth
This and is mostly a Japanese thing. When you're a high-schooler/young the possibilities are endless but after that you're no different than any other depressive salarymen. Japan are suckers for coming of age stories. Like notice how every Persona game ends exactly the same with everyone having to grow up and separate, the adventure is over and yada yada.

>>717943768 (OP)
Because the target audience likes to subconsciously self insert as people their own age. It’s not hard.

>>717944379
No the fuck they didn’t. Every kid self-inserts as adult Goku, not little Goku.

>>717944346
Other than FF where protags are usually 18-20 years olds the grand majority of Jrpg protags are 15-16 year olds.

>>717943838
Yakuza was never even an Rpg retard and the intention on focusing on more mature story centered around older men was there from the start. In fact that's why the first Yakuza game was only on PS2. It was supposed to be an Xbox exclusive at the time but they didn't want it and then Nintendo rejected them too because they thought it was gonna be a failure mostly because Japan don't like these old protags.

>>717944379
It's not because of a "target audience". This is just how Japan in general is and has always been.

>>717945027
>Xbox exclusive
wow, imagine, that would’ve killed the franchise right then and there.

>>717944663
The dude in FFXVI spends most of the game in his late 20s. The FFXV boyband are in their early 20s. Cloud and Tifa are 21 and Barret is 35. Everyone in Metaphor ReWhatever are at least 18. Nahobino from SMT6 is 18. Where are the JRPGs staring highschool kids, other than Persona?

>>717945027
>the intention on focusing on more mature story centered around older men was there from the start
Boy did they sure change course since then. The latest games make Pokemon look more mature in comparison.

>>717943768 (OP)
Because games aren't meant for adults.

>>717943768 (OP)
Life sucks ass in Japan after teenaged years so any fun thing would obviously use teenaged characters.
But most white JRPG fans are over 40 by this point.

>>717945310
no

>>717945027
>Yakuza was never even an Rpg retard
are the ichiban games not rpg's?

>>717946705
No.

LOST ODYSSEY, YOU FUCKS

>>717944346
Monster Hunter Stories, Xenoblade, Persona… and there’s more.

>>717943768 (OP)
>JRPGs, like shonen manga/anime, are primarily targeted at teenagers
You answered the question, it's targeted to them, marketing guy says to have a MC relatable to themselves to play as
>this unbreakable rule that ALL the main characters should be middle or high schoolers
>how to say I only play personaslop without saying
dragon quest, pokemon.. sigh..

>>717943768 (OP)
>They act like anyone older than 20 is a senile old fart who’s gonna croak at any second now
I'm 22 and I feel like that

>>717950336
That’s because you’re a lethargic fatass who doesn’t work out or have a job.

>>717943768 (OP)
Because pesky adults are stupid! We stay young and live free! No need for some stinky "job" or paying "taxes"! Now get on your bike and let's ride to the beach!
WAKE UP GET UP GET OUT THERE

>>717943768 (OP)
>why do people like there’s this unbreakable rule that ALL the main characters should be middle or high schoolers?
can you imagine an rpg where you roll the dice and there is a chance half your party has to baby sit a family members child take there kid on a trip or work overtime so cant join you in fighting a god today but good luck fighting that boss without the healer.

>>717948049
The player in MH stories is middle school aged and most of the orher characters are adults. Almost every character in xenoblade 3 is biologically 18-22. It's just persona.

>>717944529
Gohan is who kids self inserted as.

>>717950603
I'm not going to get a job either that would literally make it a hundred times worse

>>717950771
Funnily enough two of the PCs in FFVI were an old man and his prepubescent grandaughter

It's a narratively convenient age range. That's pretty much it.

>>717950829
Only autistic kids who think the cell saga doesn't suck

>>717943768 (OP)
>average age of the party is in the mid 20s
There are good JRPGs that have primarily adult casts, you just choose to ignore them.

>>717950829
What about Trunks?

>>717943768 (OP)
Persona 2 EP had a complete adult cast. And it was still catered to teenagers, the fucking theme of the game was "that's adult life kid, watch and learn".

>>717951054
>There are good JRPGs that have primarily adult casts, you just choose to ignore them.
I think as he is using a persona image he is talking about rpg's set in modern times urban fantasy and as i said it's very hard to pull off the persona formula of living your normal life and fighting evil in your spare time when you need to include adult responsibility.

That's how Japan views aging.

13-19 are your sort of “hero” years. Where you can be the main character out on adventures, having youthful flings, and figuring out who you’re going to be. Once you’re an actual adult in your 20s you’re meant to be established in a profession and starting to act as a senior, sharing experience with the incoming new class of adults. Once you hit 30 all the exploration and character development is behind you as you’ve long since settled into where you’ll be in your career for the majority of it. Your story is over. Except for a couple of later promotions you’ve done what you’re going to do. You’re a background, supporting character now.

>>717943768 (OP)

>>717950829
lmao no one self-inserted as Gohan, Goku and Vegeta are still PEAK self-inserts

>>717951274
Doesn't count because those games are slop and weren't JRPGs to begin with, but brawlers.

>>717951271
So basically teen years are for dreams. Once you're an adult, your dreams are dead and you've become another cog in the machine. That is some depressing shit.

>>717951274
I want to play this game but I don't know what to do when my girlfriend sees me collecting JAV actresses.

>>717950939
I can only handle so many “kids rool, adults drool, let’s solve all of society’s problems ourselves because those stinky adults know nuffin! oh, and we’re gonna kill GOD, with the power of FRIENDSHIP!”

>>717951415
Not a thing in Infinite Wealth, only Yakuza 0.

>>717951343
In what reality are you living anon? Every part of the world is like this. The tojo are just a bit too existentialists because they basically discovered the modern world in the last 50 years. but reality in this era is after 20 you clock up to a degree or a job and that's it.
You got 10 years tops in your life of absolute freedom, discover yourself and have dreams to follow.
You will not discover yourself at 30s working 9-5, you will not play with your friends that have families and kids to watch, no more adventures, escapism becomes just a movie or three hours of a videogame in the weekend, there is no more easter bunny, no more tooth fairy, no more queen of england.

Xenosaga and Xenoblade X
Most of the characters and the protags are all adults.

>>717951415
does not describe that game but you don't want to play 8 because it sucks ass. Play 7 instead, and maybe be less ugly and low self esteem too

>>717951415
Tell her to dress like them or to stick an heel up your ass.

>>717951415
Ignore the fucking moron who says 7 is better thsn 8. Gameplay-wise, 8 is a direct upgrade, even if the story isn’t as good as 7’s.

>>717951553
>>717951774
I thought I saw marketing with them recruiting JAV actresses or something. I have the entire series on Steam and was planning on playing through them all but then I got a girlfriend. Who wants to see what I'm playing at times.
She hasn't found my enormous collection of WEGs and hentai VNs at this point which is a miracle in itself.

>>717951998
This 8 is an evolution of the 7 fight and control system and is ABSOLUTELY better, you can't go back to 7 after 8.
Too bad 8 story sucks ass because they had no idea what to do with ichiban and kiryu story is all a huge buildup for nothing. I don't think i'll ever buy another yakuza again. I hope they do a better job with the new product they announced lately.

>>717952068
Oh, that is for Majima Gaiden, the pirate yakuza one. You won’t find any JAV actress in Infinite Wealth.

>>717952068
Worry not yakuza games are written like east asia dramas for women. Considering the amount of homoerotica she will be more scared you'll turn gay instead of the titties.

>>717952408
>>717952483
Alright. So only Yakuza 0 has those real life JAV videos or something right? The rest of the games are drama?

>>717943768 (OP)
Because 90% of Jap devs are miserable and want to go back to better times, and also because little Hideyoshi can't self insert if it's older men.