I have to watch my step around these parts, as I am surrounded by JRPG devotees. That won't stop me from making fun of them occasionally, or praising my fellow journalists when they do so. Paul Ryan at Games Radar has crafted a list of JRPG tropes out of which even superfans should get a chuckle.
Starting with the beginning, you've overslept and upon waking an old lady needs your help. While helping her you meet your best friend and someone gives you a weapon.You listen to the villages rumors about an encroaching evil, so you explore the surrounding area, only to uncover a government conspiracy/religious cult. Your village gets burned down, so you and your friends go on an epic adventure that ends with you discovering an ancient evil that can only be defeated with the power of an ancient race. There's a lot more, but I won't ruin the rest. It's worth reading in its entirety, so go do that.
This list reminds me of something I read years ago called "The Grand List of Console Role Playing Game Cliches". With nearly 200 items, it remains the definitive statement on the unoriginality of Japanese RPG writers. Come to think of it, reading this list almost makes the Games Radar list look like a complete ripoff. My favorite:
Wait! That Was A Load-Bearing Boss!
Defeating a dungeon's boss creature will frequently cause the dungeon to collapse, which is nonsensical but does make for thrilling escape scenes.
Related Links:
Roundtable Discussion: The Relevance of Japanese RPGs
Your JRPG Narrative is Bad and You Should Feel Bad
Whatcha Listening To?: Ebben Flow Soundtrack