I think I’ve tried Chrono Trigger twice on an emulator, didn’t get it, then gave up. I may try again a third time next year, when I’m less stressed out, less overworked.

Idk if that’s a JRPG or something adjacent, but I also didn’t enjoy CrossCode. I really wanted to, since I’m a sucker for that exact aesthetic.

Depends on what you like. Final Fantasy 1-6 are great fun. The combat mechanics are interesting when they need to be, but most battles only last a few rounds and most importantly don’t take minutes of playing the same full motion video every fight which is why I really dislike all the FFs past 6, with 6 being the weakest.
The stories are fine, and the pacing of the world “expanding” based on when you get your boat, or airship, or whatever is fun.
The Dragon Quest series is great because of it’s humor, and the balance between mechanical knowledge and luck feels good, with DQ11 being the best one so far. Of course the SNES classics really define the genre. If you don’t like Chrono Trigger, Earthbound or Final Fantasy 4 then you probably don’t like JRPGs.

As a rule I’m not a fan, but there have been a few select ones I did enjoy. Chrono Trigger, Radiant Historia, and Chained Echoes are a few that I found to be pretty engrossing. All these games have a strong plot and interesting characters, and you end up wanting to know how the story plays out. I find the weakest aspect of JPRGs is the combat because it tends to get very formulaic, and you end up having to do a lot of grinding. The three games I mentioned are on the less grindy side of the spectrum. There’s also a sub genre with tactical RPGs like Fire Emblem where I find combat is a lot more interesting.