What do you prefer? JRPGs or WRPGs? I honestly don't play that many RPGs lately...I just can't find the time or willpower to sink 40-50 hours into one game. That said, JRPGs used to be my favorite genre, and I still do enjoy them even if I rarely play them anymore. WRPGs just don't tend to have the plot or characters that will grab me and pull me in, and a lot of them just don't have much direction at all (I'm not too big a fan of free-roam games). The only WRPG I've ever beaten is Mass Effect, and that's an exception to the plot/character rule. I still plan on trying to get into Oblivion again before Skyrim comes out though.
I prefer JRPGs, as I've really only played those. I have not really played any WRPG's.... although I think it's cool that they tend to have more customization abilities.
I tend to prefer JRPG's for their stories and fun, if not predictable, gameplay. However, WRPG's can be pretty fun too, though they tend to throw story out the window-- Skyrim, I'm looking at you.
What I said before still applies - Mass Effect (and since then, Mass Effect 2) are the only WRPGs I've actually made it through. I got into Oblivion earlier this year but it didn't last very long...probably will try again after the beginning of the year. I've been playing more JRPGs lately though, and right now most of my now-playing games are JRPGs. I have so many on my backlog that I'm trying to get through.
I enjoy the Mass Effect series, because it doesn't feel like an RPG at all. Japanese or Western. My Shepard is a Soldier. All I have to do is shoot XD And I have levels and skills and such all set to to auto for the entire party. I don't have to put in any thought there. So, to me, the game is just a really damn good third-person shooter. That aside, although I'm not super big on RPGs, I prefer Japanes to Western. Western-style takes too much of an investment
It's just that the theme/plot of WRPG doesn't interest me as much as JRPG... while most WRPG supporters think that you lack control of the story in JRPG so there is no "RP" in the RPG, JRPG is more to take the eyes of the character and see how the story unfold, not so much to make decision. With all that said, I definitely enjoy turn-based, non-reflex based games so JRPG fits right in my category. Persona 3/4 totally swept me off the feet in both regards of gameplay and the plot =D