Yeah, the graphics for FF12 are amazing. The differences between the game's cutscenes and the actual game itself are very minimal, and that's what's so surprising. The load times are also really great for a game with such intense rendering.
Usually strategy guides just make me more confused...but anyway, I would really recommend trying out Link to the Past. It's real-time fighting, not RPG style. You don't gain levels, it's like every other Zelda game. I think you'll like it.
gin0va:
I don't like Kingdom Hearts at all, and ironically, it has nothing to do with the fact that Disney's involved. In fact, through the first game, that didn't bug me at all. What bugged me was the extremely shallow characters Square themselves developed, the un-engaging plotline, and the repetitive (and simple) battle system. From what I watched of my friends playing the second game, it didn't get much better. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad game, it just really isn't my type. Not many new games are.
My favorite Japanese dish...that's a toughie. I'd have to say ramen, as it's just one of those foods that make you feel good after you eat it. It's also cheap and most places that serve it also have manga to read while you eat it, which is the ultimate combination of pleasure in my opinion. It has a bunch of stuff in it...you can read all about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen
Favorite American dish...I'll have to go with spaghetti, not with the deep red sauce but with the red-orange meat sauce, and some spicy meatballs, that is just a delicious dish. I just realize now that I picked noodles for both choices...I guess I am a noodles kind of guy.
My MOST favorite anime and manga characters? Geez...you ask tough questions. One of my all-time favorites has to be Gokuu, not just because he's THE MOST POWERFUL SUPER SAIYA-JIN!!! but because of the qualities he represents, which I think are very important -- a childlike curiosity, a sense of great imagination, humor, many of which are unfortunately lost by humans as they grow up and turn into adults. Of course he also envelops heroic qualities like courage, never giving up, etc...he's just an all-around great guy. I think he's the pinnacle of all shounen heroes.
I also love Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter, and Zaraki Kenpachi from Bleach. (I actually can't stand Ichigo...but I won't go into that now.) But both of those characters up there are just bad-ass. Vash the Stampede from Trigun should also be included. One of the first anime I ever watched, and the first manga I publicly translated.