Hey guys,
I am a lapsed FE player who is getting back into the FE series. I've also been lurking on these forums for the past month or two before finally deciding to register. I first got into Fire Emblem with The Sacred Stones, then worked my way backwards with FE7, FE4, and FE6 though Sacred Stones was the only game that I've ever beaten... I then lost interest in the series for a few years. I did pick up Shadow Dragon, but I was very disappointed in the game, feeling that it was a step backwards from the GBA FE's, especially with the lack of support conversations.
During December 2012, I had a burning itch to play Ocarina of Time 3D, so I got myself a 3DS XL and OoT 3D. A few months later, I saw Fire Emblem Awakening on the store shelf. I remembered seeing FEA going for ~$53+ on Amazon, so when I saw the retail store price (~$34.99, if I recall correctly), it seemed like a really good deal, so I went ahead and bought it. I didn't actually play the game until around three months after buying it due to college, but once I started playing it, I really enjoyed it. Having been used to the GBA FE's, some of the things in FE13 initially threw me off, such as how secret shops are handled and the lack of an S weapon rank, but once I adjusted, it became a really fun, and highly addictive game. I then discovered the Serenes Forest Forums, and I've been lurking for the past month or two before finally deciding to register.
So, um, yeah... Hi everyone...
I personally prefer having characters in their 20's or 30's. I feel that anything significantly younger than 18 is too young... I guess the reason why a lot of JRPG characters are around ~16-18 is because I think the developers are trying to create characters that the players can relate to. A lot of JRPG players seem to be in their late teens or early 20's.