Episode LXXVI: Mike buys Final Fantasy XII

Let me preface this by saying I dislike the Final Fantasy series. In fact, for a time, I damn near despised it. The turn-based battles always seemed like the height of absurdity to me, the plots were melodramatic and slow-moving and the lead was always some androgynous male (look at Tidus from Final Fantasy X and tell me that's not the chick from Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place). FFX was, to me, the ultimate low point - I hated the protagonist, I hated the love interest (worst. voice-overs. ever) and *spoiler* it turned out the guy you were playing was the dream of a dead civilization (good lord, is that god damned stupid).
That said, I kinda like XII. The story makes sense (so far - I am waiting for that moment when it turns out everything's caused by space cows or something). The combat has changed, ending those "dear-god-kill-me-with-a-spork" random battles. Sure, the main character looks like a woman, but he seems to be less of an asshat than the previous protagonists (say "previous protagonists" three times fast...you'll sound like an idiot).
That said, I'm still pretty sure I'll get to that point where I get pissed off at it. Games where you level up always start to seem like work. I know I'll get to that one boss I can't beat unless I pick a fight with 700 more spider/rat/wolf things, and I'll quit. Doing that just totally kills any narrative drive.
P.S. Is it asking too much of a Final Fantasy protagonist to wear a complete goddamn shirt for once?