Well this is the problem with Final Fantasy sequels - people start to pick up inconsistencies. Maybe FFX-2 would have been better as a different game. Afterall, it's what Square knows best.
The thing is though - you've got to look at the reality of the situation. You're complaining about certain things not being realistic - but very little in the FF games is. That's the point. It's not meant to be realistic. It doesn't have to make sense all the time. Just let yourself go and enjoy it.
People always seem to choose to ignore certain things yet pick up on others just to belittle what they're trying to oppose.
Squaresoft is a company who's primary objective is to make money. No matter what you might think or what you might want them to behave like they are primarily out there to gain money. They do this via having a large fanbase and by increasing it.Squaresoft is taking it to far to fast, their was no need for change.
ALL (read: 95%) of Square's current fans will play game after game that they release. They've already been won by them and want to see what they bring out next. I'm in this category, most people on the boards will be.
Then there are those people who have never played a FF game. Square is now targetting these people to make sure that they are continually expanding the number of people playing FF games.
It makes no sense, indeed it is almost financial suicide, to simply cater for certain hardcore (even elitist) views on how FF games should be.
By adding in the alluring new dress codes they're are appealing to young males (mainly). By adding in the pop stars job class or whatever it is, they're appealing to masses of people who think the game might revolve around this - thus they're getting more customers.
This is what it's all about.
However you've got to think that they wouldn't be so stupid as lure all these people in and then disappoint them with a game that fails to please.
I'm expecting the game to be different - yet good.
Oh and:
Come on, you can't be serious.
Strange I remember Adolf Hitler saying some thing about change, too
I remember someone called Martin Luther King who said something about change, too...
See?