This has buggered me for many years now: why in the world do Square constantly use the random encounter system?
I guess it's supposed to force the character into leveling up the characters.
BUT, you know what?
Do you know of the game Secret of Mana?
That game consists completely of optional battles: you can pass the VISIBLE enemies if you want to, or you can fight them.
AND you can even stop fighting them in the middle of the battle; you don't have to finish it.
AND - that system made me fight MORE enemies than I ever do in FF games, because I knew I could choose it myself whenever I wished to.
In FF games (and lots of other RPG:s in general) enemies just show up randomly all the time.
IT'S SO ANNOYING!

Why, WHY do Square always use this stupid system?
Don't give me this "the consoles can't handle visible enemies", because lots of RPG:s for the SNES use visible enemies and optional battles.
Moogle Charm get.

Anyway, the random encounter system seems to be a trademark of FF games. Square released Chrono Trigger, which had enemies totally visible and then you'd engage them, right there. No screen shift, no swishing sound or anything. And you mentioned Secret of Mana. Square has released MANY games that employ systems other than the random encounter system. And every FF game (as far as I know) gives you the opportunity to run from most fights. Sure, it's difficult in many of the games, and still annoying to have the screen go "swoooooooosh" while you're making a mad dash to the save point, but the option exists and the system adds challenge to the game.

So Square has many games with no random encounters, but the FF games have a few things that hold them together. Cid, Airships, Chocobos, and apparently random battles.

As I said, Moogle Charm. Get it and you'll find satisfaction.