Turn-based RPGs...for me, that's a point of contention. I generally hate "DVD menu" combat where both sides take turns whacking each other for an eternity unless you didn't grind enough and your entire party gets slaughtered instantly, but slog through it anyway for the plot. It's even worse with all the random encounters. (And to think that I used to play them without reading a guide the first time through...nowadays, forget that!)
Yet I'm probably going to get Xenoblade regardless, even though I might be better off saving the money for The Last Story. Operation Rainfall needs the support, and if those two do well, we might even get Pandora's Tower.
The thing I like about real-time action-style combat is that it doesn't feel like I have to pray to the Random Number God the whole time while I'm trying to get somewhere; instead, if something goes horribly wrong, it's probably because I screwed up.
On the other hand, I do enjoy certain turn-based combat systems when there's strategy and timing involved.
I still don't consider Zelda an RPG series (lacking most of the mechanics people use to define RPGs), but it appeals to me regardless, especially with Skyward Sword having swordplay that reminds me of Die By The Sword, only the direction of your sword swings are actually quite important.
EDIT: Looked a bit more into Xenoblade, and it looks like it avoids the usual JRPG combat tropes that put me off. Normal attacks are automatic, so the battles keep flowing, but there are special abilities that are manually activated and depend on your character's position relative to the target. Also, health regenerates gradually outside of battles, and you can see potentially threatening monsters before you get into fights with them. I think I'll like it.