you may have not seen my earlier post; more or less, when i make a decision or something becomes my favorite, i will not change on that. and i could quite possibly go so far as to take the negative parts and make them sound like positives. that's why i try to keep myself objective when making decisions and chatting with others.
ff6 definitely has some excellent quality of life changes to it: no worthless spells like sight. wide variety of interesting characters, world and lore, good colors and designs, a very good balancing of drama and comedy, a lot of customization for the party members. in addition to what you listed.
japan seems to like being more light-hearted and upbeat in their media; since the real world over there is quite depressing. it would not be surprising for 5 to be well more liked.
i would use these descriptions to describe the snes final fantasies:
Final Fantasy IV: The first full length epic adventure. Travel from your humble beginnings to the ends of the world and brave the fiery depths of the unknown and leave your mark upon the very stars themselves.
Final Fantasy V:
?Adventure Time,
C'mon grab your friends.
We'll go to very distant lands,
With Bartz the Wanderer,
and Boko the Chocobo,
The fun will never end,
it's Final Fantasy V!?
Final Fantasy VI: The pure distilled essence of melancholy; a warm yet sorrowful aroma wafts through the air, filling your lungs and mind with grim acceptance as you feel the cold embrace of ruin surrounding you, kept only at bay by the tepid hope of restoring the peaceful balance of the once peaceful world.