In an effort to keep this post relative -- I would clarify that the problem from 1.0 I am referring to has been reported by many users and that is the latency/character location issue in battles. It has always been choppy and as a 1.0 player myself I can also say this was my experience.
I can assure you my rose tinted goggles do not exist. The perception of the NA player base (if I was not clear) is that JP players/servers are preferred simply because developer and administrator access to JP servers is obviously local. So what I am stating is that although SE may be upside down on this game at the moment, the company as a whole has the capability of investing in the NA market to make sure the gap is closed in the future.
Invest in your consumers with time, information and assets and your consumers will invest in you.
And in response to the post above, you of course quote my post in context to fit the needs of your reply. I don't feel the need to shine at all, I just waited a long time to play what I knew would be a great game and the experience is waned by a lack of foresight.