Not saying the Kanto games are the best Pokemon games at all, but I'm replaying LeafGreen right now and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the lack of an overarching story.
Yes you run into Team Rocket and your rival a few times but other that than, its just you, your mons and the gyms that matter. Getting to a new town and being able to just explore it at your own pace instead of having a story NPC running up to you, talking to you for five minutes or making you follow them is so nice.
Again not saying I don't like other Pokemon games better, but just having the main story be you trying to get all the badges and challange the Pokemon League, and not you being forced to save the world for the 7th time is so chill