If you can look past the flaws, there's a lot here to love.
So...
Much ado has been made of the gamut of problems that Dawn of Mana suffers from, and while most of these accusations are on at least some level true, your mileage will definitely vary. There are gamers who apparently loathe this game as if it had its way with their wives and daughters, and there are some, like myself, who feel it is unjustly criticized and can actually be quite a positive experience for many.
The big issues? Firstly, the camera. We can all agree that the camera is terrible. You've played games with terrible cameras before, and this one is just like those were. Secondly, the control. Some say it's completely broken, some say it's fine. I say it's in the middle. It's perfectly functional, it's just quite stiff, leading to some occasional frustration before you've gotten used to its nuances. Thirdly, there are some minor inconsistencies when it comes to the game's radar and its objectives, but many players may bypass those problems altogether simply because they may not happen to get lost. Where some did, I didn't. Where others didn't, I did. Those elements could certainly have been improved, but they don't destroy the game.
As I see it, those are the game's major problems. If you feel you can get beyond those, give it a try. Renting is a good option if you have doubts.
So we know the bad, what's good? Firstly, the art. Everything is well designed, well animated, very colorful and full of heart, and oozes Mana from every pore. Secondly, the gameplay. While I initially felt that swatting enemies around with environmental objects was going to feel gimmicky and boring, I was proven wrong. Most levels are just big sandboxes in which enemies and objects coexist together, waiting for you to come along and introduce the latter to the former with a few good swings of your whip-sword or the kinetic energy from a good punch. Thirdly, the sound and music. The soundtrack is a beautiful thing well worth listening to, and the voice actors in the English dub do a surprisingly solid job. Not perfect, but I was definitely expecting worse.
Do you have any hope of liking Dawn of Mana? You certainly do. The best advice anyone can give you is to try it. Despite what seems like an overwhelming wall of negativity from those who don't like it, there are many of us who find it to be an enjoyable experience worth the price of entry. There's no guarantee you'll be able to get past the flaws, but there's a perfectly good chance that you will as evidenced by the number of people out there playing and enjoying it right now.
Take a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.