Jean Kirschtein is a graduate of the 104th Cadet Corps, among whom he ranked 6th for his skills with ODM gear and ability to look at things through a more tactical lense. Jean hails from Wall Rose's Trost District, and joined the military with hopes of living a peaceful life within the walls as part of the Military Police. However, he would later find himself joining the Survey Corps after being convinced both by his close friend Marco Bott's words, and after witnessing the death of several of his comrades. Jean has a blunt personality. He holds no restraint when it comes to speaking his mind, even when he knows it would not be wise to do so or when it could spark conflict. Jean is also pragmatic: he has a strong aversion to exposing himself to dangerous situations. During his time as a cadet, Jean was extremely hot-headed, easily becoming frustrated and quick to resort to violence when pushed. Jean was also very cynical about defeating the Titans, believing that humanity has no chance against them and openly mocking more idealistic individuals like Eren Yeager, and saw resisting the Titans as a hopeless cause. However, despite these things, and although he presents himself as self-centered, Jean places high value on the lives of his comrades, and is willing to risk his life to prevent countless more deaths from his comrades. Even with his shortcomings, Jean has shown himself to be a natural leader, being able to understand others and assess situations well because of his flaws, and proves capable of leading his fellow soldiers when they are left confused and without a plan.
