Jean Kirstein: The Most Inspirational Character in Attack on Titan

[@vamillon6969]

What I love so much about Jean is the fact that he is constantly given the chance to live a safe and easy life, but each and every time he gives that up to help others.

[@D14MBK]

But that literally applies to pretty much all the other characters....

[@fukaze2021]

​@@D14MBK well most of the time Jean was given a choice but he still chose to put others before himself

[@D14MBK]

@@fukaze2021 so you're saying the other main characters wouldn't have done the same??? Also, THEY ALL PICKED TO BECOME A SCOUT. They could have lived comfortably as a cadet but chose to put others before themselves. Like I said, it applies just as much to the rest.

[@fukaze2021]

@@D14MBK Armin and Mikasa chose to be a scout because of Eren, Reiner and Bartolomew chose to be a scout because they have to watch Eren movement, Connie and Sasha chose to be a scout because of Eren's word, Jean however didnt even want to be a scout in the first place he plans to join the military police

[@D14MBK]

@@fukaze2021 are you fcking kidding me? You're limiting Sasha's and Connie's decision to join the scouts as "Eren's word" in order to downplay it??? What the actual fck... I want you to rethink everything you just said and apply logic this time because so far you are not a good type of person to debate/discuss anything with if this is your intelligence.

[@bandarsalh1338]

Finally someone giving Jean the attention he deserves Jean has always represented truth and honestly for me

[@Reality-Distortion]

Reddrik gave him amazing portion of attention recently.

[@jimmyichigo7410]

Truth is right. From the beginning he's completely genuine, for better or worse.

[@Reddrik]

@@Reality-Distortion Reddrik’s video sucks

[@Reality-Distortion]

@@Reddrik See this guy? What a hater. I bet you couldn't make a better one!

[@Reddrik]

@@Reality-Distortion Reddrik is cringe

[@michaelyu6250]

The last arc in the anime does so much wonderful things for Jean's character. It really comes full circle in a beautiful way.

[@justmyopinion79]

"I'm forever a scout."

[@yasiranadani3388]

How so? By saying eren is their only hope yet going to stop him knowingly

[@CruzaderKnight]

The frame where he SPOILER picks up Pieck and flies off while carrying like fucking Batman was badass. Jean lowkey is the classic male hero character of this series

[@gabrielflechaluna8565]

Okay 👍🏻 ko

[@voodiethemoody]

The only bad thing it did for Jean's character is include the boring mofo so much.

[@zabdi8112]

Jean’s deserved praise since season 1 but I’m so glad season 4 has given him the space to shine as a leader

[@jonathank786]

Seriously even in season one during trost he was able to take charge I didn’t expect his character to do anything like that upon seeing him he makes a great leader

[@patu.m4384]

I am so glad that the anime is giving him the light he deserves...!!

[@fritzvenezia9338]

Jean is an exceptional leader suited to be a sub-commander. He is a great leader who can execute and deliver the plans of the commander on the field, and can even modify it and take charge if changes arise. He can inspire people around him to follow their duties beyond reasonable doubt, and I bet if Erwin is still alive and scanned the achievements of Jean, he would've made him his second in command replacing Mike while Armin would be the Commander's strategist or adviser along with Hange.

[@zsoro9300]

Jean feels like the most human character in the AoT world. Fearful yet brave, desires comfort but willing to sacrifice for his friends. Believes in *good* but is always tempted toward the easy way out. Jean's an inspiring and relatable king. Great vid!

[@andreay9935]

Agreed, well said.

[@hiitsnana]

isayama even said that jean is the character that is supposed to represent humanity :)

[@thalmoragent9344]

Yep. I respect all the other characters around him as well, but his simple, yet understandable and strong character is definitely a gem in this story

[@antony2206]

theres no bravery in fearlessness, only foolishness, there's no discipline without fighting against your desire, and there's no good in being weak. Jean really dropped his 👑

[@TipoIrritable]

Hes human after all, not an Ackerman neither a Titanshifter.

[@duyphan4617]

One thing that is ironic yet wholesome is that Jean went from a person butting head with Eren most to a person that saw through the facade that Eren made to assure his friends' safety. If anything, most only saw Eren's good side while Jean saw both of his sides.

[@tailedgates9]

Jean fucking rules, man. Even before the time skip, I was so proud of how far he's come. His daydreaming and stuff is something we can all understand. Who wouldnt want a cozy life? But it has to be a life worth living to begin with.

[@johanliebert7349]

The comparison you made between Jean and Floch caught me off guard but it is also what furthered my appreciation for Jean, the most relatable character in the series

[@stevenpeeckford5999]

At the end of the day, Jean and Hange didn't know what their solution was. But was they knew for sure was that it WASN'T slaughtering the entire planet, so he had to stop it even when tempted to live his cozy life that he always dreamed of. Amazing character.

[@soccerstuff8071]

That's what people don't understand. The Alliance never pretended to have the answers, they knew this wouldn't solve anything. But nevertheless they had to stop this atrocity.

[@daniaaal]

@@soccerstuff8071 agreed. In the words of Hange: “Ill be damned if I ever justify genocide”

[@seemonuzumaki723]

I love this part of Jean. He isn't a leader like Erwin, because he can't be. But that is what makes him so effective, his humanity and how he is so honest and forthright with it.

[@shapeshifter7676]

Jean is a better leader than Erwin

[@seemonuzumaki723]

@@shapeshifter7676 Sure, I get that

[@glowhoo9226]

He does pretty well leading squads actually.

[@MrJCarter8]

Another banger vid!! Marco said it best about Jean “You’re not a strong person so you can understand how weak people feel”. AOT has some of the most well written characters in the medium!

[@kriya412]

@UCw6LIv9wddmyWBXLA-MFblg dude according to you're argument genocide is the only option that's not true I mean yeah I understand why Eren went for rumbling because it is the definite solution to the problem but that's not how things work btw it was kind of a desperate move too from his side like for eg if there is food sortage you don't go on killing people because it is going to solve the peoblem that's not how problems are solved right and I like there are different sides to this arc like not all people are going to cheer for genocide....

[@stay4rosty382]

Then there is mikasa lol

[@MrJCarter8]

@@stay4rosty382 cope

[@giornogiostar3214]

@@MrJCarter8 No, no, he's got a point.

[@leviackerman1799]

@@stay4rosty382 IKR..?! It's ironic that Isayama spend so much time developing the side characters that he kind of made one of the *main* characters retarded..

[@jimmyichigo7410]

The way that "Thaw" reflected on the events from seasons 1 and 2 with Jean taking the lead and inspiring was too much for me to take, it was so beautiful.

[@seemonuzumaki723]

BARRICADES

[@willofm]

It’s come full circle

[@RicardoHernandez-ue5kx]

Thaw ?

[@odindank5934]

@@RicardoHernandez-ue5kx Thaw is the name of an episode. I wanna say like episode 81 or 82

[@calcelmoanayru5870]

@@RicardoHernandez-ue5kx Thaw is the episode that they get together and kill Pyxis titan and stuff

[@silveratlas2706]

Jean is really carrying the show in these last episodes. When almost everything else collapses in front of us here comes Jean being the most consistent character left. I really came to appreciate him on a whole other level because of that.

[@jimmyichigo7410]

Armin, Mikasa and Connie are all losing themselves in one way or another. And Jean does too, but before his little arc he leads them to defeat the pure titans because it needs to be done.

[@simonsalazar9336]

"It is what he signed up for, but it is just so much, too much for one person to take" This is so true

[@lamthejamman5468]

You know, I’ve always liked Jean since season 1, and yet, I could never figure out why. Whenever I asked my friends who also watched AOT who their least favorite character was, they’d always say it was Jean, and they’d always say that the reason was because he was boring, and did nothing for the story, and when they asked me why I liked him, I was never able to do so. So seeing this video perfectly and brilliantly explain why I love Jean’s character so much is absolutely wonderful.

[@Aleczandxr]

I’m really happy you enjoyed it :)

[@ilsagita5257]

It is insane to think anybody with a moderate level of understanding of stories and charachters would say this ..I wonder how your friends think about other charachters ..why they even like or dislike them

[@KTilu93]

While Floch was consumed by fear and turned it into fuel to keep turning the wheel of hatred, Jean embraced it to become stronger and gain conscious to stop that cycle. You're right. I would follow that man to hell itself.

[@thesmackdragon]

That irony right there is what gets me all the time about Jean. He is constantly compared as being so different from someone like Erwin, understandably, yet so many would easily follow Jean into the most terrifying situations, and he doesn't even realize just how influential he is.

[@contemptman3646]

He's so flawed, human and understandable yet has so much courage.

[@victorvinegar7116]

I've always said Jean was the most human/relatable character in AoT, and hearing it come from you too put a smile on my face. Fantastic breakdown.

[@Aleczandxr]

Thank you!

[@desiconvicted]

jean and reiner were hajime isayama's (the creator of aot) fav characters from the aot when he was interviewed ! and when he was asked why then he said...because they have gone through, the most in aot !!

[@khotunkhan3950]

Jean has gone through a lot???

[@desiconvicted]

@@khotunkhan3950 wtf obviously....he is the most human character in the series though jean's childhood is not traumatizing but whenever anyone dies, he is first to grief and the most humanistic figure in aot !!

[@khotunkhan3950]

@@desiconvicted the fact that he is the most human character doesn't mean he has gone through the most in AoT

[@desiconvicted]

@@khotunkhan3950 i was just stating isayama's fav charcater dude...and that quality of jean was inspiring dude...understand what i am trying to say

[@khotunkhan3950]

@@desiconvicted aye I understand bro Sorry

[@meleronnef8411]

Jean and Connie both were elevated so much by recent episodes.

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Totally. This is one of the reasons SNK is the GOAT of animes. Real, Authentic Character development happens to pretty much ALL « secondary » Characters. This is insane. They all become so real, so deep, so relatable and moving…

[@johnygimo]

@@SamuelBlackMetalRider almost to the level of main character

[@JoshuaHenelyThornhill]

This is more than everything i wanted from this amazing man. We take Jean Kirstein for granted but he really is top tier character in all SnK. Thank you for this video AJ back to back GREATNESS with Tsukki and Jean

[@KoenRH2803]

This is why I love AOT. I am a filmmaker myself so I'm always interested in finding beautiful characters and AOT never stops to impress me with it's cast. It feels to me like almost all characters could have been the main character and I'd still be hooked. Isayama is truly a storytelling wizard.

[@Luckytrapt]

Jean has the best character arc going from someone thinking they understand the world, being pushed into an uncomfortable situation, going through those challenges, and coming out the other side having learned and grown. He’s awesome.

[@Cyrus_L_Maximus]

Courage is not the absence of fear; rather courage is the overcoming of fear to achieve what one needs to achieve. #Jean

[@maylabrown4584]

Jean is the Personification of Change in my eyes

[@Linkingx2]

@@As_Expected_of_Pieck change, his development was in S1 only then later own he mostly stayed the same - the hesitating to kill stuff, was not unicque to him and is also not a change btw. Also, him joining the scouts due to peer pressure and because his dead friend influences him to do so, even though he knows objectively speeking its a bad idea. Then later in S4 he joins the alliance, again knows its a stupid decision, but hey all my friends are here and again gets influenced by his dead boyfriend, whom he only remembers once and never again. Jean sadly appears to be so great and this normal guy who is so amazing, but his actions are not great to beginn with and he is mostly going along with his group of friends.

[@soccerstuff8071]

​@@Linkingx2 Unbelievable how widely you missed the mark on Jean's character. You sum him up by saying he just goes with the flow when he actively goes AGAINST the primary flow of things by rejecting the yeagerists. He doesn't know it's a stupid decision, he just knows he can't stand for what Eren is doing. And what spurs him to action isn't seeing that his friends are doing it, but remembering the type of person he's always been and what he's always stood for through remembering Marco's words.

[@geraalcht]

@@Linkingx2 And lemme guess, Floch is Jesus and Eren is God?

[@spaceowl9246]

@@Linkingx2 you clearly.. very very clearly didn't get it. That's sad for you but well. That's a you problem.

[@rekhavmenon1507]

@@Linkingx2 I hate the alliance but Jean is a good character. He is (not) a horse

[@GabeSweetMan]

He is also a direct parallel to Eren. Eren never earned his power and influence, it was given to him by others/divine intervention or taken by force. Jean was never given anything but earned what meager respect and power he could through his actions. Jean learned to grow up whereas Eren never had to.

[@wanna-be-thinker2377]

And not just Floch and Eren, Jean can be a parallel to several other characters in the series as well.

[@lilwinter774]

Eren was forced to grow up... I think you overlooked a part of Eren's character but I appreciate your POV

[@gg_sam7847]

I wouldn't say NEVER had to. And also a lot of Eren is a refusal to grow too

[@benayasdebela1164]

You mean opposite, not parallel

[@khotunkhan3950]

@@gg_sam7847 dude speak well

[@Sam-pb8hu]

Jean's decision to help stop is possibly the most selfless decision in Attack on Titan. Eren is not threatening anyone who Jean knows and cares about. Hell his actions would actually benefit Jean and his loved ones something he himself points out. He could have a peaceful comfortable life and all he would have to do is do nothing. But he knows that it is wrong and throws himself back into the fray and works with the people who are responsible for Marco's death because of that. You cant get more noble and selfless then that.

[@MacScotteh]

Jean’s been my favourite since season 1, it’s so great to finally see him getting the love and attention from the rest of the AoT fandom. Thanks for making a video about my boy Jean! >:D

[@theconnectorluis]

Jean is definitely one of my favorite characters in AoT, its incredible seeing his evolution ever since the very beggining. Masterpiece.

[@jimmyichigo7410]

He's one of those characters that changes a lot but somehow remains the same, and I mean that in the best way :')

[@trentschmeling3329]

Floch accepts the cruelty of the world and becomes cruel himself as a result. Jean rebels against the cruelty of the world in the hopes of changing it.

[@josemelendez6860]

I'm like Floch. I accept how terrible this world can be.

[@waytoguidance]

​@@josemelendez6860 okay but really.. don't be like Floch

[@calcelmoanayru5870]

What I love about all of this is that the story says right to us that Hange doesn't have the answers. From a certain perspective, they're being pretty stupid, and Jean is within his rights to just rest now (like it was said in the video). But no context makes genocide okay, ever. The world would've just gotten smaller, like Kiyomi said. Attack on Titan is so good.

[@seg162]

I think "no context makes genocide okay" simplifies the matter too much, given what Paradis and its people were up against and how disadvantaged they were outside the Rumbling. I think that the morality of the narrative, as per its themes, is clearly "genocide is bad". Even though we know we're dealing with "not good people" (the only people in the Alliance that haven't killed multiple people by the time they actually team up are Falco and Onyankopon), that's a clear slant. When they learn that the Titans must have made landfall on Marley while they were trying to secure the flying boat, Jean thinks about the refugees they met and partied with. As you mention, Kiyomi points out to Floch that their world would only become smaller (in the same way they thought they were the remainder of humanity before they found out otherwise-- remember the Uprising arc, _where they fought other people despite supposedly sharing the same fate within the walls_ all because they thought differently and had different priorities). Most important, the carnage of the Rumbling is put in stark relief. _Twice._ But there wasn't some "road less traveled" to peace between the nations that Paradis could have taken that they just didn't consider. They tried to pursue peace first under the naïve belief that they were just misunderstood and that the world was waiting to understand them, but that fell through. They didn't even have the time to prepare for conventional warfare with the world-- because Reiner and Zeke made it back to Paradis, Marley was able to learn that the power of the Founder was in the hands of someone not constrained by Karl Fritz' pacifist vow and that it was very possible that the Rumbling could happen in earnest at any time. The nations of the world would have been rallied by Willy Tybur to bear down on Paradis in less than a year regardless of whether the Liberio raid happened, when it would have taken Paradis at least 50 to catch up to the rest of the world. Their best weapon was an apocalypse weapon that they were reluctant to use-- they were not in a position of strength, and you saw that during the (hastily put together, by the way) air raid on Shiganshina where the Marleyan soldiers were outright massacring the Survey Corps and Eren until Zeke got there. Genocide is wrong because it's mass murder, and murder is wrong. Murder is wrong because you irrevocably take something you can't give or give back. Killing people that didn't do anything to hurt you is murder. A "small scale", extremely conservative Rumbling would still get innocents caught up, would perpetuate the cycle of hatred so the world could try for revenge eventually, and would mean that they'd have to make breeders out of Historia's family line-- whether or not they cooperated with Zeke's euthanasia plan. Even if that small and conservative Rumbling attacked all of Marley's battleships and crushed their economy, that's still countless innocents being gravely affected with the cycle of hatred perpetuated. Even if it wasn't genocide, their "best" option outside of a miracle that ushers at least relative peace (which is something worth hoping and striving for, to be sure) was just more war perpetuated by the lust for scapegoating and resources and mostly motivated by the fact that Subjects of Ymir can spontaneously (as far as they know) turn into giant scary monsters. So it's not that Hange doesn't have the answers-- it's that there IS no answer (not that they could create by themselves, anyways) that would get them everything they wanted in the world as it was. They didn't want Historia's family line to become breeders, they didn't want to be exterminated by the rest of the world, and they didn't want to kill everyone outside Paradis (or at least a lot more people). But by the time Eren goes undercover because all their diplomacy was demonstrated to be worthless, they have to choose one of those to avoid the others. And while you're supposed to understand how gruesome Eren's choice is, I'm certain you're also supposed to understand _why_ such a choice would be made-- because it's not a choice made by a simply evil person, but by someone who gave up on the world as it was (and was thus seeking to create a new one) while wanting to protect what he loved, willing to become a villain who gets his just deserts in the end.

[@calcelmoanayru5870]

@@seg162 Chill out dude wtf

[@zaimzainal6635]

@@seg162 i appreciate the long explaination😅

[@lilvargyt9964]

Jean is the most relatable character in the show for me. He has the fear of him and his friends dying as well as wanting to live a comfy life instead of fighting, but he still follows his heart because he knows that he can make a difference, which makes him one of the most human characters in the show.

[@ZinBadKat]

I did hate Jean at first but, the way he changes and the pain he feels....the way he doesn't want to become a scout but he does it not only for Marco but for Himself. He's grown on me a lot and the way he's grown was so much fun to watch, his mother and his cooking passion vs Sasha... He's earned his part as a legend in the story.

[@soccerstuff8071]

He's a fantastic character, when all is said and done I'd say he's almost a 10/10.

[@calcelmoanayru5870]

Already is

[@patu.m4384]

He is a 100/10 to me 😍 my manly boy💖

[@calcelmoanayru5870]

@@patu.m4384 ...

[@monbub]

he's def a 10 the man is perfect

[@sculptureofsound2]

Jean is my favorite. Has been ever since that tortured scene where he's trying to decide if he should join the MP or the scouts

[@onlyonezenn6037]

I teared up over this. I just started anxiety medication and I think of Jean sometimes and how overwhelmed he was during the show and how he managed to get through it. This character means the world to me

[@sacha.]

Your videos really do make me weep and I mean that in the best possible way! You have such a talent to perfectly articulate your thoughts in such a concise way. I’ve loved Jean Boy for soo long and you really did him justice here! He is without a doubt a very special character and deserves all the love from the fandom

[@Aleczandxr]

Thank you! Happy you enjoy them.

[@easschung9442]

Jean and Shadis, cut from the same cloth through both being heroes that contributed to saving millions of lives despite being "average"

[@ObaREX]

Finally some love towards Jean. From the very first season, he was my favorite character after Armin.

[@justmyopinion79]

"I'm forever a scout."

[@tay5uh]

Loved the video, thank you! I remember Isayama saying Jean is his favourite character, I think, and you can tell because of how well he's written (not that some of the others aren't just as developed) and as a certified Jean fan I love it

[@Aleczandxr]

My pleasure!

[@TrickyTalon23]

AOT is filled to the brim with incredibly written characters. But Jean is one of the best ones.

[@wanna-be-thinker2377]

Another fantastic video! Also, great description of both Jean and Floch being examples of starting out as "the everyman" who end up being sent down different directions. I admit of not thinking more along this way about them, but your absolutely right! Again, thanks for the great video.

[@Aleczandxr]

My pleasure!

[@serbianbro5322]

Jean is by far my favorite character

[@iyannazarian866]

Wow! Very well made video! i think after this, i would call Jean "The Floch That Never Was"

[@bigman1163]

I relate to him so badly. I often have similar thoughts, were I just prioritize myself, yet it's always so difficult pushing out those evil and selfish thoughts...

[@originaozz]

What makes Jean always standout is his honesty. He stay true to what he wants at the moment, is not afraid to say it out (except on Mikasa), and commit to the decision. It is a form of bravery that makes the scouts rely on him to stay true.

[@LucasDimoveo]

I'm really proud of Jean. My dude kept on the straight and narrow despite seeing how screwed up the world is

[@himme8471]

Jean was always one of my most liked characters all the time since season 1 released. Love to see a good essay on him and to see someone elses perspective on him!

[@uhsh1374]

What are you talking about he was never the most liked 👎🤣🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@himme8471]

@@uhsh1374 I said he was one of my most liked characters. To me, his character progression and character traits were always very interesting. What the larger fandom likes or not likes is not much of my concern. I like what I like, and others can like what they like. Thanks for replying and engaging with my comment after all this time though. Kinda rude, but it is still nice to get a reply.

[@catdblood]

@@uhsh1374 bruh learn to read.

[@uhsh1374]

@@catdblood I love how you comment on all my comments you so desperate

[@uhsh1374]

@@catdblood and since you so desperate what is your Instagram

[@LinkEX]

Loved this one. Your pathos just makes every analysis of yours a bit more personal and emotional. That combined with a character as human and relatable as Jean gave me a mood. One that I usually feel when watching the actual show, not when taking a more detached view during an analysis.

[@Aleczandxr]

That’s very kind of you to say, thank you. Happy you enjoyed!

[@lazarlemajic4926]

After Eren and Levi, easily my favorite character, glad to see you do him justice with this video!

[@zak14]

Jean has alwaybs been my favourite character in the series. I"m glad someone is making this video. :)

[@marsy24-o6b]

Wow! This video perfectly summed up my feelings about the character, and why’s he’s my absolute favorite in the series! I’m also really glad someone else noticed the parallels between him and Floch!

[@senh4944]

Aleczandxr coming in to safe this no-aot-sunday! bless you and this wonderful video, I really like Jean and I'm happy you're giving your time to talk about him

[@REDTOPROBLOX]

I have to do my thesis today, it was hard, I kept researching and researching and we have 4 Performance task, 1 each subject, we have field reporting, and social Advocacy that we need to film, And I need to copy 20+ pages in a book so that I can pass this semester.. I am grade 11 student, and I hate school I skip classes and stay at home, locking myself playing video games and watching anything that could remedy my Depression, and I Found this video, I am a huge Fan of Attack on Titan matter of fact attack on Titan is the reason why I started watching alot of anime, and you're right Jean is so relatable, He's Mentally and physically Exhausted just like me,he's weak not good at Anything but he chose to keep moving,he Chose to keep up with the others fighting for his life, it's not all about Marco, it is about Him wanting to do better and become a better version of himself, and because of that I was So inspired by the character development of Jean. If Jean can do this things, and so I can do this, it's mentally draining tho but Jean is literally dead inside already yet he still fighting.

[@aarmy06]

AMAZING VIDEO!!! And i love how the comments are so mature and understanding. Jean is one my fave characters of aot..i was tired of ignorant people insulting and looking down on his character and spreading hate and I went was it only me who could see his amazing character development throughout all the seasons..but thank god..he's getting praises as he deserves. i love him BADDD

[@Aleczandxr]

Glad you enjoyed! Thank you.

[@sampriti6474]

Very true. He is such a relatable character and one of those having a wonderful character development

[@hibberish7498]

Jean is an amazing character. I never really thought about him until the beginning of season 4 and started thinking about him and boom it hit me.. this dudes arc is amazing.. what a warrior.. gives me night wing vibes sometimes but he is way better than night wing

[@kollmack869]

Just watched the last episode of this season and seeing him party with all those foreign people really hit me. What an amazing character arc from start to finish. He was always going to be tempted, but he was always going to do the right thing and stand against something as evil as genocide.

[@besidju5901]

I used to think I only liked jean was because he's cute but watching aot and looking into his character. It's because he's relatable. most people will do anything to live a easy life despite what it'll cause. But him? He fights. No matter what he goes through or what happens he knows if he lives a easy life people around him will suffer. He doesn't take the easy way out even if he's tempted. Him and me have alot in common and thats probably why I'm so attached to his character. He's real. He doesn't need to be crazy strong or crazy smart. He's just a normal human. He has a massive heart. I truly love him (I don't know what happens in the manga I'm only caught up in the anime) but I oh so wish he gets what he deserves. He's such a real character and I adore him

[@ivydey2745]

YES. Jean's growth is most inspiring in the cast

[@patu.m4384]

Thank you for expressing so beautifully how I feel about Jean... the most human relatable character in AOT

[@sophiatan5685]

this was so good.... you put into perfect words why Jean is one of my favorite characters. 🥺

[@wordsoflove8787]

Think it's fantastic to see characters like Jean getting the recognition they deserve. Been a bit tiring seeing so many people praise Floch while ignoring that he's ultimately an egotistical power-hungry villain at heart rather than anyone worth actually looking up to. Jean on the other hand is a fantastic man who better embodies the themes of this story.

[@themilkssiah]

I’ve always thought that Floch was the story’s way of showing us what Jean would have been if he had never gone through his positive character growth. It bothers me to no end how people view Floch as a morally good person when he is meant to be a warning.

[@mandalorianhunter1]

@@themilkssiah Floch becoming who he was was due in part to Levi's decision to save Armin instead of Erwin. He in a sense stop looking to his leaders to support and instead looked toward Eren with his dark ideals. Jean never really believed in his leadership but more in himself.

[@themilkssiah]

Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand where Floch is coming from. I think it’s brought up in the video that both he and Jean serve as the everyman of aot, Floch just represents the other path that Jean could have taken if he was not constantly trying to do the right thing

[@a2349]

floch doesn't get much praise though - there's only a small clan of weird kids who think he's a "chad". however i do like him as a character

[@chrish8111]

>praise floch for being a well written character, which doesnt take away from jean be8ng well written in a different sense.

[@sahilrwt29]

As much as I love your detailed study of characters, I will say that there is a serious misinterpretation about why Jean had his ears shut during during rumbling. It was not because of rumbling as much as it was because of Hange pursuing him to come outside and stop Eren. He did not wish to listen her. But either way, the point of the argument stays the same.

[@Aleczandxr]

Well what in the story disproves what I said? That isn't a misinterpretation at all, because - well I mean, yeah of course that's true and that's fairly self-evident whilst dovetailing exactly with the point of what I talked about. He didn't want to listen. Obviously he was closing his ears because of Hange, but one action can have multiple meanings as long as they don’t contradict one another, which they don’t in this case. He didn't want to listen to them, true, which directly lines up with his desire to give into that temptation like I mentioned. The two interpretations are not mutually exclusive and easily co-exist whilst contributing to Jean’s character. Also, the like bombing and subsequent comment.. very interesting LOL, I see you guys ;-) Haha nah, it’s all in good fun! Though I don’t ever twist anything, I just always give my honest interpretation. You may or may not agree, but I don’t think it’s productive to automatically jump to that meaning that I’m twisting things. I always provide evidence and explain myself and my reasoning, of course, so it’s self-evident that nothing is being twisted. And even if it was, this example is arbitrary, it comes to the same conclusion. You can see where I come from even if you disagree, I’m always completely honest.

[@tgdtbfrgtn5073]

It wasn’t because of Hange, he was doing it before Hange came to talk with him.

[@mani3001]

Jean was the first character I properly loved in AoT. And he is still in my top even now I am so happy you did a video on him

[@Sizifus]

Jean represents both of what I am and what I wish I could be. I am a person who more often than not chooses an easy life over a meaningful one, unlike Jean when it counts I let that need to save myself to catch me. I find myself in comfort with one more regret on top of that hill I'm sitting on.

[@corvoattano9303]

In my opinion you are by far the most discerning anime youtuber. Your analysis is so deep and poignant about things I never even considered. Especially your Meruem: A lesson in power video.

[@kevinnham4066]

Jeanne is another of my favourite characters because he has potential charisma to be a leader and Marco also takes credit too for being a positive influence on him!

[@jsull81]

Jean's character reminds me of one of my favorite lines/ideas to come from a song of ice & fire When Bran tells his dad that Robb thinks the Night's watch deserter was essentially a scared coward & that Jon believes he was actually quite brave, Ned tells Bran that they are both right, cuz the only time one can be truly brave is when they are afraid. Which is a sentiment I completely agree with : ) *Side note, Samwell Tarly also embodies this sentiment, first by admitting to the other Night's watch recruits that he is indeed a coward which Jon notes takes a certain type of bravery to do, and later by again overcoming his innate fear to be the first person to stab & kill a White Walker in over a millennia, henceforth becoming Sam the slayer!

[@GGTaino]

Man I’m a simp for your content, love the way you think and write. Great job as always. I love jean he’s a good man who understand what being a man is

[@Brandazzo22]

Another great video Alexc! Every goat/god tier anime I watched, you've done many great videos over many subjects within them. How fortunate it's been for me to be like, "Man, I wonder he has a video over...." or "wow his new video about (a character I was pondering)" and bam there is your video. Before I saw this video, I was posting videos of support for Jean on fb groups because how he's been the guy to choose fight when everyone else is frozen. He consistently bought time for the others to get their minds together and in a scary world like AoT that is huge. I don't think I clearly communicate out as well or as in detail that'll make people understand so thoroughly like you did so I glad you brought Jean up

[@angieinthecity]

Jean has always been my favorite. Every thought pattern he has I understand

[@suto5704]

Great work as always. Thanks for the back to back videos, no rush on the next one.

[@johnygimo]

so glad someone is talking about jean's great character development

[@jaan08011]

it's so refreshing seeing Jean receive recognition and praise for being such a fleshed out character. I was getting pretty annoyed at all the horse jokes at this point, he's way more than just a meme.

[@lead6231]

It never occurred to me, but looking back on yea, Jean felt like the most normal down to death guy, even compared to people like Sasha and Connie, who sometimes shared the same brain cell.

[@thesmackdragon]

True. It's like he's a bridge between your average person and the skilled, revered characters. He kept that connection alive to help us not forget about ppl who could so easily be forgotten when it comes to epic stories like this.

[@dashielleturner593]

Jean has always been my favorite character and I can’t fully explain why. Thank you for making this video! You always put my thoughts into words.

[@staytuned2L337]

👏🏽 i nearly did a cry during this. Well done, mate. Jean is one of my favorites

[@michaela3632]

Jean is my favorite character because of how human and realistic he is. As was said in the video, he is not as strong or intelligent as other characters, but for me personally, he is the most realistic and human character. and that is why he is so reletable.

[@theinfinity2988]

You and Reddrik both did a great job on Jean

[@harrycrosswell2844]

An amazing video essay. I always enjoy your thoughts and perspectives. Once I'm finally done with my degrees, I fully intend to financially support this channel. Keep it up.

[@Aleczandxr]

Appreciated!

[@harrycrosswell2844]

@@Aleczandxr Right back at you.

[@tusharmehta4890]

Two videos in less than 24 hours! wow!! Great work as always

[@rammycanales3784]

Theres a detail on there, he shut his ears to pretend not hearing Hange saying they where going to stop the rumbling.

[@anaionescu8913]

Jean used to annoy me when I first started the show, as a 13 year old. Now I get hyped whenever I see him on screen

[@underwatercosmonaut]

I would honestly follow Jean to the ends of the earth. Best character I've seen thus far

[@jairnavas1049]

Amazing video!! I love Jean he's definitely my favorite when it comes to the survey corp group. At 9:38 though the episode i saw the transaltion was Hange... im... forever a scout. I think i like that one better to be honest. Once i heard that i felt a tear start to go down my cheek lol.

[@Aleczandxr]

Yeah, I used the translation for the manga rather than the Crunchyroll subtitles for that one, I think the nuance is bit different. Glad you enjoyed!

[@l1mbo69]

Aot has all this talk about choice, with Jean, with Magath and Keith Shadis, Sasha's father when he talks about getting out of the forest, and the alliance itself. Yet it's universe is deterministic and isayama seems to have a compatibilist philosophy with Eren

[@stevenpeeckford5999]

Attack on Titan isn't deterministic. It's compatibilistic. Choices always matter for everyone, not just Eren. So everyone has agency.

[@seg162]

@@stevenpeeckford5999 All compatibilism is, is an addendum to determinism that stipulates that we're still responsible for our choices. Choices still matter in a deterministic universe, but in either case, all the past determines all the future.

[@xdudekx13]

He is truly human

[@sophiepap2462]

Best character analysis for Jean. Thank you for this video.

[@Aleczandxr]

You’re very welcome!

[@thefanof177]

I still think that Jean could make an excellent Survey Corp commander. He's so down-to-earth but that makes him so close to ordinary people and he's same himself. I love him from the beginning to the end of the show. And I'm really sad about him doesn't get enough of attention he deserves, so that's why I'm here watching your vid, because I didn't find it in russian side of KZbin. Thanks a lot for your video.

[@Ranker007-w8]

What's ur top 5 aot character?

[@shaunfelss6233]

Since the first season he's been my favourite character, he really is the best!!

[@archermaniaford7157]

You're videos always give me a better appreciation for these characters so keep up the great work!

[@morganmatson2648]

He is the EPITOME of integrity.

[@triferarusixpt7343]

One of my favourite aspects about Jean is that, at the end of all of it, he survives. I personally interpret it as "You did choose the right path, instead of the easy one. You chose the path that would most certainly killed you. Nevertheless, your struggles were rewarded. There is hope for everyone."

[@nicolasrealMD]

in the end, both Jean and Floch end up doing what they thought was the right choice

[@LunarWildRose]

I love Jean for how human and courageous he is in spite of fear … he inspires me greatly. 🥺♡

[@xtinesoul7048]

Please don’t stop making videos. I’ve been a subscriber for a while now and every video I’ve watched has opened my eyes to characters, even ones that I never understood what they truly stood for. As others said, we loved Jean, but why is that? We couldn’t exactly define what he embodies. That’s why your video helps open my eyes to these characters. Same for your Nishinoya video- I always liked him, but until I watched your video I couldn’t fully understand what he truly embodied (freedom). The topics you touch on with certain characters are always intriguing and make me think, and I won’t stop smiling whenever I see a new video from you.

[@Aleczandxr]

I’m very glad you enjoy them and that they give you such value, and thank you for the kind words. I’d love to continue making videos but I need continued support from people like you to keep making it happen, whether it be through comments and likes on here, Twitch streams, etc. Every little bit helps so please continue! :)

[@cantaloop8609]

"whether you like him or don't like him there's nothing you can do about it, because he's number 1"

[@bobbyzamora6389]

Jean is such a KING