Jean's mother

"Dear Jean Boy, please eat this and carry on working hard. Don't be a burden on other people, you hear? Love, Mom."

- Ms. Kirstein's note to Jean

Joshi Kirushutain (女史キルシュタイン) is the mother of Jean Kirstein, and a resident of Trost District.

Appearance
Ms. Kirstein is a stout, middle-aged woman. She has brown, shoulder length hair that she keeps in a tight ponytail in the back. As an average citizen of Trost, she usually wears a simple dress covered by a red apron.

Personality
She is a loving and caring mother, despite the insulting way Jean speaks to her. On several occasions, she has gone out of her way to make sure Jean has enough to eat and is enjoying his time or making friends.

History
At some point in time, before Jean goes into military training, she gets sick. So sick that Jean has to take care of her.

Story
Early one morning, Ms. Kirstein is making breakfast for her and Jean. When he fails to come down after she has repeatedly called his name. She goes upstairs with an omelet she made still in the pan. Her intrusion infuriates Jean, he quickly forces her out of his room; slamming the door in her face.

Two years after Jean has left for military training, his squad is stationed in the Trost District to prepare for a likely attack on humanity's newest front line. As part of the training the trainees are to evacuate the citizens, Ms. Kirstein is among those who are evacuated.

Some time after their training, Ms. Kirstein makes her way to the trainees barracks. She runs into Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, and asks them whether the two of them have seen Jean. Shortly after, one of Jean's superiors lets her in. Worried, her motherly instincts take over and she begins bombarding him with questions. Embarrassed, Jean begins yelling at her; trying to get her to go home. She tries to give him a gift before she leaves, but he makes it painfully clear that he just wants her to go home.

She manages to hand the gift for Jean to the Garrison soldier who let her into the mess hall. In the gift was a note encouraging him to work hard and not be a burden on others, as well as an omelet she cooked for him. After seeing it, Jean thinks back to all the moments his mother was there for him. Because of this, he decides to make an omelet for the cook off. After winning, Jean contemplates visiting his mother the next day.

Return to Shiganshina arc
The night before the Survey Corps prepares to retake Wall Maria, Eren mocks Jean at dinner by calling him "Jeanie", which was the nickname that Ms. Kirstein used when she visited him during training. He also reminds Jean that he should be nicer with his mom.

Relationships

 * Jean Kirstein - In his younger days, they shared a loving relationship. But as he got older, feeling stifled and confined, he began to resent his mother as well as his status in life. Because of this, he leaves to join the military in the hopes of joining the Military Police Brigade. Two years into his training, she unintentionally and indirectly helps Jean win a food competition against Sasha Blouse. She has always cared for Jean; she even sent a letter, apples, and an omelet as a gift for him and his friends.

Trivia

 * There is a canon conflict in the information available about Ms. Kirstein. The character can be considered canon because she was drawn by Hajime Isayama and her design appeared in the fake preview for Volume 7 of the manga. However, her only appearance so far took place in the OVA A Sudden Visitor: The Torturous Curse of Adolescence, a non-canon source. In chapter 72 of the manga, Eren makes some references to the events of the OVA, by calling Jean "Jeanie" (ジャン坊) and warning him to be nicer with his mom; both phrases used in A Sudden Visitor. Since the OVA was created as a comedic spin-off of the anime, it is unlikely that the whole story can be considered canon, but it is evident that Ms. Kirstein's participation is not far from the canon continuity.