The Magami Family
Magami is the name of Kamui's mother's family. The role of the Magami family is best explained by Sorata in the fourth book of X as he, Kamui, and Arashi dine in a Korean barbeque restaurant. This excerpt has been edited for content.
SORATA : The maiden name of your mother, before she married was
"Magami." Magami, which is written with "Shin" as in shinjitsu, and "Kami"
as in Kami-sama.
[Shinjitsu = Truth; Kami-sama = God; Sorata is describing the
Chinese characters used to spell the name Magami; since many
characters are pronounced identically, it is helpful to mention
other words which use the same character]
Those of the Magami family are "kage-nie"
[Shadow + Offering]
KAMUI : Kage-nie?
SORATA : Kamui, do you know about "Migawari-ningyou"?
[Substitute + Doll]
It's a doll used in ancient sorcery to receive various
misfortunes and troubles in lieu for a human being. That's what it is.
As for "Kage-nie"...By becoming the "shadow" of some person, they
become an "offering", receiving all of his misfortune in place of him. In otherwords,
a living "Migawari-ningyou". By becoming the "Kage-nie" of people born
of nobility and important politicians of Japan, they accept all the
misfortune that these people should receive. That is the occupation of
the Magami family. What is the identity of the "Kage-nie" of the Magami
family? What guy is the Magami family receiving the "Migawari-ningyou"
for? Nobody knows. Even to the people of Kouyasan, where I'm from, the
Magami family is a mysterious clan. Some say that some people in the
Imperial family are under the care of the Magami family and others say
that about half of Japan's Prime Minsters have had the Magami family
as Kage-nie.
KAMUI : Mother was...
SORATA : If it's a leading figure of Japan, the misfortunes they catch are no laughing matter. There are probably many guys who have grudges, and if he makes the wrong move, he'll be in deeper shit than just losing his life. The people of the Magami family, by making themselves into Kage-nie, manipulate events so that the misfortunes of the supplicant befall themselves instead. And it seems they also have knowledge of techniques to avoid this misfortune. They're not your typical, ordinary sorcerors, you know, because they are protecting the guys who support Japan while putting themselves in danger. The mother who bore Kamui... I wondered what kind of incredible person she was, but of course, she was a member of the Magami family. Certainly, if she was Magami, then she was highly qualified to become the mother of "Kamui."
KAMUI : However... Mother burnt to death. Was this the reason?
ARASHI : I think that is incorrect. You said your mother passed away by burning.
KAMUI : Yes...
ARASHI : About when did she pass away?
KAMUI : ... Two weeks ago.
ARASHI : If she was of the Magami family, and she was also a woman possessing the qualities needed to become the mother of "Kamui", she would certainly have become the "Kage-nie" for someone. Also...It would be someone "who absolutely must not die," in Japan; She probably protected this person. If your mother, who was a "Kage-nie", passed away by being enveloped in flames, then the one she protected should also have burned up.
SORATA : ...I haven't heard of such a famous person burning to death.
ARASHI : I also do not recall hearing any such rumors.
SORATA : Concerning the Magami family, even among the guys who are acquainted with the inner workings of Japan, there are only a handful of people who know this. Because they are top secret guys. Even at Kouya, the ones who know are slightly more than ten people. Miss. To become that well-informed about the Magami family... Where do you fit in?
The death of Kamui's mother Toru is what sends him to Tokyo. Kamui's meeting with his aunt Tokiko also changes his life in a drastic manner.