Azumabito family (Anime)

The Azumabito family (アズマビト家) is an influential family that descended from Hizuru's former Shogun clan (将軍家).

Near the end of the Great Titan War a century ago, a son of the Shogun clan who regularly visited Paradis Island became stuck on the island when King Karl Fritz moved the capital of Eldia to it and erected the three Walls. This son and his descendents would found the Oriental clan (東洋の一族) inside the Walls.

Influence
Because of their clan being descended from the former Shogun's clan before the Great Titan War, the Azumabitos are a family that have enjoyed a huge influence in Hizuru's internal politics for multiple decades.

They also represent their homeland of Hizuru in the international stage, building and maintaining relationships with other nations. Kiyomi, the actual leader of the clan, personnally knew Willy Tybur and his family, meeting him backstage before he went on to make his speech during the festival in Liberio. She also has managed to contact Zeke Jaeger in a secret meeting while Marley was fighting its war against the Mid-East Allied Forces. The Azumabitos also had enough ressources and contacts to be able to help the Scouts infiltrate the mainland in order to find diplomatic solutions for the Eldians of Paradis Island. The family owned a large mansion in Marley's biggest port city, alongside a hangar in the southern coastal city of Odiha, alongside probably other estates and mansions in Hizuru or abroad.

Though in recent years, the family have been facing multiple problems, as their relationship with Hizuru's government heavily deteriorated since they have been contacting Paradis Island at numerous occasions without their permission. They are said to also have accumulated a lot of debts, being reduced to a "bunch of money-grubbing vixens" as said by Kiyomi to Mikasa.

History
Before the Great Titan War, the Eldian Empire and the nation of Hizuru were allies. A son from the Shogun clan (that would later become the Azumabito family) had a close relationship with the Fritz family and regularly visited Paradis Island. When King Karl Fritz moved the capital of Eldia to Paradis, that son was visiting and ended up being left behind by Hizuru in the confusion. He began the "Oriental clan" inside the Walls.

When King Fritz erased the memories of the Eldians inside the Walls, the Oriental clan was unaffected due to not being Subjects of Ymir. After turning against the Royal Government alongside the Ackermann family and rejecting the King's offer of nobility, the Oriental bloodline was exiled from society and hunted down. By the year 844, it was said that the Orientals had been hunted down to near extinction within the Walls.

The Struggle for Trost arc
During the Battle of Trost District, Mikasa Ackermann recalls the time from her childhood when her mother and father were killed by bandits who were hoping to sell her and her mother to potential buyers in the underground city. She is rescued by Eren Jaeger when he kills two of the traffickers and Mikasa herself kills the third after Eren urges her to fight. After the death of her mother, Mikasa becomes the last surviving descendant of the Oriental clan within the Walls.

Royal Government arc
In a conversation with Levi Ackermann before their confrontation with Kenny Ackermann and his subordinates, Mikasa mentions how her mother's family lost their home, possibly due to their Oriental heritage.

Marley arc
Kiyomi Azumabito meets with Zeke Jaeger sometime between 850 and 852. He tells her of his wish for the resurgence of Eldia and how helping him would in turn benefit Hizuru and the Azumabito family. She is initially skeptical, but Zeke gives her the main body from the omni-directional mobility gear he had procured, elucidating that the iceburst stone capable of fueling the equipment is unique to Paradis. Through an alliance, the Azumabito family would be able to take advantage of it to help restore Hizuru's power as a nation.

In 852, Kiyomi visits Paradis Island as a special envoy. She meets Mikasa Ackermann, who is surprised by her similarity to her mother. Mikasa shows her the Azumabito family crest tattooed on her wrist and is complimented on this. She reveals that Mikasa is the last descendant of a Shogunate branch that had settled upon the island, and is therefore directly related to the Azumabito family. In a meeting, Kiyomi goes on to explain a method in which the island would catch up with the rest of the world.

In 853, the Azumabito family replies that they are not willing to help Paradis Island trade with other nations because they want all of its resources for themselves.

One month after the Marley Mid-East War, ambassadors from across the world are invited to a festival in the Marleyan city of Liberio. Of these ambassadors, at least one is sent from Hizuru: Kiyomi Azumabito. Udo, a Warrior candidate, accidentally spills some wine on her kimono during a gathering on the eve of the festival. Fearing for Udo's safety given his Eldian heritage, Kiyomi claims that she had spilled the wine on herself and was asking the boy for assistance. As she departs, the other candidates serving the ambassadors are surprised by the benevolence of the ambassador.

Before the curtain rises for Willy Tybur's speech, Kiyomi visits him backstage. Willy welcomes her on behalf of the whole Azumabito family, and is praised by Kiyomi for his bravery. She prays he is able to successfully fulfill his duty, before leaving the festival in its entirety.

War for Paradis arc
After the Raid on Liberio, Kiyomi returns to Paradis Island and meets with Dhalis Zachary, in preparation to witness the Titans' Rumbling. Following Zachary's assassination, Kiyomi is instructed to stay by the harbor for her own safety. She talks to Mikasa, who correctly accuses her of not caring who is in charge of the island, as long as the Rumbling test is a success. Kiyomi admits that this is true. If the rumbling test turns out to be unsuccessful, it is likely that Hizuru would claim plausible deniability, stating the Azumabito family had acted without permission. Due to the large amount the family had invested into the plan, as well as their heavy debts, she believes this would ruin them. Despite this, Kiyomi insists that protecting Mikasa is a genuine concern for her family.

After Mikasa saves Kiyomi and the Azumabito engineers trapped at the harbor under the Jaegerists, all of them retreat to the basement with Magath, Hange Zoë and Jean Kirschtein. The engineers then reveal that it would take half a day to get a flying boat ready, which could mean doom for Liberio. However, Kiyomi suggests going to Odiha by boat and preparing it there. The group runs through the battlefield in an effort to make it to the boat; however, the Jaegerists spot them and fire bullets and thunder spears at them. The Female and Armored Titans are forced to shield them, sacrificing their limbs in the process. After they reach the boat, the engineers help Onyankopon to get the boat ready. With the help of others' sacrifices, the boat successfully leaves the port, with a motley crew of Eldians, Marleyans, and Azumabitos onboard.

Trivia

 * In the manga, the oriental clan possesses a special tattoo-like brand passed down from generation to generation, which Mikasa receives from her mother shortly before her parents are murdered. In the anime and the visual novel, this brand is replaced with a unique stitching method.
 * The unique stitching method was retconned once more and replaced with the special tattoo in episode 69.
 * The family crest of the Azumabito family is a circle with a triangle made up of three samurai swords inside, as homage to the family's Shogun roots. It is sewn to their clothing and even tattooed onto their skin.
 * A common stereotype is that the Azumabitos are sensitive to the smell of money.
 * Kiyomi Azumabito has even shown to lick her lips at the thought of mass wealth. On the other hand, Mikasa Ackermann has shown no signs of avarice.
 * The name "Azumabito" literally means "east man" (東人) in, and was the given name of several prominent historical figures during the.