Jujutsu Kaisen is filled to bursting with oddball characters, but few are as enigmatic as Toge Inumaki. Host to the Cursed Speech technique, he has to stick to using rice ball ingredient Safe Words to communicate so that he doesn’t accidentally curse those around him.
This makes for a decent gag, but also means most people have no idea what he wants to say half the time. That’s why we’re here to break down all of Toge Inumaki’s Safe Words, translated so that you can finally figure out what he wants to communicate.
What All of Toge Inumaki’s Safe Words Mean in Jujutsu Kaisen
As it turns out, a primer does exist that explains what all of Toge Inumaki’s safe words mean in Jujutsu Kaisen. We’ve compiled all of the known words and phrases that have specific meanings down below for your reference. It’s also worth noting we will add to it should any new ones pop up over the course of the series.
Inumaki’s Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salmon Roe, Salmon Flakes, Salmon | Affirmative, positive or in agreement |
| Bonito Flakes, Fish Flakes | Negative, in disagreement, dismissive |
| Kelp | Greeting, “Hello,” or “How’s it going?” |
| Mustard Leaf | Concern or worry, “I’m not sure,” or “Are you ok?” |
| Tuna, Tuna Mayo, Tuna Tuna | “Hey,” “Look here,” “Focus on this.” |
In Volume 0 of the manga, the series’ author Gege Akutami also explains that two words are key to understanding anything Inumaki says. If he says “Salmon” or a phrase that contains salmon in it, that is an affirmative. In general, it means he agrees with a character or statement. If he says “Fish Flakes,” Bonito Flakes,” or mentions flakes alongside anything else, then it’s a negative and he disagrees with what has been said or offered.
Everything else is more nebulous. Akutami does state that every other word is gibberish in the Volume 0 primer, but fans have made note of how certain words are used repeatedly for specific situations. For example: “Kelp” is usually used as a greeting, while “Mustard Leaf” denotes concern or worry toward a situation or whoever he says it to. Tuna, meanwhile, is meant to grab the attention of people and get them to pay attention to him or a specific object.
Can Inumaki Talk Normally? Explained
It should be noted, though, that Toge Inumaki does at least know how to talk in Jujutsu Kaisen.
At a few key points in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, he communicates normally with Yuta to warn him about enemies or threats. What he says is still simple and limited to pseudo-commands, but it shows he knows how to talk and speak with others with standard words. It also shows that his concern is likely tied to how strong someone is, and he was confident Yuta was strong enough to resist the full effects of his Cursed Speech.
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Akutami intends to let him live a normal life and speak with his friends sans-safe words anytime soon. After the Shibuya Incident arc, Inumaki is sent to the background to recover from a devastating injury. Because of this, he was and continues to be absent from the arcs that have followed, and most characters don’t even mention him anymore.
It’s definitely a bummer, and we’re sorry if you hoped he would show up more as the series went on. On the plus side though, he stands as a character with the highest chance of survival thanks to his absence and has a near zero chance to end up dead by the finale.
Hopefully this guide to all Toge Inumaki Safe Words in Jujutsu Kaisen, translated for comprehensibility, proved helpful. For more on the series, check out some of our other content related to anime in general, which includes lists of the best anime senpais, the best anime senseis, and the most OP anime characters.
