Why Are 'Safe Words' Important In Jujutsu Kaisen (And What Do They Really Mean?)

In some ways, seinen anime and manga series are only as interesting as the powers and abilities that their characters can use. Luckily, when it comes to these parameters, "Jujutsu Kaisen" boasts all kinds of intricate and fascinating curse techniques. From Gojo's (Yuichi Nakamura/Kaiji Tang) Six Eyes skills to Mechamaru's (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka/Keith Silverstein) ability to project his consciousness to the bodies he's built, there's no shortage of unique kinds of sorcery that the show's characters can pull off.

However, one of the most puzzling characters in "Jujutsu Kaisen" is Toge Inumaki (Koki Uchiyama/Xander Mobus). Toge possesses the cursed speech technique, an ability that imbues his words with a power that is as useful as it is dangerous. This is why Toge chooses to speak in his made-up version of speech consisting of only onigiri ingredients outside of battle.

While most "Jujutsu Kaisen" fans will be aware of this by now, they may not realize that each of Toge's safe words has a special meaning. This is how his friends and allies understand what he's saying despite his words sounding completely out of context with the conversation. For instance, when he says "kelp," he is saying "hello," while "tuna mayo" seems to be a general placeholder for more complex phrases that are specific to a certain situation.

Fans will also recall that Toge tends to say "tuna" or "tuna tuna." These are two different ways for him to call attention to something, with the double version being more urgent. Meanwhile, "salmon" is the jujutsu sorcerer's way of saying "yes" or indicating a positive reply, and "fish flakes" is his way of offering a "no" or a negative answer.

Continuing on, when Toge says "caviar" in "Jujutsu Kaisen," that's his version of an expletive, and "spicy cod roe" is his way of encouraging or motivating someone. This leaves "salmon roe," a phrase that suggests Toge is considering something, and "mustard leaf," which lets his friends know that he understands and will do what he can to help.

Though Toge's quirky style of speech and often silent disposition may seem offputting, they're actually meant to help keep the jujutsu sorcerer and his friends safe. Toge's powers can imbue just about any word with power, causing potentially disastrous consequences. This is why he goes to such great lengths to hide his mouth from view and only speaks in these benign terms. This puts him in a similar light to Gojo, who hides his eyes with a blindfold as a precaution outside of battle. Luckily, despite their sometimes strange behavior, both characters have plenty of people close to them in "Jujutsu Kaisen" and are not isolated or mistreated due to their eccentric behavior.