Summary

In Jujutsu Kaisen, characters like Toge Inumaki have abilities with significant restrictions that shape their strengths and interactions.
Cursed Speech from Inumaki's clan forces actions against one's will, but the technique requires control and discipline due to harmful side effects.
If Inumaki had no speech limitations, he could become one of the most powerful sorcerers, rivaling special-grade sorcerers, but not quite the strongest absolute.

Jujutsu Kaisen offers greatly written characters who have incredible powers that are significantly limited in ways, just so a balance occurs that creates depth and interest. In Jujutsu Kaisen, many of these limitations create not only the basis of a character's strengths but even their personality and interactions with others.

Examples include Toge Inumaki, whose Cursed Speech technique is the greatest gift but also the biggest burden. But what would happen if those chains were unleashed? Could he ascend to the pinnacle of sorcery, rivaling or even surpassing the strongest in the series?

What is Cursed Speech?

How Does It Work>

Cursed Speech forces whoever hears its commands to move according to those commands, against their will. For instance, commands like "Stop," "Fall," or "Explode" directly affect targets and sometimes cause terrible effects. This technique requires a reservoir of Cursed Energy to function and exerts physical strain on the user based on the strength of the command.

While this is incredibly powerful, the ability is a double-edged sword. Overuse causes severe side effects such as a sore throat, coughing up blood, or temporary loss of speech. Moreover, casual conversation becomes hazardous, and that is why Inumaki communicates using rice ball ingredient words to avoid accidentally activating his powers.

Who Is Toge Inumaki And What is His Clan’s Legacy?

Toge Inumaki from Jujustu Kaisen with a jacket covering his mouth

Toge Inumaki is from the Inumaki clan, a clan well-known for mastering Cursed Speech. This kind of strong technique is their inherited technique that passed down through generations in this clan, and the appearance of seal-like marks on their body parts like the tongue and cheeks characterizes them. These seals boost the efficiency of their speech and grant them the ability to create devastating physical and psychic destruction with simple commands.

The Cursed Speech of the Inumaki Clan is quite versatile but highly requires a lot of control and discipline. People like Toge have to change their whole life pattern to use their abilities responsibly, keeping the people around them safe while being effective in combat.

Why Does Inumaki Limit His Speech?

Inumaki in the Shibuya arc in Jujutsu Kaisen

To avoid the risk of unintentional activation, Inumaki avoids casual speech altogether, using words such as "salmon" and "mustard leaf" in everyday interactions. This is a precautionary measure to prevent him from harming his allies or innocent bystanders. The intrinsic risks of Cursed Speech, along with its versatility, reveal both its great potential and dangerous limitations.

Comparing Inumaki’s Potential to Yuta Okkotsu

From Strangers To Besties

In the movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Yuta Okkotsu showed the overwhelming power of Cursed Speech in a super-large form, amplifying it with a microphone during a super-large battle. The output became so great that it destroyed the equipment afterward, showcasing the destructive capabilities of the technique when used without holding back. The success that Yuta has with using Cursed Speech underlines the potential when combined with an immense reserve of Cursed Energy.

I want to have a connection with someone. I want to be needed by someone. I want the confidence to feel like it’s okay to live. - Yuta Okkotsu

In that way, Inumaki would be able to use his technique freely and be as powerful as special-grade sorcerers, such as Yuta. Inumaki would still struggle in fights against someone who has resistance to Cursed Speech, though some suppressive techniques use manipulation of their Cursed Energy to deflect auditory commands.

A Beast Unchained

What Would Happen Without Limitations?

inumaki helps yuta vs sukuna jujutsu kaisen jjk

If there were no drawbacks to Inumaki's Cursed Speech, then his potential would be close to limitless. He could give the most powerful of commands with no physical repercussions or depletion of energy. This would allow him to "spam" powerful commands like "Destroy" or "Explode," and no one would be able to stand against him—be it curses or sorcerers. Moreover, he would be able to disable or control entire groups of opponents, making him the most powerful on the battlefield.

In such a scenario, Inumaki would undoubtedly be among the most broken and formidable sorcerers in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. However, his strength would still depend on his strategic prowess and ability to adapt to his opponents' countermeasures.

Would Inumaki Be the Strongest Sorcerer?

Although the potential of Inumaki with no limits is enormous, it is a bit too much to call him the strongest absolute. Sorcerers such as Satoru Gojo have abilities such as Limitless and Six Eyes on a different level of complexity and versatility. However, Inumaki could definitely claim his place among the strongest sorcerers, since his Cursed Speech provided an unrivaled combination of offense, control, and strategy.

Ultimately, Inumaki’s power, even with limitations, underscores the brilliance of Jujutsu Kaisen's world-building. The balance between strengths and weaknesses ensures that every character contributes uniquely to the narrative, while the "what-ifs" fuel the imagination of fans worldwide.

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TV-14

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Release Date: October 3, 2020
Network: TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
Directors: Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi
Writers: Hiroshi Seko
Franchise(s): Jujutsu Kaisen

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Cast

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Junya Enoki

Yuji Itadori
Yuichi Nakamura

Satoru Gojo

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Based on Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Mappa's battle shonen anime envisions a world where Jujutsu Sorcerers battle against entities born out of Cursed Energy. One day, a teenager named Yuji Itadori is dragged into this conflict when he eats a possessed finger.

Main Genre: Animation
Seasons: 1
Studio: MAPPA
Based On: Manga
Creator: Gege Akutami
Number of Episodes: 47
Streaming Service(s): Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
MyAnimeList Score: 8.57 (Season 1)