Anime Fullmetal Alchemist has inspired multiple things since it was initially released in 2003, and Genshin Impact includes a cleverly hidden reference to protagonist Edward Elric and his sacrifices. Like countless other games, Hoyoverse's action RPG Genshin impact is full of references to other media through Easter eggs that can be spotted around Teyvat, and that's no different with a Fullmetal Alchemist-like furnishing spotted by an eagle-eyed player.
The universe of Fullmetal Alchemist follows the Law of Equivalent Exchange, which forces practitioners to make an equal sacrifice when using the powerful magic, something that the protagonist is keenly aware of. While alchemists in the anime are often losing one thing for another to gain what they need, Genshin Impact players often just need to invest gameplay time to find things like the Cauldron of Herbs, which has an interesting item description. Reddit user Onepiece285 recently shared an image from Genshin Impact which shows an item that references Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist and what he lost in order to save his brother's soul.
Onepiece285's Genshin Impact image focuses on a 3-star furnishing item called the Cauldron of Herbs, which is acquired from the Tablet Analytics Event and is used to decorate in the Serenitea Pot Housing System. The Cauldron of Herbs description refers to an alchemist known as Hajanad who lost an arm and a leg to retrieve the item like how Edward loses his limbs for Alphonse's soul. Unrelated to Fullmetal Alchemist, the item text then goes on to say that Hajanad no longer relies on the Cauldron of Herbs despite the sacrifice because of a "brand-new research path."
I'm ashamed it's taken me this long to realize Mihoyo slipped in this reference... from Genshin_Impact
Genshin Impact players that want to earn a Cauldron of Herbs to see the Fullmetal Alchemist Easter egg for themselves will need to battle waves of enemies using specific trial characters as part of the Tablet Analytics event. Like tons of other recent changes to the game, this event was part of the Genshin Impact 3.0 update, and progressively more players are unlocking it as they explore Sumeru and beyond. The Cauldron is used as an outdoor item in Genshin Impact's player housing and although the game suggests that players can make tea with it, the furnishing is strictly aesthetic.
Though many Genshin Impact players expressed enthusiasm for the Fullmetal Alchemist Easter egg spotted by Onepiece285, a few fans have pointed out that losing an arm and leg for something is a "common idiom."
Genshin Impact is available now for Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. A Nintendo Switch version is in development.