The influences on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could be taking a turn from its predecessor, leaving behind some of the Studio Ghibli inspirations for another famous anime brand. Given some visual changes and Link's new abilities seen in a recent Tears of the Kingdom gameplay preview, it appears that Princess Mononoke could be getting replaced by the influence of Fullmetal Alchemist.
On the surface, this reading of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could be obvious, given the way that Link now has a seemingly mechanical arm as a result of exploring through the secrets beneath the world. However, the new abilities granted by Link's new arm also appear to go a step further towards an influence by Fullmetal Alchemist and the series' signature science-based magic.
Link's Sacrifice Reflects Edward Elric's
A key feature of Tears of the Kingdom in the latest rollouts of marketing has been linked to the corrupted Master Sword, as well as the state of Link's right arm. This arm has been front and center in the majority of the images and video clips shared since it was revealed, being the most notable feature of Link at this point in his journey. Similarly, the metal arm on Edward Elric is often one of the most iconic symbols of Fullmetal Alchemist and the struggle that the main characters face as a result of their own hubris.
Going beyond the surface level of these two characters having arms that have seemingly been replaced with complex mechanisms, the meaning of these symbolic limbs cuts deep. For Link in Tears of the Kingdom, the corrupted arm and Master Sword seem to be a mark of his failure to save Princess Zelda from the threat of Ganondorf. Edward in Fullmetal Alchemist is also plagued by failure; his automail is a mark of shame for failing to resurrect his mother, save his brother, and obey his teacher.
Tears of the Kingdom's Fuse vs. Fullmetal Alchemist's Alchemy
As opposed to the more simple visual similarities between Link and Edward, their abilities also seem to mirror each other in terms of ways that they fiddle with science and magic. Specifically, the Fuse ability in Tears of the Kingdom combines different items throughout the world to make new constructs that might have completely different uses than the individual parts. This is similar to how Alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist works, although the anime's signature magic has significantly more rules to follow based on physical sciences.
The differences between Alchemy and Fuse could at first appear to be more relevant than their similarities. However, these differences could be more of a reflection of the medium of gaming versus the medium of animation. This is because Fullmetal Alchemist excels through limiting what the characters can do, since those limits are what makes Edward and Alphonse's victories so impressive to watch. On the other hand, a game like Tears of the Kingdom needs to give the player more power and freedom to experiment. In fact, this lack of hard limits with only one clever solution is a constant throughout the Fullmetal Alchemist series of games.
Instead of looking at the differences, Fuse and Alchemy can both be seen as abilities that allows the user to creatively think through situations. Following the same interactive sandbox aesthetic of its predecessor, even while maintaining controversial features of Breath of the Wild, the Fuse mechanic will give players access to new objects from the smaller elements found throughout the world. Also similar to the Alchemy of Fullmetal Alchemist, each element's unique properties could give radical new solutions to the world's many puzzles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release May 12, 2023 for Nintendo Switch.