Legendary Pokemon TCG Artist Rejoins Magic: The Gathering

Mitsuhiro Arita, a renowned artist in the world of card games, is celebrated for his iconic illustrations on countless cards from the original Pokemon Trading Card Game, including the coveted Charizard. Now, Arita brings his artistic flair to another realm with a new Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop, and we're excited to offer the first glimpse at all four cards featured in this collection.

Flip through the gallery below to see all the cards in Arita's Secret Lair:

This isn't Arita's debut in the Magic: The Gathering universe; he previously contributed a borderless art version of Lumra, Bellow of the Woods for the Bloomburrow set in 2024. The release of four new cards in such a short span marks a significant leap in his involvement with the game.

Notably, the cards included in this drop are not only visually striking but also see significant play across various formats. The iconic Lightning Bolt is a staple in almost every format it's legal in, while Murktide Regent has been a dominant force in both Modern and Legacy since its debut in Modern Horizons 2 in 2021. Light-Paws, on the other hand, is a beloved Commander, and Shorikai has found a comfortable niche in many Vintage Cubes, ranking as the 20th most popular Commander according to EDHRec.

Wizards of the Coast describes this Secret Lair drop on its store page as follows: "With nearly 30 years of experience creating beloved art for trading card games, Mitsuhiro Arita’s work has become some of the most recognizable in the world. His first collaboration with Magic: The Gathering was on a borderless Lumra, Bellow of the Woods released in 2024’s Bloomburrow, which quickly became a fan-favorite. In this Secret Lair Drop, the legendary artist returns to showcase his iconic creature design across four remarkable cards."

As with all Secret Lair releases, this drop will be available for purchase on the Secret Lair website. You can choose between a non-foil version priced at $29.99 and a foil version at $39.99. Both options will be available while supplies last, starting from Monday, February 10 at 9am PT. Given the high demand and quick sell-out times that Secret Lairs have experienced since Wizards of the Coast shifted from a timed print-to-order system, it's advisable to act fast if you're keen on securing these cards.

For those eager to delve deeper into the world of Magic: The Gathering, you can explore details about the upcoming death race set, Aetherdrift, set to launch next week. Additionally, don't miss out on our previous reveals of Secret Lairs featuring themes like Chucky and Monty Python, or learn about Wizards of the Coast's strategies for ensuring Magic's long-term success.