Legendary Pokemon Artist Rejoins Magic: The Gathering

Mitsuhiro Arita, renowned for his iconic artwork on countless cards from the original Pokemon Trading Card Game, including the coveted Charizard, is now bringing his artistic talents to a new realm with a Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop. We're excited to offer you an exclusive first look at all four cards featured in this collection.

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

While this isn't Arita's first foray into Magic: The Gathering—his previous work was a single, borderless art version of Lumra, Bellow of the Woods from the 2024 Bloomburrow set—the release of four new cards in quick succession marks a significant expansion of his involvement with the game.

These new cards are not just visually stunning; they are also highly playable across various formats. The iconic Lightning Bolt is a staple in nearly every format where it's legal, while Murktide Regent has proven to be a powerhouse in both Modern and Legacy since its debut in Modern Horizons 2 in 2021. Light-Paws has earned its place as a beloved Commander, and Shorikai has found a niche in Vintage Cubes and ranks as the 20th most popular Commander according to EDHRec.

Wizards of the Coast describes this 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 drops, this collection will be available on the Secret Lair website. You can choose between a non-foil version for $29.99 and a foil version for $39.99, both available while supplies last, starting on Monday, February 10 at 9am PT. Given the high demand for Secret Lairs since Wizards of the Coast shifted from a timed print-to-order system last year, it's advisable to act quickly if you want to secure these cards.

For more on Magic: The Gathering, you can delve into details about the upcoming death race set, Aetherdrift, set to launch next week. Additionally, explore past Secret Lair reveals such as those featuring Chucky and Monty Python, or learn about Wizards of the Coast's strategies for ensuring Magic's long-term success.