Legendary Pokemon TCG Artist Rejoins Magic: The Gathering

Mitsuhiro Arita, renowned for his artwork on countless cards from the original Pokemon Trading Card Game, including the highly sought-after Charizard, is now showcasing his talents in a new arena. Thanks to a Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop, Arita is painting a different kind of dragon, and we have the exclusive first look at all four cards from 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 art, his previous contribution was a single, borderless art version of Lumra, Bellow of the Woods in the Bloomburrow set from last year. The release of four new cards in such a short span represents a significant leap for the artist.

These new cards are not just visually stunning but also see significant play across various formats. The iconic Lightning Bolt is a staple in nearly every format where it's legal, while Murktide Regent has been a dominant force in Modern and Legacy since its debut in Modern Horizons 2 in 2021. Light-Paws has become a beloved Commander in its own right, and Shorikai has secured a spot in many Vintage Cubes and ranks as the 20th most popular Commander overall, 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 is customary with Secret Lair drops, this set will be available on the Secret Lair website in non-foil for $29.99 and foil for $39.99. Both versions will be available only while supplies last, starting on Monday, February 10 at 9am PT. Given the recent trend of Secret Lairs selling out quickly following Wizards of the Coast's switch from a timed print-to-order system, you'll want to be ready to purchase as soon as they go live to secure your set.

For those interested in more Magic: The Gathering news, you can delve into details about the upcoming death race set, Aetherdrift, launching next week. Also, check out past Secret Lair reveals, including collaborations with Chucky and Monty Python, or read about Wizards of the Coast's strategies for ensuring Magic's long-term success.