Exclusive: Legendary Pokemon TCG Artist Returns to Magic: The Gathering

Mitsuhiro Arita, a renowned artist behind countless Pokémon Trading Card Game illustrations, including the coveted Charizard, is bringing his artistic talents to Magic: The Gathering. A new Secret Lair drop showcases four cards featuring Arita's distinctive style, offering a fresh perspective on iconic Magic creatures.

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

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This isn't Arita's first foray into Magic; he previously created a borderless Lumra, Bellow of the Woods for the 2024 Bloomburrow set. This Secret Lair, however, represents a significant expansion of his work within the Magic universe, featuring four cards at once.

The selected cards boast considerable playability across various formats. Lighting Bolt remains a staple in nearly every legal format, while Murktide Regent continues to be a powerhouse in Modern and Legacy. Light-Paws enjoys significant popularity as a Commander, and Shorikai thrives in Vintage Cubes and ranks among the top 20 most popular Commanders according to EDHRec.

Wizards of the Coast describes the drop on its store page: "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."

This Secret Lair will be available on the Secret Lair website, starting Monday, February 10th at 9 am PT. Non-foil versions will cost $29.99, and foil versions will be $39.99. Supplies are limited, so act fast! The shift away from a print-to-order system has led to faster sellouts, creating some frustration within the community.

For more Magic news, learn about the upcoming Aetherdrift set, explore past Secret Lairs like Chucky and Monty Python, or read about Wizards of the Coast's long-term strategy for the game.