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

Mitsuhiro Arita, a renowned artist celebrated for his contributions to the original Pokémon Trading Card Game, including the coveted Charizard artwork, is now lending his artistic talents to Magic: The Gathering. His latest project is a Secret Lair drop featuring four stunning cards, and we have an exclusive first look.

Explore the gallery below to view all four cards from Arita's Secret Lair:

This isn't Arita's first foray into Magic; he previously illustrated a borderless version of Lumra, Bellow of the Woods, from the 2024 Bloomburrow set. However, this Secret Lair represents a significant leap, featuring four entirely new cards.

Notably, these cards see play across various formats. The classic Lightning Bolt is a staple in nearly every legal format, while Murktide Regent has proven powerful in both Modern and Legacy since its Modern Horizons 2 debut in 2021. Light-Paws is a beloved Commander card, and Shorikai enjoys popularity in Vintage Cubes and currently ranks as the 20th most popular Commander according to EDHRec.

Wizards of the Coast's store page describes the drop as follows: "With almost three decades of experience creating iconic artwork for trading card games, Mitsuhiro Arita's work is globally recognized. His initial Magic: The Gathering collaboration, a borderless Lumra, Bellow of the Woods from 2024's Bloomburrow, quickly became a fan favorite. This Secret Lair Drop marks the artist's return, showcasing his signature creature designs across four exceptional cards."

As with previous Secret Lair releases, this collection will be available on the Secret Lair website. Non-foil versions will cost $29.99, while foil versions are priced at $39.99. Both will be available only while supplies last, launching Monday, February 10th at 9 am PT. Given the rapid sell-out rates of recent Secret Lairs since the shift from a print-to-order system last year, interested buyers are urged to act quickly.

For more Magic news, explore the upcoming death race set, Aetherdrift (releasing next week), check out previous Secret Lair reveals such as Chucky and Monty Python, or read about Wizards of the Coast's long-term strategy for Magic's continued success.