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 features four cards showcasing Arita's signature style, and we have an exclusive preview.

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

This isn't Arita's first foray into Magic; he previously illustrated a borderless Lumra, Bellow of the Woods, for the 2024 Bloomburrow set. This Secret Lair represents a significant expansion of his contribution, featuring four cards simultaneously.

The selection includes cards playable across various formats. The iconic Lightning Bolt is a staple, while Murktide Regent is a powerhouse in Modern and Legacy formats since its Modern Horizons 2 debut in 2021. Light-Paws is a popular Commander card, and Shorikai is a favorite in Vintage Cubes and ranks among the top 20 most popular Commanders according to EDHRec.

Wizards of the Coast's store page describes the drop: "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, priced at $29.99 (non-foil) and $39.99 (foil), while supplies last. The sale begins Monday, February 10, at 9 am PT. Given the quick sell-outs of recent Secret Lairs since the shift from print-to-order last year, interested buyers should act swiftly.

For more Magic news, explore the upcoming Aetherdrift death race set (launching next week), previously revealed Secret Lairs like Chucky and Monty Python, or learn about Wizards of the Coast's long-term strategy for the game.