Legendary TCG Artist Rejoins Trading Card Game

Mitsuhiro Arita, a renowned artist behind countless Pokémon Trading Card Game illustrations, including the coveted Charizard, is now lending his talent to Magic: The Gathering. His latest contribution is a Secret Lair drop featuring four cards, and we have an exclusive preview.

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

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, however, marks a significant expansion of his involvement with four new cards.

The included cards see play across various formats. Lightning Bolt is a staple, while Murktide Regent is a powerhouse in Modern and Legacy. Light-Paws is a popular Commander card, and Shorikai is a favorite in Vintage Cubes and ranks among the top 20 most popular Commanders overall (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). Both versions are available while supplies last, launching Monday, February 10, at 9 am PT. Given the popularity of Secret Lairs and the shift away from the print-to-order system, securing these cards requires swift action.

For more Magic news, explore the upcoming Aetherdrift set, previous Secret Lairs (Chucky and Monty Python), and Wizards of the Coast's long-term strategy for the game.