Mitsuhiro Arita, the celebrated artist behind countless iconic cards from the original Pokémon Trading Card Game, including the highly sought-after Charizard, is now bringing his artistic talents to a different realm with a new Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop. We're excited to give you the first glimpse at all four cards featured in this stunning collection.
Explore the gallery below to see all the cards in Arita's Secret Lair:
While this isn't Arita's first foray into the world of Magic: The Gathering—his previous contribution was a single, borderless art version of Lumra, Bellow of the Woods from the 2024 Bloomburrow set—the release of four new cards in such quick succession marks a significant leap. This collection showcases Arita's mastery and versatility as an artist.
Not only are these cards visually striking, but they also hold significant gameplay value across various formats. The iconic Lightning Bolt is a staple in nearly every format where it's legal, while Murktide Regent has proven its power in both Modern and Legacy since its debut in Modern Horizons 2 in 2021. Light-Paws has become a beloved Commander, and Shorikai has found a comfortable niche in Vintage Cubes and ranks as the 20th most popular Commander according to EDHRec.
Wizards of the Coast describes this 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 with all Secret Lair drops, this one will be available on the Secret Lair website in non-foil for $29.99 and foil for $39.99. Both versions will be available while supplies last, starting on Monday, February 10 at 9am PT. Given the high demand for Secret Lairs since Wizards of the Coast transitioned from a timed print-to-order system, these cards are likely to sell out quickly. If you're eager to add these to your collection, be sure to act fast when they go live.
For more on Magic: The Gathering, you can delve into details about the upcoming Aetherdrift set, which promises an exciting death race theme and is set to launch next week. You can also explore past Secret Lair drops we've revealed, such as those featuring Chucky and Monty Python, or learn about Wizards of the Coast's strategies for ensuring the long-term success of Magic: The Gathering.
