Magic: The Gathering celebrates Hatsune Miku with Secret Lair

2024 marks the beginning of an extraordinary collaboration between Magic: The Gathering and digital superstar Hatsune Miku. This union between Japanese pop culture and the most famous trading card game in the world was born under the aegis of Secret Lair, known for its limited and artistically refined editions.

Hatsune Miku, the virtual idol who has captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world for over a decade, immerses herself in the Magic: The Gathering universe through four special releases throughout the year, dedicated to the different seasons. The first release, called “Secret Lair x Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar“, will be launched in spring 2024 as part of the Spring Superdrop. This collection will in fact be available for pre-order starting as early as May 13, 2024making both foil and non-foil versions available to fans, and will only be available for purchase through the official Secret Lair website.

The Sakura Superstar Special Collection cards will be embellished with works of art created by internationally renowned artists such as Jehan Choo, Justyna Dura and others, who reinterpret Magic heroes and spells with a distinctly “Miku” touch. Special cards will include unique versions of game classics, such as “Azusa, Lost but Seeking” reworked as “Miku, Lost but Singing”, and “Feather, the Redeemed” in “Miku, the Renowned”, creating a bridge between the world of Magic and that of Japanese digital music and culture.

Mark Heggen, Vice President of Collectibles at Wizards of the Coast, underlined the importance of this collaboration: “Secret Lair allows us to explore new creative horizons, mixing fans’ love for Magic with global pop culture icons like Hatsune Miku. This is just the beginning of a series of releases that we hope will fascinate gamers and collectors around the world.”

Two extremely popular worlds, Magic: The Gathering has entertained more than 50 million fans for 30 years through the tabletop trading card game, the Magic: The Gathering Arena digital game, a New York Times bestselling novel, and a critically acclaimed comic book series. Hatsune Miku is a global and social phenomenon that seems to go beyond the definition of “virtual singer“. Miku, spawned by Crypton Future Media way back in 2007, first used Vocaloid2 software, synthesizing her voice from voice samples of Japanese voice actress Saki Fujita.

Here is an example of one of Hatsune Miku’s greatest hits, Senbonzakura

Its ability to be programmed with new songs and styles allowed fans to directly participate in content creation, making Miku an open and collaborative creative platform, as she herself suggested in one of the most appreciated songs “Tell your world”. Easily recognizable by her long turquoise hair and her futuristic dress, Hatsune Miku has influenced various sectors, from the recording industry to advertising, through video games and even live concerts, where she performs as a three-dimensional hologram, quickly becoming a cultural icon who embodies the phenomenon of “otaku” and Japanese pop culture on an international level.