After years of avoiding Magic: The Gathering, the new Hatsune Miku set looks like the final nail in the coffin for me
Time to invest.
Last week, Magic: The Gathering announced a new Secret Lair collab with the famous virtual pop star Hatsune Miku in what will amount to a year-long print schedule with four Secret Lair drops, each releasing seasonally throughout 2024.
We've already had a sneak peek at the first six-card set, Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar, and honestly, every card is worth hunting for (via Polygon). My personal favourite is a toss-up between Miku, the Renowned by Yuko Shimizu, and Harmonize by Syutsuri, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at any of the other four cards on offer.
In true Miku fashion, plenty of other artists are chiming in and creating their own illustrations for this upcoming set. This includes designs from Justyna Dura, Jehan Choo, Mandy Jurgens, and Dani Pendergast.
I've always enjoyed collecting TCGs, starting off with Pokemon EX Delta Species and the Yu-Gi-Oh Gold Series when I was younger. While I've tried to keep my collections up to date, I promised myself that I wouldn't invest in any other TCGs just to save my bank account from further ruin. But it looks like I'm going to have to break my rule for this upcoming Miku set.
If, like me, you're going for gold on the Miku Secret Lair drop, then you'll be glad to know that pre-orders for the first set go live on May 13, 2024, at 9 am PDT/ 12 pm EST/ 5 pm BST on the Secret Lair website. You can either get the non-foil version for $30 or the foil version for $40 in English or Japanese.
This isn't the first time my head has been turned by a Secret Lair run, The Godzilla Lands, set back in 2020, was a close call as it showcased monsters like Mothra, Rodan, Hedorah, and obviously Godzilla against stunning landscapes in full-art renditions. The Lord of the Rings set was also so close to getting me into the TCG, but I managed to hold myself back despite the beautiful Galadriel, Gift-Giver, and Gandalf, White Rider cards.
Honestly, collecting Magic cards is probably a long time coming at this rate, and once I push the button and pre-order the Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar set, it's open season for all future sets and collaborations that cross my path.
But if you want to enjoy Magic and not get sucked into the wallet-draining world of TCG, then it's worth checking out the new Magic: The Gathering manga, which will take place in the fantastical world of the 90s.