Highlights
- Magic: The Gathering continues to captivate fans with exciting new expansion packs, including a unique collaboration with Hatsune Miku.
- Hatsune Miku, a VOCALOID digital superstar, brings her electrifying energy to Magic cards in the upcoming crossover sets.
- The Sakura Superstar expansion pack, featuring stunning artwork from around the world, will only be available for a limited time – don’t miss out!
While many card games come and go, one that has remained relevant for over two decades is Magic: The Gathering (herein, Magic). Magic has survived the test of time as both a physical and digital tabletop game, with fans that play around the world. One of the reasons it has managed to outlast other card games is that it has managed to stay interesting by adding new cards, including special crossover packs that draw from other popular media. These expansion sets especially keep players interested in the game, releasing them regularly and adding exciting new cards to the game.
On the official Wizards of the Coast website last week, the latest crossover expansion pack to release was revealed, and it was an exciting collaboration rather than original characters. Magic will be doing a special collaboration with VOCALOID Hatsune Miku, a famous and iconic Japanese character. Miku will be available on special cards in four upcoming expansion packs for Magic, each one with unique powers, special artwork, and specific themes.
Who (or What?) is Hatsune Miku?
If you are here because you are a Magic: The Gathering player but don’t know exactly who Hatsune Miku is, look no further. Miku is a recognizable and famous character in Japan, but interestingly, is not from anime, manga, movies, or originally even from games. Miku is a VOCALOID, a music development software first created by Crypton Future Media, INC. Using this software, users are able to enable a viritual avatar – a VOCALOID – to sing music that they create and produce.
Hatsune Miku was the original character and voice used by the VOCALOID programs, though now there are several other characters with different voices also available. In the past seventeen years since initially releasing, people around the globe have used Miku to create thousands of original songs, including some that have become extremely popular. She has become the main subject of a music video game series called Project Diva, and even inspired anime like Black Rock Shooter and Kagerou Project. Hatsune Miku has even performed live concerts around the world – well, as live as a computer program can be, as the projects are done through digital projection and holograms.
Secret Lair x Hatsune Miku
The collaboration between Magic and Hatsune Miku is a series of four expansion packs that are going to be released in 2024, starting with this first set that will release on May 13th. Each expansion pack will be themed after a different season, with the first being the spring pack. Using spring as an inspiration, the six cards in the first Hatsune Miku expansion pack will all have a sakura, or cherry blossom, theme, called Secret Lair x Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar.
The Wizards of the Coast official website reports,
For seventeen years, Hatsune Miku has been thrilling fans with her digital performances as a virtual singer. And now the world-famous digital superstar has added Secret Lair to her world tour! In the first of four amazing drops, Hatsune Miku brings her undeniable electricity to a set of cards featuring stunning art from Miku fans from around the world. Inspired by the cherry blossoms and [lighting] of a Japanese spring, these cards will stun your table in English or Japanese.
What makes the cards really special is that the artwork on each has been done by a different artist from around the world. These six lucky artists for the Sakura Superstar pack are Jehan Choo, Justyna Dura, Mandy Jurgens, Dani Pendergast, Yuko Shimizu, and 出利/SYUTSURI. Likely later in the year when the other sets are announced, more artists will be announced as well. The Sakura Superstar pack will include the following cards:
- 1x Shelter
- 1x Chandra’s Ignition as “Miku’s Spark”
- 1x Harmonize
- 1x Azusa, Lost but Seeking as “Miku, Lost but Singing”
- 1x Feather, the Redeemed as “Miku, the Renowned”
- 1x Inspiring Vantage
This special Secret Lair x Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar expansion pack for Magic: The Gathering will only be available from May 13, 2024 to June 2, 2024, so be sure to get it while you can.
Source: Wizards of the Coast
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