Magic: The Gathering has cards that you don't know exist from your game or your favorite series

Magic: The Gathering, for a few years now, has been carving out a very particular space within collectible card games. Collaborating with all kinds of franchises, it has become increasingly common to find cards from all sorts of franchises, characters, and even artists. This is something that has had both fans and detractors among Magic franchise players, but one thing is certain: it has opened the game to an audience that would not have even considered approaching it before. Although it may be more evident thanks to collections like the one from Avatar: […]

Magic: The Gathering, for a few years now, has been carving out a very particular space within collectible card games. Collaborating with all kinds of franchises, it has become increasingly common to find cards from all sorts of franchises, characters, and even artists. This is something that has had both fans and detractors among Magic franchise players, but one thing is certain: it has opened the game to an audience that would not have even considered approaching it before.

Although it may be more evident thanks to collections like Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Lord of the Rings, or Final Fantasy, this is not something new. Even if it has happened and continues to happen on a smaller scale. Because at Wizards of the Coast, the parent company of the game, they realized long ago the possibilities of exploiting these collaborations with cards that were printed outside the natural rotation of the game. And for that, they created a direct sales system: Secret Lair:

The most original cards in the world

The premise of Secret Lair is simple: to create small thematic collections where anything goes in a way that would be impossible in the larger collections of the game. Sometimes featuring reprints of existing cards, sometimes being completely new cards, the charm of Secret Lair is that it is impossible to know what they will present on each occasion. Always a generous surprise.

Secret Lair was born in December 2019 with seven drops over seven consecutive days, from the 3rd to the 9th of that month. And in fact, these seven drops already give us a good idea of what to expect from Secret Lair in the future. Two of them, Bitterblossom Dreams and Eldraine Wonderlands, focused on the plane of Eldraine, offering iconic cards and lands with art from this beloved plane by Magic fans. Meanwhile, Seeing Visions and OMG KITTIES! had a clear theme: the former featured cards with scry 2 with new and spectacular art, and the latter, of course, were classic cat cards now especially chubby and adorable.

But if there were some drops that set the tone for Secret Lair, it was the remaining three. Restless In Peace, < explosions sounds > and Kaleidoscope Killers not only had a particular theme each, but also featured a unique artist. Restless In Peace were cards related to the graveyard illustrated by Dan Mumford, an illustrator for Dungeons & Dragons. < explosions sounds > were goblin cards illustrated by Mike Uziel, known for his dynamic style and action figure-like quality. And Kaleidoscope Killers were five-color cards illustrated by Justine Jones, already one of the most legendary figures in Magic: The Gathering.

This opened the door to what could be expected from Secret Lair. Specific themes, specific artists providing their own perspective on that theme, and a way to give a distinctive tone to the collections. Until Universe Beyond arrived.

Universe Beyond includes all the cards that do not belong to the Magic: The Gathering universe, but to any IP that does not belong to Hasbro. And it all started with Secret Lair. The first was The Walking Dead, in 2020, and it was the first time new cards with unique mechanics that did not belong to the Magic universe were introduced. This caused significant conflicts among Magic fans, but it ultimately became a success. Opening the door to what we know today: complete collections dedicated to other universes that are not Magic: The Gathering.

But also to Secret Lair collections that are dedicated to universes that are not from Magic. Among them, the collections of Hatsune Miku, SpongeBob, or currently available, the PlayStation collection featuring several iconic franchises from the Japanese video game manufacturer. Demonstrating that there is something for everyone here.

Because, and this is the key to Secret Lair, all its offers are temporary. The cards are limited and last until they run out. They are released on a specific date, are withdrawn once the next drop arrives, and you have to be alert so they don’t run out before other collectors or players get them if we want them. Collections as sought after as the Junji Ito or Yoji Shinkawa cards flew off the shelves in just minutes, and it is expected to happen again in the future when renowned artists lend their talents to illustrate cards for the game.

But that is the magic of Secret Lair. You don’t need the cards they sell to play Magic, but if you like the IPs from Universe Beyond that they release at any given time, or if you really like a specific artist, you are going to want to have a specific drop. And Wizards knows that. That’s why it’s important to know about Secret Lair. Because that’s where the magic happens.

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Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and iconic collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.

The farewell of Akatsuki: A unique satellite that blended space research with pop culture

The Japanese satellite Akatsuki has officially closed its operations after 15 years of traveling through space. Launched on May 21, 2010, this satellite was decorated with over 13,000 drawings and messages sent by fans of Hatsune Miku, making it a unique monument to the famous virtual idol. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aimed for Akatsuki to study the weather patterns of Venus and search for signs of active volcanism on the planet. A satellite that had a whole life out there Despite its achievements, JAXA announced the loss of contact […]

The Japanese satellite Akatsuki has officially closed its operations after 15 years of journeying through space. Launched on May 21, 2010, this satellite was adorned with over 13,000 drawings and messages sent by fans of Hatsune Miku, making it a unique monument to the famous virtual idol. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aimed for Akatsuki to study the weather patterns of Venus and search for signs of active volcanism on the planet.

A satellite that had been out there for a lifetime

Despite its achievements, JAXA announced the loss of contact with Akatsuki in April 2024. After a year of trying to reestablish communications, the agency determined that recovery would be difficult and officially ended its operations. In a statement on Twitter, the Akatsuki team expressed their gratitude to everyone who supported the mission over these 15 years.

Akatsuki was the only operational satellite focused on Venus in the last decade, managing to capture stunning images of the planet, characterized by the brown and creamy tones of its atmosphere. This satellite became a symbol not only of space exploration but also of Japanese pop culture, by integrating fan art into its structure.

Although the closure of Akatsuki marks a milestone in the exploration of Venus, other missions are in planning. The NASA and the European Space Agency are developing new satellites, such as NASA’s DAVINCI and VERITAS, and ESA’s EnVision, scheduled for launches in the next decade. These new initiatives promise to continue the exploration and study of Venus’s environment, providing more information about this intriguing neighboring planet.

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Hatsune Miku: Project Sekai Project has a mysterious new teaser

Sega and Colorful Palette have presented a new teaser for Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku with a mysterious date: July 29, 2024.

Sega discovered they have a winning card in Hatsune Miku many years ago. Their musical games are always popular and have a captive audience that not only stays engaged, but continues to grow over the years. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they take such good care of their vocaloid game franchises, especially their extremely popular Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku.

Now Sega and Colorful Palette have presented a new teaser for Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku with a mysterious date: July 29, 2024. Although they have not clarified anything about it, the video shows Hatsune Miku glitching over a Hatsune Miku advertisement projected on the facade of a building. Whether this will be a new event in the game or something else, we still don’t know for sure.

If you’re not familiar with it, Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is a free-to-play spinoff of the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA series for mobile platforms. Released worldwide on December 7, 2021, it would be strange to announce a sequel to the game when it has only recently celebrated it third anniversary (as it was released in Japan on September 30, 2020). But one thing is for sure: something interesting will come out of this for Hatsune Miku fans.

HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! DOWNLOAD

HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! is a free-to-play music game developed by SEGA.

Hatsune Miku arrives at Magic because, well, why not?

Nobody should be surprised by this drift of ‘Magic’, which, like ‘Fortnite’, is not the first strange crossover it sets up in its ‘Secret Lair’ line.

‘Magic’ was born in 1993, and has been ruining its followers for three decades. On the other hand, Hatsune Miku appeared for the first time 14 years later and along the way, the virtual idol has enamored thousands, has married some and her fame has been growing more and more. Both are beloved franchises by millions of fans. And both were destined to meet.

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Hatsune is magic

And you may ask, what does a 17-year-old Japanese idol have to do with a medieval fantasy game? Good question. The thing is, she will be part of a deck made up of fan-created art from around the world, and in its first release, it will have six cards for 30 euros (without a foil) or 40 euros (with a rainbow foil). No one should be surprised by this turn of events in Magic, which, like Fortnite, is not the first strange crossover it has done in its ‘Secret Lair’ line.

From ‘Final Fantasy’ to ‘Doctor Who’ through ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Fallout’, everyone wants to appear in the most expensive and well-known card decks in the world. And, of course, Hatsune is no exception, with cards like “Miku’s Spark”, “Miku, Lost but Singing” or “Miku, the Renowned”, versions of others from the game itself. Is it worth the fortune it costs to have a deck of your virtual idol? You decide.

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The man who married Hatsune Miku becomes the world’s first hologram widower

The Japanese, aware at university that he would never have anything with a woman, decided to embrace fiction as the only way to have a relationship. Spoiler: It turned out horribly.

Year 2018. Akihiko Kondo becomes the first person in the world to marry a fictional and non-existent character. The lucky one was Hatsune Miku, who was virtually born in 2007 and with whom Kondo had an idyllic relationship. Every day he said goodbye, said good morning, and talked about work. The Japanese man, aware at university that he would never have anything with a woman, decided to embrace fiction as the only way to have a relationship. Spoiler: it turned out badly.

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Virtually widowed

And it is that Gatebox, the company that made it possible for Miku to respond properly, has stopped updating it precisely because there has not been a wave of people wishing to marry virtual dolls. At 38 years old, his marriage (not valid in any legal way) served Kondo to overcome a deep depression, and he still has dinner in front of her every night. Of course, knowing that he will not get a response generated by AI.

And even though, at the time, Miku even accepted the marriage proposal with a “I hope you appreciate me.” Now, Kondo claims that he still loves her despite knowing that he will not get a response from her lips again. There are those who believe that the future for this idyllic couple lies in the metaverse, or perhaps in ChatGPT. Who knows if their human and cybernetic souls will ever meet again in cyberspace to continue this love story so characteristic of the 21st century. Or of ‘Black Mirror’, depending on how you look at it.

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The hit of the week is by Hatsune Miku… alongside Pikachu

Now, the crossover will extend to 18 different songs sung by Hatsune Miku and created by different artists with Vocaloid.

The Pokémon fan community has been buzzing for a month now. And it’s not because of a new game or an update for ‘Pokémon Go.’ It doesn’t even relate to the anime or the trading card game. Instead, it’s about an unprecedented collaboration with Hatsune Miku, where they released 18 images, each featuring a different type of trainer and created by independent artists. So, what’s next? Was this all Project Voltage had to offer? Well, from the looks of it… it’s only just begun.

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Gotta sing with all!

Now, the crossover will extend to 18 different songs sung by Hatsune Miku and created by various Vocaloid artists. Remember, if you’re a bit older or simply not interested in this topic, Hatsune Miku isn’t a real artist; she’s an artificial voice used to create songs and has even performed concerts worldwide.

The first hit is composed by DECO*27 and is called ‘Volt Tackle,’ featuring the singer and none other than Pikachu himself. The lyrics might not be its strongest suit (“This love goes zip zap zoom and the chu chu chu won’t stop (…) I throw my Electric Tackle at your heart. Not very effective… Why not? Come on!!”), but its progressive rock rhythm makes it impossible not to listen to it over and over again.

The same sentiment has been echoed by three million people in three days, turning one of the most unlikely collaborations into a major hit of the season. We know that the next artists to present their vision will be Inabakumori, Mitchie M, and Pinocchio-p, all renowned Vocaloid composers. We can only wait for the new anthems that will captivate a whole generation of Pokémon fans.

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Hatsune Miku and Pokémon: the crossover you didn’t know you needed

The Pokémon Company has created the Voltage project that imagines the singer as different types of trainer, always prepared for battle.

When Game Freak created ‘Pokémon‘ in the early 1990s, they couldn’t have imagined that almost forty years later, these little creatures would help with everything: from sleeping to brushing teeth or going for a walk. Furthermore, they probably didn’t foresee that the games would continue to be true social phenomena. If teaming up with virtual singers who don’t exist in the real world is what it takes to remain a part of cultural relevance, then so be it.

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My dear Amiku

Hatsune Miku is the singer of millions of songs across all genres, with all kinds of lyrics and music. And it’s not that she’s just locked in a studio all day; she’s the digital voice of the Vocaloid program, and she has been performing concerts in front of thousands of people since 2009. She is possibly one of the most well-known idols of recent times, and as such, it was only logical for her to collaborate with Pokémon. Why not?

An icon alongside another icon: The Pokémon Company has initiated Project Voltage, which envisions the singer as different types of trainers, always ready for battle. Drawn by six different artists and covering the 18 types of creatures, the entire collaboration will be unveiled on the internet day by day.

At this point, and considering that games like ‘Fortnite’ or ‘Call of Duty‘ regularly feature special appearances, would it really surprise us if Hatsune Miku made a special cameo in the DLCs of ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Pokémon Violet’? So far, this crossover has completely broken the internet, so at Nintendo, who has a keen eye for these things, they have probably taken notice.

However, please, let someone be thinking about a musical game in the Pokémon series, similar to ‘Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!’. I’ve never asked for anything, Nintendo. Well, actually, I have: give Waluigi the spotlight he deserves. It wouldn’t hurt to grant me these two little wishes.

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What you needed to get in shape: your trainer being Hatsune Miku

This virtual idol has done everything you can imagine, from concerts to video games. And this is where we stop, because… Can you imagine your favorite idol as a sparring partner?

Since Nintendo introduced Wii with games like ‘Wii Sports’ and ‘Wii Fit,’ they’ve been encouraging us to exercise without the need for a gym membership (just the game fee, of course). More recently, on the Switch, we had the addictive ‘Ring Fit Adventure,’ which helped many stay active during the lockdown era. Now, they are launching a new virtual gym to learn boxing from the most unusual trainer possible.

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Singing and punching

Since the virtual singer Hatsune Miku was born in 2007, her reign has remained unchanged. Vocaloid became Japan’s number one selling software, and since then, this virtual idol has done everything you can imagine, from concerts to video games. And here’s where we pause because… can you imagine your favorite idol as a sparring partner?

‘Fitness Boxing,’ where you learn to fight to the rhythm of music, has become a successful franchise. It’s like a kind of ‘Dance Dance Revolution,’ but instead of participating in a dance-off, you’re throwing uppercuts at the right moment to score additional points. Okay, it’s not the same as hitting a punching bag, but it’s something, right?

This year, a version of the game based on ‘Fist of the North Star’ was already released, but the newly announced one features Hatsune Miku as the protagonist, of course. It will have her songs, her voice, and her image, so there’s no excuse (if you’re a fan) not to get up from the couch and learn to throw punches properly. It’s the kind of thing one typically thinks of when they see a Japanese idol.

We don’t know if ‘Fitness Boxing Feat. Hatsune Miku’ will come to Spain, but given that the previous three are available in the Nintendo Store, it would be unusual if we were left without the opportunity to throw punches to some cute music. As it should be.

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