She Has Amassed Hundreds of Pokémon Cards with Holes, and Nothing Can Halt Her.
The Pokémon Company introduced the world to the card series Diamond & Pearl expansion in the year 2007, showcasing a Bonsly trading card. Within this depiction, the fourth generation stone creature is shown by designer Midori Harada in an unusual situation. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo appears toppled and weeping. However, don't mistake this, yet. Similar to its attack Fake Tears, this Pokémon is trying to manipulate the other player's mood with the goal of reducing their attack. Unforgettable artwork, no? Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins certainly thinks so. And she's got an album with 305 Bonsly cards as evidence.
The Full Collection with Key Pieces
That's not the full extent as well. She's got 20 holo reverse copies of the Bonsly card, which depicts the small Pokémon in reflective foil everywhere but the central artwork. The prized possession, however, turns out to be the professionally graded PSA 6 reverse holo of Bonsly. Admittedly, it's far from a mint-condition Charizard from the base set. Yet, do you possess a goofy, nearly pristine Bonsly illustration maintained in its eternal glory? Probably not.
The Start of the Obsession
She invested much of 2025 gathering all available Bonsly cards from that year she can possibly find. She discovered about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with a worker at a local shop. Crying Omanyte was considered, as was the lonely Cubone at the theme park. However, the one that Bonsly crying, aka card number 17, that grabbed Emily's focus.
Behind Bonsly's Look
The design of Bonsly is based by bonsai plants, which are often grown in containers that have drainage holes. These are meant to help the plant grow, so much so that fans encourage each other to create openings on the bottom if they don't already have one. Bonsai can also be placed on shallow pots hole-free, known as suiban, and the collected moisture can help caretakers style their trees to look like natural landscapes. Bonsly fits the initial category, which explains the hole.
Why Bonsly Stands Out
Despite this logical explanation, though, The company seems almost excessively attentive about the drainage feature. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly always incorporate a cavity at the bottom of this plant Pokémon. It doesn't matter if the illustration of this particular Bonsly appears sad or at ease: It's going to show hole. The hole is a key element of how Bonsly looks. Card number 71 became a meme in collector circles both due to that drainage hole, as well as its unique position. For years before, this Bonsly card was the single type featuring Bonsly printed in a game in which most Pokémon are commonly shown in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle with this specific design.
A Growing Obsession
"When I saw this card on the list of these cursed cards, I knew I discovered my new favorite," she explains via email, noting that it was unexpected that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She is quick to tell you her love of this particular card has no real value, but she didn't care. The initial interest turned into an all-consuming hobby, as she acquired all copies of this card she could possibly find. She soon developed a habit of going to her favorite shop regularly, and earned the nickname among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". The shop started reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards they obtained only for her. Most of these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she notes, calculating that she's spent somewhere around $400 only on the album itself.
Rising Prices
These days, mint-condition the card might be valued at around fifteen dollars. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill versions are often priced at four dollars or more. The upward trend roughly aligns with when Hopkins started building her set, but it's possible that multiple reasons. Although this card is famous among collectors, her online content regarding the card have received millions of views. With information of its existence keeps growing to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards may continue to shoot up. Regardless, enthusiasts note that TCG prices are soaring this year across the board.
Her Relentless Pursuit
Emily remains undeterred, however.
"The amazing thing remains that a few followers and fans from her channel have sent copies of Bonsly to me to expand the set, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Emily states. Instead of being put off, the audience are impressed and inspired by this project.
"For years, I wished to attempt something similar," a viewer notes. "Purchase all of a common card|every copy of a common card
