She's Gathered Countless of Pokémon Drainage Hole Cards, and You Can't Stop Her.

The makers of Pokémon released the world to the Pokémon TCG Diamond & Pearl expansion in the year 2007, showcasing the Bonsly card. On this artwork, the fourth generation rock-type is portrayed by designer Harada-san in a somewhat awkward position. On the card, this pre-evolution is depicted fallen and shedding tears. However, don't mistake this, however. Similar to its attack Fake Tears, the little creature is trying to influence the other player's mood to reducing their damage output. Unforgettable artwork, no? Musician and harpist Emily absolutely agrees. She owns an album filled with 305 cards of Bonsly as evidence.

The Full Collection Including Rare Finds

That's not the whole collection also. She has acquired 20 holo reverse versions of this particular card, which depicts the little guy with shiny foil covering everything except the central artwork. The crown jewel, though, proves to be the PSA 6-graded holo reverse of Bonsly. Certainly, it's far from a mint-condition Charizard illustration. But do you have a quirky, almost perfect card of Bonsly kept forever immortalized? I thought as much.

How It All Began

Hopkins has spent much of 2025 gathering every 2007 Bonsly card she can possibly find. She discovered about the out-of-print card earlier this year, while talking about the most cursed cards in the Pokémon TCG with a staff member at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was considered, as was the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. But it was Crying Bonsly, also known as Bonsly #17, which captured Hopkins's attention.

The Design and Inspiration

Bonsly is obviously influenced from miniature trees, which are typically planted in containers featuring holes for drainage. These are meant to aid growth, in fact enthusiasts encourage each other to drill holes into their pots if holes are missing. Additionally, bonsai may sit on low dishes lacking drainage, referred to as suiban, and the retained water could aid caretakers decorate their plants to mimic natural landscapes. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Despite this logical explanation, however, The Pokémon Company seems almost a little too concerned with Bonsly's hole. Even merch including stuffed Bonsly ensure they feature an empty space at the bottom of Bonsly. It doesn't matter if the illustration of this particular Bonsly appears sad or calm: It's going to show hole. The hole is a fundamental aspect of how Bonsly looks. Bonsly #71 became a meme among fans both due to that drainage hole, as well as its status. Up until last year, the card remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly printed in a game in which most Pokémon usually appear in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, if you wanted this Pokémon card, you had to settle with this specific design.

A Growing Obsession

"When I saw Bonsly in the list of oddball cards, I realized I located my new favorite," Hopkins shares in a message, mentioning how she felt astonished that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She'll be the first to state her love of Bonsly #71 is completely useless, yet that didn't stop her. The initial interest became an all-consuming hobby, with Emily purchasing each available Bonsly card she could possibly find. She adopted a practice of visiting her local card shop every week, and earned the nickname by workers as "Bonsly Girl". They started setting aside any recently acquired this specific card that came in aside just for Hopkins. Typically, these cards are priced at one to three dollars, she says, approximating her total expenditure is about $400 just on the binder alone.

Rising Prices

Nowadays, mint-condition this Bonsly card can cost up to nearly $15. While that's on the higher end, ordinary copies are often priced at starting at $4. This rise in cost more or less coincides with when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, though there are likely various influences. Even though this card is famous among collectors, Hopkins's posts regarding the card have received countless views. As awareness about this card expands further to a wider audience, it's possible that the value of these cards could keep rising. If nothing else, investors say that trading card game values are climbing in 2025 in general.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Emily remains undeterred, however.

"The amazing thing remains that some supporters and fans of the YouTube channel have sent copies of Bonsly to me to expand the set, and I am keeping them secure indefinitely," she declares. Rather than recoil in horror, the audience feel admiration and motivation by her collection.

"For years, I wished to do this," an observer mentions. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card