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Pokémon creators introduced fans to the card series DP edition in the year 2007, showcasing a Bonsly trading card. In this card, Gen IV Rock Pokémon is portrayed by artist Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising pose. In the image, Bonsly, which evolves into Sudowoodo can be seen fallen and weeping. However, don't mistake this, however. Like its ability the move Fake Tears, this Pokémon aims to manipulate the foe's feelings in the hopes of reducing their damage output. Memorable card, isn't it? Musician and harpist Hopkins absolutely agrees. And she's got an album filled with 305 cards of Bonsly as evidence.

The Full Collection and Its Highlights

That's not everything she has either. She has acquired 20 reverse holographic editions of the Bonsly card, portraying the small Pokémon in reflective foil everywhere but the main image. The most valuable item, however, proves to be the PSA 6-rated holo reverse of Bonsly. Certainly, it's not a top-graded original Charizard card. However, can you claim a goofy, nearly pristine card of Bonsly preserved in its eternal glory? I thought as much.

The Start of the Obsession

She invested a large part of this year accumulating each Bonsly card from 2007 she can possibly find. She initially learned about the out-of-print card in recent months, while talking about the notoriously odd cards in the Pokémon TCG with a staff member at her favorite card shop. Omanyte in tears was in the running, just like Cubone by itself in an amusement park. Yet it was The sobbing Bonsly, also known as card number 17, that caught Hopkins's attention.

The Concept of Bonsly

The design of Bonsly is based from miniature trees, which are often grown in containers featuring holes for drainage. These are meant to aid growth, to the extent that enthusiasts advise one another to drill holes into their pots when none are present. They can also be positioned in shallow containers hole-free, referred to as suiban, where the water stays can help growers arrange their bonsai to mimic nature vistas. Bonsly is the former, thus the hole exists.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Even with this reasonable background, though, Pokémon's creators seems almost a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merch like Bonsly plushes always incorporate a hollow cavern on the underside of Bonsly. It makes no difference whether the portrayal of the Pokémon is weeping or content: It's going to show the hole. This hole represents a key element in Bonsly's appearance. Bonsly #71 gained meme status among fans thanks to that drainage hole, and also because of its status. Up until last year, the card was the only version featuring Bonsly included in the series where numerous creatures are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. For 16 years, if you wanted a card of Bonsly, you had to settle for hole Bonsly.

The Collector's Passion

"When I discovered this card on the list of oddball cards, I knew I discovered my favorite one," Hopkins shares via email, mentioning how she was surprised to have missed it until then. She'll be the first to state her fondness for this particular card is completely useless, but it didn't matter. The appreciation turned into a major fixation, as she acquired every Bonsly #71 card she could possibly find. She adopted a habit of visiting her local card shop every week, and became known by workers as the Bonsly collector. The shop started setting aside any recently acquired Bonsly #71 cards it received exclusively for Emily. Typically, these cards go for a few dollars, she says, estimating that her total expenditure is approximately four hundred dollars just on the binder alone.

Market Trends and Value

Nowadays, mint-condition this Bonsly card can cost up to around fifteen dollars. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost starting at $4. This rise in cost more or less coincides with when Hopkins started her collection in earnest, though there are likely several factors at play. While it's true that the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Hopkins's posts about it have also garnered a huge audience. With information about this card keeps growing among more people, it is likely that the value of these cards might increase even more. Regardless, enthusiasts note that card market costs are climbing in 2025 in general.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Hopkins cannot be stopped, yet.

"The amazing thing is a few followers and enthusiasts of the YouTube channel have sent copies of Bonsly to Emily to add to my collection, and they will remain these cards protected always," Emily states. Instead of being put off, fans feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.

"I've actually always wanted to try this," one commenter says. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card