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The makers of Pokémon introduced collectors to the card series Diamond & Pearl edition back in 2007, including the Bonsly card. Within this depiction, the Gen 4 stone creature appears by illustrator the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising position. In the image, this pre-evolution appears toppled and shedding tears. But don't misunderstand, however. Similar to its attack Fake Tears suggests, this Pokémon attempts to sway their opponent's emotions with the goal of lowering their attack. Iconic piece, right? Harp player Hopkins absolutely agrees. And she's got a collection book containing over 300 cards of Bonsly to show for it.

The Full Collection Including Rare Finds

However, that's not everything she has either. She's got twenty reverse foil editions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the tyke with metallic accents everywhere but the central artwork. The prized possession, yet, proves to be the PSA 6-rated reverse holo Bonsly card. Admittedly, it's not a top-graded original Charizard card. But do you have an amusing, nearly pristine card of Bonsly preserved forever immortalized? I didn't think so.

The Start of the Obsession

She invested a large part of this year gathering all available Bonsly cards from that year that she could locate. She initially learned of this rare card at the start of the year, during a discussion the notoriously odd cards in the compendium with an employee at a local shop. The weeping Omanyte was in the running, along with the lonely Cubone on a park ride. Yet it was Crying Bonsly, also known as card number 17, that grabbed Hopkins's attention.

Behind Bonsly's Look

Bonsly draws clear inspiration on bonsai trees, which are typically planted in pots with holes at the bottom. They are designed to support healthy development, in fact fans suggest to peers to add holes in their containers if they don't already have one. Bonsai can also be placed on shallow pots without holes, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist enthusiasts style their trees to resemble outdoor scenes. Bonsly fits the initial category, thus the hole exists.

The Infamous Hole Card

Even with this reasonable background, however, The company seems almost overly focused with Bonsly's hole. Even merch like Bonsly plushes always incorporate an empty space at the bottom of Bonsly. Regardless if the illustration of this particular Bonsly is weeping or content: It features hole. The opening is a key element in Bonsly's appearance. Card number 71 turned into an internet joke within the community because of that drainage hole, as well as its status. Until recently, the card was the only version featuring Bonsly released in the TCG in which most Pokémon are typically depicted in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, were you seeking a card of Bonsly, you had to settle with the hole version.

Emily's Dedication

"When I saw Bonsly in the list of oddball cards, I felt I discovered my favorite one," she explains over email, noting that it was unexpected that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She'll be the first to tell you her love of Bonsly #71 is completely useless, but she didn't care. The appreciation evolved into a major fixation, as she acquired all copies of this card available to her. She quickly got into a habit of visiting her local card shop on a weekly basis, and was dubbed among the staff as "Bonsly Girl". They started setting aside any recently acquired copies of Bonsly #71 they obtained exclusively for Emily. Typically, these cards cost between $1 and $3, she notes, calculating that her total expenditure is somewhere around $400 only on the album itself.

The Financial Side

Nowadays, excellent this Bonsly card may reach prices of nearly $15. Although that is expensive, run-of-the-mill Bonsly #71 cards tend to cost starting at $4. This rise in cost roughly aligns with the time Emily began her collection in earnest, although there are probably multiple reasons. Although the card is notorious in the community, Emily's social media updates about it have attracted countless views. As news regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing to a wider audience, there's a chance the value of these cards could keep rising. At the very least, enthusiasts mention how trading card game values are climbing currently overall.

Her Relentless Pursuit

Emily remains undeterred, though.

"The wonderful part is that certain fans and fans on social media have shipped their own Bonsly cards her way for her album, and I am keeping these cards protected always," she declares. Far from being alarmed, viewers feel admiration and motivation by her Bonsly binder.

"For years, I wished to attempt something similar," one commenter says. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card