In 2007, The Pokémon Company released the Diamond & Pearl expansion of the Pokémon TCG, which included a now-infamous Bonsly card illustrated by Midori Harada. The artwork shows the Gen IV rock–type toppled and in tears—an image that, despite its sadness, pairs perfectly with the move name Fake Tears, hinting that Bonsly is stage-managing sympathy to weaken an opponent. Electroacoustic harpist Emily Hopkins found the card unforgettable; she now keeps 305 Bonsly cards in a single binder.
Her hoard isn’t limited to commons: Hopkins has 20 reverse-holographic prints (where the holo effect frames the main art) and even a PSA-graded reverse holo at grade 6. It isn’t a legendary Charizard, but how many people can claim to own a nearly pristine, oddly charming Bonsly in archival condition?
Hopkins says she spent much of 2025 hunting down every 2007 Bonsly she could locate. She learned about the out-of-print card earlier that year while debating the most uncanny TCG artworks with a shop employee—contenders included the Crying Omanyte and the solitary Cubone at the theme park. Still, it was the weeping Bonsly—listed as Bonsly #17 in some catalogs—that hooked her attention.
Design-wise, Bonsly takes obvious cues from bonsai trees. Traditional bonsai sit in pots with drainage holes to maintain root health; enthusiasts sometimes drill or favor containers with drainage. Bonsai can also be displayed in shallow, sealed trays called suiban, where retained water helps create miniature landscapes. Bonsly’s depiction nods to the former tradition—hence the prominent hole in its design.
@emilyharpist
B Hole Bonsly collection Thanks @Rip N Ship Gaming
original sound – Emily Hopkins
Manufacturers seem to have leaned into that design choice—many plushes and other merchandise include a hollow where Bonsly’s base would be, whether the character is sobbing or serene. That hole became part of the card’s identity, and Bonsly #71 in particular turned into a community meme. Until recently, Bonsly #71 was the only widely printed Bonsly variant for about 16 years, meaning collectors who wanted a card had to accept the same hole-centric depiction again and again.
“When I saw Bonsly on a list of cursed cards, I realized I’d found my favorite,” Hopkins told Polygon via email, adding that she had never encountered it before that conversation. What began as a joke became an obsession: she started visiting her local card shop weekly, earning the nickname “Bonsly Girl.” The shop reportedly set aside any new Bonsly #71s for her. Most copies were inexpensive—usually $1 to $3 each—and Hopkins estimates she spent roughly $400 just to assemble the binder and related materials.
Market values have shifted since she started collecting. Mint-condition Bonsly #71 listings now reach as high as $14.99, while typical copies commonly sell for $4 and up. That uptick roughly aligns with the moment Hopkins ramped up her collecting and with the viral attention her posts received; her social clips have drawn millions of views, and broader interest in the TCG market in 2025 has helped push prices upward. Price tracking suggests demand has increased since she began actively buying.
Hopkins shows no signs of slowing. “Some viewers and supporters of my channel have mailed me their Bonsly cards to add to the binder, and I’m preserving them indefinitely,” she says. Rather than recoiling, many followers admire and are amused by her dedication.
Image: Niantic/The Pokémon CompanyViewers have reacted with a mix of admiration and memes. “I’ve always wanted to see someone buy up a common card until it becomes scarce,” one commenter observed. Another joked, “Oh, it’s the butthole Bonsly lady,” a reminder that internet humor often sharpens attention as much as criticism.
Source: Polygon
