She Has Amassed Countless of Pokemon Drainage Hole Cards, and Nothing Can Halt Her.

The makers of Pokémon released collectors to the Pokémon TCG Diamond and Pearl edition during 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. Within this depiction, Gen IV rock-type is portrayed by artist the talented Harada in a, shall we say, compromising situation. Here, the predecessor to Sudowoodo can be seen toppled and weeping. But don't misunderstand, yet. As its move the move Fake Tears, Bonsly is trying to influence the foe's feelings to decreasing their offensive power. Unforgettable artwork, no? Musician and harpist Hopkins certainly thinks so. And she's got an album with 305 cards of Bonsly as evidence.

The Entire Assortment with Key Pieces

However, that's not the whole collection either. She's got twenty holo reverse versions featuring Bonsly, which depicts the tyke in reflective foil all over except the central artwork. The crown jewel, however, proves to be the PSA 6-rated holo reverse of Bonsly. Sure, it's not a top-graded Charizard illustration. However, can you claim an amusing, close to mint Bonsly card kept in all its splendor? I thought as much.

The Start of the Obsession

Emily dedicated much of 2025 gathering every 2007 Bonsly card that she could locate. She discovered about the out-of-print card at the start of the year, while talking about the most cursed cards in the compendium with an employee in a nearby store. The weeping Omanyte was considered, along with Cubone by itself on a park ride. But it was Bonsly crying, also known as card number 17, which captured Emily's focus.

Behind Bonsly's Look

Bonsly draws clear inspiration by bonsai plants, which are often grown in containers that have drainage holes. These are meant to aid growth, in fact growers advise one another to drill holes into their pots when none are present. Bonsai can also be placed in shallow containers hole-free, known as suiban, and the collected moisture may assist growers decorate their plants to mimic outdoor scenes. Bonsly represents the first type, thus the hole exists.

The Infamous Hole Card

Even with this reasonable background, though, Pokémon's creators looks a bit a little too concerned with Bonsly's hole. Even merch like Bonsly plushes always incorporate a hollow cavern at the bottom of Bonsly. It doesn't matter if the depiction of Bonsly in question is crying or calm: It features hole. The hole is a fundamental aspect in Bonsly's appearance. Card number 71 became a meme within the community both due to the famous hole, in addition to its status. Up until last year, the card was the single type featuring Bonsly printed in a game where many of its monsters usually appear in multiple editions. For sixteen years, should you desire this Pokémon card, you needed to accept with this specific design.

Emily's Dedication

"When I saw this card on the list of oddball cards, I knew I discovered the one for me," she explains via email, noting that it was unexpected to have never seen it before. She is quick to inform you her fondness for the Bonsly card serves no practical purpose, but she didn't care. The appreciation turned into a major fixation, with Emily purchasing every Bonsly #71 card she could possibly find. She quickly got into a practice of going to her favorite shop on a weekly basis, and earned the nickname by workers as the Bonsly collector. The store began reserving all incoming Bonsly #71 cards they obtained aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these go for a few dollars, she mentions, approximating she's spent approximately four hundred dollars for the collection book.

The Financial Side

Nowadays, pristine Bonsly #71 cards may reach prices of $14.99. Although that is expensive, ordinary versions tend to cost $4 and above. That price increase more or less coincides with her starting point her collection in earnest, though there are likely various influences. Even though the card is notorious with enthusiasts, Emily's social media updates regarding the card have received a huge audience. As news about this card keeps growing among more people, it's possible that their market price might increase even more. At the very least, collectors note that TCG prices are soaring in 2025 across the board.

No Signs of Stopping

Nothing can halt her, though.

"The wonderful part remains that certain fans and fans from her channel have mailed their Bonsly cards to Emily to add to my collection, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Emily states. Rather than recoil in horror, the audience are amazed and encouraged by her collection.

"I've long desired to try this," a viewer notes. "Buy up all of a common card|every copy of a common card

Robert Thompson
Robert Thompson

A tech journalist and business analyst with over a decade of experience covering digital transformation and startup ecosystems.