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The Pokémon Company unveiled collectors to the card series Diamond & Pearl edition in the year 2007, featuring a Bonsly trading card. In this card, the fourth generation rock-type is portrayed by illustrator Midori Harada in a, shall we say, compromising pose. On the card, the predecessor to Sudowoodo can be seen fallen and weeping. But don't misunderstand, yet. Similar to its attack Fake Tears suggests, the little creature attempts to influence their opponent's emotions in the hopes of decreasing their attack. Memorable card, isn't it? Harp player Emily absolutely agrees. She owns an album with 305 Bonsly illustrations to prove it.

The Full Collection and Its Highlights

However, that's not everything she has also. She has acquired a score of reverse holographic editions of this particular card, which depicts the small Pokémon in reflective foil covering everything except the main image. The crown jewel, though, is the PSA 6-graded reverse holo Bonsly edition. Admittedly, it's not a top-graded original Charizard card. But do you have an amusing, almost perfect Bonsly card maintained in all its splendor? Probably not.

The Start of the Obsession

Emily dedicated most of the current year gathering all available Bonsly cards from that year that she could locate. She initially learned regarding this discontinued card earlier this year, while debating the notoriously odd cards among collectors with a worker in a nearby store. Crying Omanyte was considered, just like the forever alone Cubone in an amusement park. However, the one that Crying Bonsly, also known as card number 17, that caught Hopkins's attention.

The Concept of Bonsly

Bonsly is obviously influenced by bonsai plants, that are commonly placed in pots that have drainage holes. They are designed to support healthy development, in fact growers encourage each other to create openings into their pots if holes are missing. Bonsai can also be placed in shallow containers hole-free, known as suiban, where the water stays could aid enthusiasts style their trees to mimic nature vistas. Bonsly represents the first type, hence the hole.

Why Bonsly Stands Out

Although this makes sense, though, The company looks a bit a little too concerned about the drainage feature. Even merchandise including stuffed Bonsly make sure to include a cavity on the underside of Bonsly. It makes no difference if the depiction of this particular Bonsly appears sad or at ease: It will display hole. The hole is an intrinsic part in Bonsly's appearance. Bonsly #71 became a meme among fans both due to the famous hole, in addition to its status. For years before, this Bonsly card remained the sole iteration featuring Bonsly released in the TCG where numerous creatures usually appear in dozens of different ways. Over a decade and a half, should you desire a Bonsly card, you had to settle with this specific design.

The Collector's Passion

"Upon noticing Bonsly in the list of these cursed cards, I felt I had found the one for me," Hopkins shares over email, mentioning how it was unexpected that she hadn't encountered it earlier. She'll be the first to state her fondness for the Bonsly card serves no practical purpose, but she didn't care. The appreciation evolved into a major fixation, with Emily purchasing each available Bonsly card she could possibly find. She adopted a habit of visiting the nearby card store on a weekly basis, and became known to the employees as the Bonsly fan. The shop started putting any new Bonsly #71 cards they obtained aside just for Hopkins. The majority of these are priced at one to three dollars, she says, calculating that she's spent somewhere around $400 just on the binder alone.

Rising Prices

Currently, mint-condition Bonsly #71 cards can cost up to $14.99. While that's on the higher end, run-of-the-mill copies are often priced at four dollars or more. This rise in cost corresponds to when Hopkins started collecting seriously, though there are likely various influences. Although the card is notorious among collectors, her online content regarding the card have received countless views. With information regarding Bonsly #71 keeps growing to new fans, it's possible that their market price might increase even more. Regardless, enthusiasts note that card market costs are soaring currently overall.

Unstoppable Determination

Hopkins cannot be stopped, however.

"The wonderful part remains that some supporters and viewers of the YouTube channel have mailed copies of Bonsly to me for her album, and she is preserving them secure indefinitely," Hopkins says. Far from being alarmed, the audience are amazed and encouraged by this project.

"I've actually always wanted to attempt something similar," a viewer notes. "Acquire all of a common card|every copy of a common card