“He may bring you happiness.” Short, naked and equipped with a sweet smile, bashful baby, Sonny is a beloved little boy. Sonny Angels first hit the market in March 2005. Japanese toy manufacturer Toru “Sonny” Soeya reportedly formulated these dolls to ease the stress of young Japanese women in the workforce and provide them with comfort during the Japanese economic recession. Sonny’s darling looks were inspired in part by the American comic strip character, Kewpie. These illustrations, done by Rosie O’Neill, featured a chubby baby Cupid character who gained popularity in the early 1900s. At the height of their fame, Kewpie was turned into bisque dolls by a German toy company. Sonny adopted his American lookalikes’ cherub features, such as its cheeks, figure and of course its frequent habit of being in the nude.
“[Sonny Angels] are so cute,” Lam Vo (12) said. “I just love the way they look. And then I saw a lot of people who would have a bunch of them and I thought it would be really cute to keep collecting.”
Many were introduced to Sonny Angels through social media. As consumerism hits its peak, hauls have taken over people’s TikTok For You page and Pinterest feeds; creators like Sa Nguyen are bringing in fans through this method of show and tell. For some, the most appealing part of being a Sonny Angel collector is the uncertainty. Sonny Angels are blind box gifts, meaning that when you purchase one, you have no clue what you are going to get. The love of collecting them is spurred by the excitement of having your eye set on a certain style and then crossing your fingers that the Sonny Angel gods are with you during your purchase. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, some maintain their collection efforts from a place of sentiment. While many view Sonny Angels as a watchful guardian that provides healing and protection, others view collecting Sonny Angels as a way to connect to family members.
“When [my grandma] was alive, we kind of connected by our love of collecting stuff … I felt like Sonny Angels resembled what she collected more,” Logan Thompson (12) said. “It was a cuter, more modern spin on that.”
If you find yourself wanting to collect Sonny Angels, you will see that there are more than 650 versions of this little angel. Within the Sonny Angel universe, there are eight regular mini-series, ranging from marine, animal, food and even flower-themed. If you want more of a challenge when it comes to your Sonny Angel hunt, you can pursue collecting from the limited series, artist collection and master collection. Some specific versions of Sonny available are Brian from the Donna Wilson series, Robby Angel, Baking Treats Angel and even a Koala Angel. Also up for sale are hippers: decorative Sonny Angels with adhesive tape on the stomach that can be attached to different surfaces. As a Memphian, the only place to purchase Sonny Angels was at the retail store Urban Outfitters; unfortunately, they are no longer sold at that location, leaving people like Thompson on a wild goose chase to find and acquire more. Thankfully, you can buy them online on the official Sonny Angels website or from resellers. However, this is a forewarning that resellers can and will inflate the prices of these figurines. Vo recounted seeing a single Sonny Angel go for $200 on a reselling platform. Others who are up for traveling can follow in Vo’s footsteps as she has gone across state lines to purchase Sonny Angels.
“I think I have almost $300 worth of Sonny Angels,” Vo said. “I have the regular series, then I have the special limited editions, then I have the hippers that connect to your phone.”
For many, Sonny Angels are used as decor to add personality to any surface and space. Their bright colors and creative clothing capture the eye and even serve as a reflection of adolescence as their collectors head into adulthood.
“My mom is always joking and she’s like, ‘You’re 18 now, why are you still collecting them,’ but like you don’t understand, they’re so cute,” Vo said. “I love them so much.”