Sonny Angel

Sonny Angel's are cherub figurines created by the Japanese toy manufacturer, Toru Soeya, who is the CEO of the Japanese company Dreams. His nickname was "Sonny" which is where the character gets it's name. Sonny Angel's usually come in blind boxes meaning when you open it, you don't know exactly which version of Sonny you will get. Sonny comes in different headgear, and sometimes outfits, in various series of collections. The Sonny Angel catchphrase is "He may bring you happiness".

People collect Sonny Angels trying to find specific ones they like or completing their sets. They display them, carry them around, take photographs of them, trade them, resell them, and more. Depending on the rarity or popularity of a specific Sonny Angel, they can be resold for far more than they retail which is generally $10-14. Trading events have become a form of social gathering and occur in many major cities.

Origins

Sonny Angel was born on May 15th, 2004 and started out as an 18cm(7in) doll. When Soeya created him, he was inspired by the character Kewpie. Sonny later became a mini figure and is now sold in 33 countries.

Some Sonny Angel series including all the Regular Series can have a Robby figurine. He is described as Sonny's best friend who is able to change colors to camouflage and dress up with Sonny. Pulling a Robby is rarer than the rest of the figures with your chances being 1/144.

In the Media

News Articles

Sonny Angel has been featured in the New York Times on April 6, 2023 in the article "Why Do People Love This Tiny Doll?" where they described Sonny as a "fictitious 2-year-old cherub designed to be a tiny companion for working women in their mid-20s dealing with the stressed of adulthood". This article was created after a Sonny Angel Meetup in Washington Square Park where people met to open, trade, and bond over their love of Sonny Angel. This meeting was sponsored by the toy store an.mé that has locations in the West and East Villages of Manhattan.

BuzzFeed also covered this meetup in their article "This Viral, Fruit-Headed Doll And Its Tiny Penis Is Everyone’s Emotional Support Crutch" on April 5, 2023, the title of which refers to the naked nature of the doll. Sonny is almost always naked as he usually just wears headgear. There are some limited series that feature him clothed but this is not the common appearance. Some people have taken to crocheting little pants for him or dressing him up with other small toy and figurine clothing such as that of Calico Critters.

Celebrity Acknowledgments

Bella Hadid posted a picture of the a Sonny Angel display from the wall of an.mé on December 26, 2022.

Debby Ryan posted a picture of her Eggplant Sonny from the Vegetable Series on May 8, 2023.

Mini Figure (Regular Series)

Sonny Angel has a continuous collection of which are called the "Regular" series. These are the series that are to be sold for an extended period of time. Each series has twelve listed Sonny Angel's whose images appear on the box as well as a secret Sonny and a Robby. These series were refined in 2018 and 2019 leading to some minor changes to Sonny and updated packaging but the characters have remained the same. There are currently nine Regular Series and they are as follows:

Animal Series 1

The twelve listed are Rabbit, Elephant, Panda, Sloth, Tiger, White Bear, Cockerel, Dalmatian, Frog, Koala, Monkey, and Owl. The secret is Chipmunk. The Robby is green.

Animal Series 2

The twelve listed are Mouse, Lesser Panda, Hedgehog, Fawn, Duck, Cow, Chameleon, Uribou, Skunk, Sheep, Reindeer, and Pig. The secret is Kappa. The Robby is pink.

Animal Series 3

The twelve listed are Parrot, Rhinoceros, Snake, Toy Poodle, Zebra, American Shorthair, Chihuahua, Crocodile, French Bulldog, Giraffe, Lop Ear Rabbit, and Macaw. The secret is Unicorn. The Robby is orange.

Animal Series 4

The twelve listed are Hippopotamus, Horse, Lion, Peacock, Shiba Inu, Alpaca, Anteater, Buffalo, Calico Cat, Cheetah, Goat, and Gorilla. The secret is Dragon. The Robby is light blue.

Flower Series

The twelve listed are Rose, Cherry Blossom, Poppy, Sunflower, Cactus, Morning Glory, Lily Bell, Hydrangea, Pansy, Carnation, Acorn, and Tulip. The secret is Bee. The Robby is purple.

Fruit Series

The twelve listed are Raspberry, Peach, Orange, Pear, Strawberry, Grape, Watermelon, Melon, Durian, Dragon Fruit, Pineapple, and Apple. The secret is Seed Leaf. The Robby is yellow.

Marine Series

The twelve listed are Shark, Jellyfish, Dolphin, Seal, Seahorse, Whale, Clownfish, Shell, Penguin, Manta, Blowfish, and Starfish. The secret is Turtle. The Robby is dark blue.

Sweets Series

The twelve listed are Cream Puff, Cupcake, Fruit Tart, Ice Cream, Jellybeans, Konpeito, Pancake, Popcorn, Pudding, Candy, Cookie, and Strawberry Shortcake, The secret is Cook. The Robby is pink.

Vegetable Series

The twelve listed are Carrot, Tomato, Garlic, Zucchini, Onion, Radish, Green Pepper, Eggplant, Bok Choy, Corn, Cauliflower, and Cabbage. The secret is Mushroom. The Robby is turquoise.