Meet Sonny Angels, the pocket boyfriends helping Gen Zers navigate adulthood
What’s cute, arguably naked, three inches tall and may bring you happiness? If you’re already imagining a biblically inaccurate cherub boy with striking headgear then congratulations, you’re a certified Gen Zer with a chronically online presence and questionable financial choices.
Enter Sonny Angels, a line of miniature dolls that has captured the hearts and wallets of younger millennials and Gen Zers worldwide. They’re essentially what troll dolls were for baby boomers and Cabbage Patch Kids were for older millennials. Today, Sonny Angels are adored by the likes of Bella Hadid, sported by Victoria Beckham and obsessed over by Dua Lipa in a Challengers-style Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit.
Evidently, all hot girls seem to love Sonny Angels. But what’s the actual appeal behind the winged figurines which have led to worldwide shortages and an influx of baby butts in mirror selfies? What makes them more alluring than TikTok-famous Sylvanian Families (better known as Calico Critters in the US) and, dare I say, the doll’s bald, glow-in-the-dark counterparts, Smiskis? Are collectibility and scarcity part of a Sonny Angel’s charm? Perhaps most importantly, why are they so allergic to pants?
What is a Sonny Angel?
Originally created in May 2004 by Japanese designer Toru Soeya as seven-inch-tall dolls, Sonny Angels is a series of collectibles with distinct headwear and occasional clothing. Currently standing at three inches tall, the character’s name is allegedly derived from Soeya’s nickname ‘Sonny’ and visually inspired by the feminist Kewpie Mayonnaise baby designed by American illustrator Rose O’Neill.
O’Neill’s iconic rose-cheeked babes, which previously advocated for women’s rights, were attached with stubby wings, whimsical side eyes and a shy smile to create the modern blind box Angels. With more than 900 types of figurines released over multiple series, each Sonny Angel is outfitted with unique headgear resembling fruits, vegetables, animals, flowers and more. Limited series also includes themes like circus, summer, candy, Halloween and Christmas.
View this post on Instagram
The ‘Hippers’ collection further transforms the standing dolls into decorative figurines that can be stuck to phone cases, laptops, desks, photo frames, car dashboards and even rear view mirrors in true hot girl fashion.
@krispyyyykk this obsession is getting out of hand, but theyre so cute #sonnyangels #sonnyangelhippers #mitsuwa #sonnyangelcollection
♬ girls like me don't cry (Sped Up) - thuy
Most fans admit to discovering their appetite for Sonny Angels following their insatiable hunger for trinkets. This certainly rings true for UK-based enthusiasts Georgie and Milo.
“I’d known about Sonny Angels for years but after already being a collector of many things like Sanrio, Tamagotchi and Rilakkuma, I didn’t think I needed to collect any more trinkets at the time,” Georgie told SCREENSHOT. “But then I saw a TikTok of someone with a Sonny Angel Hipper on their phone and that was the moment my life changed! I recall thinking just how cute they are with their silly little animal headwear and butt out.”
Georgie then made it her life’s mission to own a pair of Hippers—a task which proved difficult, given that the UK had yet to catch up with the global demand for the miniature dolls. “I remember going to Forbidden Planet in Leeds and asking if they sold them, just to be told ‘we haven’t sold Sonny Angels in years because they just sat on the shelves and no one bought them’,” she said. “But then I saw a fawn Hipper stuck to their till! I asked if there was any way I could buy that one and to my delight, the cashier said yes.”
Although Georgie adopted a Hipper in January 2023, her first standing Sonny Angels were the Latte Cat from the ‘Enjoy The Moment’ series and Pudding from the ‘Sweet’ series, all sourced from a small shop in Brighton. Today, the enthusiast is a proud parent of over 200 Sonnys and other official merchandise sold by its manufacturer Dreams.
“A big chunk of my collection is rare secret angels, making it one that people aspire to have,” Georgie said, mostly referring to Robby—a rare gem in the Sonny universe that resembles a cross between a rat and a rabbit. In essence, the possibility of pulling a Robby is much smaller than a regular Sonny Angel. The chances are 1 in every 144 figurines, to be exact. Considered undesirable for newbies, Robby is a coveted baby among seasoned collectors.
“I often get comments on my Instagram page saying ‘you’re on my rob list’!” Georgie added.
On the other hand, Milo’s initiation into the Sonny universe was back in 2019. “I was scrolling on Depop and came across a ‘small vegetable baby’ which piqued my interest as a collector of strange little trinkets,” she said. “I bought my first baby then and there for under £5 ($6.42). I thought he was just so cute with his little bok choy hat and wanted to make him mine!”
Emotional support trinkets and the wave of inner-child consumerism
One of the major factors behind the appeal of Sonny Angels is the blind box element of each figurine. With up to 12 unique dolls in a series, each Sonny is inconspicuously packaged to add mystery and build excitement. This is also why unboxing videos, which feature fans weighing boxes and feeling up the cherub babies, gather millions of views across TikTok and Instagram. As a generation raised on Kinder Joy and McDonald’s Happy Meals, I honestly expect nothing less.
@sonnyangel.watch period products should always come with sonny angels imo #sonnyangel #sonnyangels #sonnyangeltok #sonnyangelunboxing #sonnyangelcollection #sonnyangelblindbox #fyp #sonnyangelclub #foryou #viral #blindbox
♬ Cake - Soft boy
Despite their appearance and perceived target market, Soeya reportedly designed Sonny Angels as “pocket boyfriends” to comfort working women in their mid-20s. At the time of their creation, Japan was experiencing a mild recession which would then accumulate into a full-blown financial crisis in 2008. With the tagline “He may bring you happiness,” the companions then aimed to “heal tired hearts,” “watch over you” and “give more smiles to all of us in the world.”
Over the years, however, the purpose of Sonny Angels was lost in translation and they evolved from supportive partners to silly little winged besties who you could travel the world with. “He is a very photogenic buddy for social media posts and his presence provides smiles and a sense of well-being to fans,” the official website reads.
Imagination and cuteness are also critical to a Sonny Angel’s appeal. Sporting unique headgear, each Sonny spurs different narratives and stories for collectors while evoking a primal urge to protect the naked babies. “They are designed so that you can relate to them every day,” the official website continues. “Each of us finds unique ways to enjoy Sonny Angel.” Presently, the portable companions have come to define an entire generation by combating their stress and healing their inner child.
Georgie believes that the Sonny Angels community also pushes their role as emotional support dolls among Gen Zers. “I fell more and more in love with Sonny Angels when I would see TikToks and Instagram pages devoted to these silly little angels. They’ve become a real way to connect with people who also share an interest, no matter how big or small their collections are,” she said.
Apart from making friends through her social media accounts dedicated to Sonnys, Georgie loves seeing other fans source their DISOs or ‘Desperately In Search Of’—a list of must-have angels in one’s collection.
While the cherub babies are out capturing and healing hearts, there also seems to be a bald, younger sibling glowing from the shadows. Smiskis are a line of green (and occasionally blue) glow-in-the-dark creatures that come with different personalities and poses as opposed to Sonnys. Following a similar blind box and rare figurine concept, Smiskis are optimised for different rooms and are “mysterious fairies that watch over you.”
“To every Sonny Angel girlie out there, they are usually closely followed by a Smiski boy or boyfriend,” Georgie says. “I bought my boyfriend some Smiskis which then turned into him becoming a collector, then my brother fell in love with them too. I myself have actually bought a couple of Smiskis but this usually only happens when stores run out of Sonny Angels.”
Although Sonnys have universal appeal, Georgie believes their younger neon siblings aren’t as quirky or eye-catching. “I still get the buzz from cracking open a fresh Smiski blind box,” she says. “I do think they’re getting bigger but will never quite have the popularity of Sonny Angels. But I certainly could be wrong! I think one word that would best describe a Smiski would be ‘underrated’.”
@jyantheman it’s his prized possession 😅 #smiski #smiskicollection #smiskiunboxing #smiskiblindbox #smiskihaul
♬ kiss me - mette
@zkadie The name of this sound was too perfect as well. #smiski
♬ i love lamp - ☆
For most newbie collectors, the Sonny Angels starter pack comes with loads of styling advice. While most of them centre around Hippers attached to phone cases and headphones, fans can also be seen tucking regular Sonnys into their waistband and pockets, and even basing their entire outfit on a particular angel.
“My favourite way of incorporating Sonny Angels into an outfit is definitely hanging [them] on bags, whether that be on a keychain or in little clear plastic display pouches,” Milo admitted. The carry cases are also Georgie’s personal faves. “I’ll always try to pick a Sonny Angel that matches the colour of my outfit or pick one that has a meaning for the place I’m going to,” she said, adding that her recent pursuits have included taking her turtle and surfer babies to the beach and strawberry angel for strawberry picking.
“It’s become pretty common for my family to ask ‘what little angel have you got with you today?’,” Georgie continues. “I also love to see how other people go about their days with their Sonny Angels.”
Worldwide Sonny Angels shortages and the primitive UK market
Despite owning Sonny Angels for over five years, Milo admitted to only having realised their popularity recently.
According to Bloomberg, Sonnys first gripped global FYPs in 2022. The following year, Dreams recorded a four-fold sales spike in the US alone. In the first half of 2024, the numbers doubled in size again—following the SNL debut of the winged figurines in May. “Although many Dreams employees in Japan had never heard of SNL, the company says, traffic on its website the day after the sketch aired climbed to six times its average,” Bloomberg noted. Dreams also went on to outline a similar bump in demand after Sonny Angels graced model Bella Hadid’s Instagram dump.
Today, online restocks of the naked babies sell out within minutes. This demand has, in turn, aided the rise of a controversial resale market on Mercari and eBay, where fans are willing to spend over £200 ($257) to bag the rarest varieties.
Currently sold in 33 countries, the popularity of Sonnys has further resulted in a spike in Japan’s tourism levels. Bloomberg highlighted that Dreams has recently increased the number of stores that sell its products in airports and tourist hot spots like Tokyo’s Asakusa district.
In the UK, however, the market remains elusive. “Sonny Angels go in and out of stock very quickly here with just a few stores selling them,” Georgie said. Some of her recommended sourcing spots include Junior Edition in Brighton and Forbidden Planet in Leeds. “The online stores I rely on and love shopping from are Didi Inspired Gifts and Toys,” she continued. “The owner Fiona is absolutely wonderful and has helped me to build my collection. I also love Dear Jude and Blind Box Empire.”
Meanwhile, Milo has collected all of her Sonny Angels from second-hand online stores and London-based Comic Con events which are hosted annually in May and October. “But I’ve also heard they can be found at London Tree House on Portobello Road,” she added.
@mybrunettediary i went on a sonny angel hunt in london🎀 (📍The London Tree House, 146 Portobello Road, London) #sonnyangel #sonnyangels #sonnyangelsunboxing #sonnyangelblindbox #sonnyangelcollection #sonnyangeltok #sonnyangelunboxing #londontreehouse
♬ Smile by Lily Allen sped up - sped_up_songs_a
@ilyreggina what my friend got me from London!! so in love with everythinggg #sonnyangel #london #fyp #sanrio
♬ Glue Song Beabadoobee Soed Up Full - Audio Acre
Ultimately, Georgie hopes the UK will get its own Sonny Angel website like Japan, France and Korea. “There have been a couple of trading events in the past year but they aren’t as frequent as the ones in America,” she shared. “That being said, I’m hoping to host my own event one day and invite collectors from all over the UK to trade, buy or sell their angels and things they make for them like clothes or necklaces.”
Coupled with the globalisation of cute culture, Sonny Angels bear all the earmarks of inner child consumerism and ‘retail therapy’—the modern idea of shopping with the primary purpose of improving one’s mood or disposition. They’re the common rationale for purchasing things you don’t necessarily need but want.
But it’s worth noting that Beanie Babies, Shopkins, Polly Pockets and Hatchimals have all evolved from toys to financial investments for young adults. In the case of Sonny Angels, the blind box figurines are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. But rest assured, they will bring you happiness.
@angybunnie ♬ original sound - reposts.4.u.31
