It is easy to go viral on TikTok… and the Sonny Angels are proof of that. For the past few weeks, social media has been filled with unboxing videos of these figurines. They are baby-shaped dolls with fruit and animal hats, which can be carried on phone cases or used as decorations.
These figurines are not only popular among Generation Z, but major celebrities like Bella Hadid, Victoria Beckham, and Rosalía have also embraced the trend of these angelic figures that are all the rage on TikTok.
Sonny Angels are small figurines shaped like adorable babies, featuring hats resembling fruits, animals, and other themes. They measure about 7 cm and are often used as decorations, such as on mobile phone cases. Similar to how, in the 2000s, we used to hang little dog-shaped figurines with large noses on our Nokia 3310s, today’s Generation Z carries these angelic figures on their phone cases.
However, they are not new. They were created by toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, CEO of Dreams, a Japanese company, in 2004. In case you were wondering about the origin of their name, the figurines are named after their creator’s nickname: “Sonny.”
The Sonny Angels are based on Kewpie, a character created by Rose O’Neill, a writer and illustrator who began making comic strips in 1909. The Kewpie stories were first published in Ladies’ Home Journal, a magazine targeted at housewives of the time, which released its final edition in 2016. As Kewpie grew in popularity, O’Neill started selling paper Kewpies, and by 1912, porcelain dolls were being produced in Germany.
These dolls became very famous during the first half of the 20th century. The name “Kewpie” derives from the Roman god of love, Cupid, which is pronounced /kjuːpɪd/ in English. O’Neill explained that “these characters are like little fairies that encourage people to be happy and kind at the same time,” a concept directly connected to the Sonny Angels’ slogan: “He may bring you happiness.”
Newspaper cartoon about Kewpie in a Jell-o advertisement in 1915.
In April 2023, New York Times featured an article on Sonny Angels, explaining what they are and highlighting an meetup that took place in Washington Square Park where collectors gathered to trade these figurines. This meet-up was sponsored by the clothing brand Torine, which also organized events when Sylvanian Families became trendy again in late 2023. It is similar to how we used to trade cards, pogs, or stickers with friends during recess, but now with corporate sponsors.
Sonny Angels have also appeared on television, becoming the focus of a sketch based on the movie Challengers in Saturday Night Live in May 2024.
In addition, they collaborated with designer Donna Wilson to release a collection in Japan in 2022. This collection includes 12 different figurines and one mystery figure. In fact, every collection features one secret figure, and collectors only have a 1-in-144 chance of finding it.
This secret figure is Robby, Sonny’s best friend. Robby appears to be an animal that resembles a dog, and he can swap outfits with Sonny.
@gracebrakerr the LUCK #sonnyangel #sonnyangels #fyp #sonnyangeltok @sonnyangel.usa ♬ Cute Circus – Tsundere Twintails
They have also collaborated with Casetify, the mobile phone case manufacturer, to create a collection that includes: a phone case, a charm, and a surprise box containing a phone case with a matching Sonny Angel from the Hipper collection.
Of course, many celebrities and influencers have been seen with these figurines, making them largely responsible for bringing this trend back 20 years after their creation.
Rosalia posing on her Instagram with a Sonny Angel on her phone.
If we add the TikTok craze surrounding these cherubic figures to all of this, we can easily answer the question: “Why are Sonny Angels so popular?“. The combination of social media buzz, high-profile collaborations, celebrity endorsements, and the nostalgia factor has propelled them back into the spotlight 20 years after their creation.
Due to their growing popularity, the price of Sonny Angels has also increased.
While one of these figurines and their surprise packs used to cost around 5 US dollars, their prices now range between 10 and 20 US dollars each. Although you can also buy the whole box for about 120$ if they are not sold out.
You can buy onw of this figurines in one of their official distributors around the world or via their official website online. There are only official online stores for Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, and the United States. However, most items are nearly sold out—not only on this website but in almost every online and physical store that sells them.
Due to the lack of stock and their rising prices, many imitations and counterfeits have appeared on large marketplaces like Aliexpress or Shein, offered at much lower prices than the original figures.
Sonny Angels USA store
A lot. However, they can be broadly divided into two major collections, each containing different sets of 12 figures, including one secret Sonny and one secret Robby.
The first is the “Regular Series,” which consists of 9 different collections that were updated in 2018 and 2019:
Each of these collections includes unique designs and surprises, which adds to their collectible charm.
The other collection is called the Hipper Series, designed with the idea of integrating Sonny Angels into your daily life. In this collection, the figures come with adhesive tape so you can stick them onto your electronic devices or any flat surface.
In addition, there are limited edition collections such as the Cat Life Series or Home Sweet Home Series.
Beyond Sonny Angels, their website also offers Smiski figures, another creation by Toru Soeya. These glow-in-the-dark figurines are presented as Sonny Angels’ best friends and are depicted performing various activities depending on the series they belong to: at work, in a museum, exercising, and more. And, unsurprisingly, these are also sold out.
Image: Sonny Angels
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Δ