Sonny Angel

Sonny Angel is a line of cherub figurines created by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, who is the CEO of the Japanese company Dreams. The character's name is derived from Soeya's nickname, 'Sonny'. Sonny Angels come in blind boxes, with different headgears and occasionally, different outfits in various collections. The Sonny Angel slogan is "He may bring you happiness."

People often buy Sonny Angels for their collectible nature. Some Sonny Angels are resold for far more than their retail value and are often exchanged or resold at trading events.

Origins

Sonny Angel was born on May 15, 2004. The figurines started out as an 18 centimeter (7 inch) doll and had been inspired by the character Kewpie. Sonny later became a 7 centimeter (3 inch) mini figure and is now sold in over 33 countries.

Some Sonny Angel collections include a Robby mini figure, who is described as Sonny's best friend. Robby has the ability to camouflage and can change outfits with Sonny. In collections containing a Robby figure, the chances of getting a Robby is much smaller than those of getting a Sonny, with 1 out of every 144 figures being a Robby.

In media

News Articles

Sonny Angel was 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 stresses of adulthood. " This article was created after a Sonny Angel meetup in Washington Square Park, where people met to trade and bond over their love of Sonny Angel. This meetup was sponsored by the toy store an.mé, which has two locations in the West and East Villages of Manhattan, and had 150 people in attendance.

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 refers to the naked nature of the doll as Sonny is almost always naked, donning just a headgear. While there are some limited series that feature him clothed, it is an uncommon appearance. Therefore, 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.

Television

Sonny Angel was featured in a Challengers-inspired sketch on a season 49 episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by pop singer Dua Lipa that aired on May 4th, 2024.

Mini Figure (Regular Series)

Sonny Angel has a continuous collection 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 Angels whose images appear on the box, as well as, a secret Sonny and Robby. These series were refined in 2018 and 2019, with minor changes to Sonny and updated packaging, but the characters have largely 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 Sonny is Chipmunk. The Robby is green.

The unrefined Animal Series 1 includes the Rabbit, Elephant, Panda, Tiger, Cockerel, Dalmatian, Frog, Koala, Monkey, Sloth, Cheetah, Crocodile, and Lion. The secret Sonny 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 Sonny is Kappa. The Robby is pink.

The unrefined Animal Series 2 includes the Mouse, Lesser Panda, Fawn, Cow, Uribou, Sheep, Reindeer, Pig, Giraffe, Parakeet, Rhinoceros, and White Bear.

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 Sonny 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 Sonny 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 Sonny 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 Sonny 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 Sonny 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 Sonny 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 Sonny is Mushroom. The Robby is turquoise.