Sonny Angel

Sonny Angel is a line of cherub figurines created by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, the CEO of the Japanese company, Dreams Inc. The name is derived from Soeya's nickname, 'Sonny'. Sonny Angels are sold in blind boxes, with figures featuring different headgear and occasionally different outfits in various collections. The slogan of Sonny Angel is, "he may bring you happiness."

Sonny Angels are often purchased as collectibles. Some Sonny Angels are resold for far more than their original retail value and are often exchanged or resold at trading events and online resale platforms.

Origins

Sonny Angel was launched on May 15, 2004. The figurine started as an 18-centimeter (7-inch) doll and was inspired by the character Kewpie. Sonny was later transformed into a 7-centimeter (3-inch) minifigure and is now sold in over 33 countries.Sonny Angel was first designed to offer comfort to young working women in Japan during a time of economic uncertainty. The figurines were released during Japan's mild recession, which eventually got worse during the 2008 financial crisis.

The Sonny Angel figurines are sold as blind boxes, a category of collectible product that makes the contents of the package a mystery until it is opened. The concept of the blind box originated commercially in the 1980s, inspired by the Japanese tradition of " Fukubukuro", which translates to "good luck bag". The blind box industry originated in the early 99century in Japanese department stores with collectible cards. With a concurrent rise in the popularity of fashion toys, the industry attracted further investment and gained attention from both merchants and investors. Early versions of the blind box concept were seen in Gashapon toys, where small blind-box capsule toys were dispensed through vending machines.

Media

Sonny Angel figurines grew in popularity on TikTok, where the hashtag "#sonnyangel" gathered over 95 million views as of April 2023. In these short TikTok videos, people would create videos that showed unboxings, fan art, purchase hauls, and meetups with other Sonny Angel fans. The viral nature of the figurine, in addition to the publicized scarcity of certain variants has increased consumer demand.

''The New York Times'' covered a Sonny Angel figurines event on April 6, 2023, where 150 people met in Washington Square Park to buy, sell, and trade the dolls with other enthusiasts.

Sonny Angels was featured on a ''Saturday Night Live'' sketch on May 4, 2024, where Marcello Hernández, Dua Lipa and Bowen Yang performed a sketch about the craze surrounding the figurines. In the sketch, Yang played a Sonny Angel fighting Hernández's character to win the romantic attention of Lipa, a Sonny Angel collector.

Collaborations

Donna Wilson

In June 2022, Sonny Angel partnered with London-based textile artist Donna Wilson to create the "Creature Series". This collaboration introduced 12 mini figurines and one secret figurine which were each wrapped in cottage-shaped blind boxes.

KEMElife

In July 2022, Sonny Angel collaborated with KEMElife, an art toy brand, to develop the "Everything Have Souls" series, featuring a rabbit and a tiger, which symbolizes innocence and bravery, respectively, in Chinese folklore.

Casetify

In July 2024, Sonny Angel collaborated with Casetify, an accessories brand, to offer phone cases and accessories, inspired by the Sonny Angel Harvest Series, with fruit and vegetable motifs. The collection was released on July 19, 2024, and included items such as the Sonny Angel x CASETiFY Heart Metal Phone Strap and a limited-edition blind box containing a Harvest Heart Series Case and matching Sonny Angel Hipper.

Sales

Sonny Angel figurines are typically priced between $10 and $12 each depending on the series and retailer. Limited-edition releases have created a resale market where certain figurines can command prices significantly above retail, driven by collector demand and scarcity. On online platforms such as eBay and Depop, rare figurines are often resold at higher prices, with some reaching up to ten times the original cost. For example, "secret" figurines can sell for up to $250 on eBay.

Trading among collectors through events that are organized by Sonny Angel consumers is common. Collectors often seek specific figures to finish a series or acquire rare editions. Some Sonny Angel enthusiasts are sellers and can sell anywhere between 500 and 1,000 Sonny Angels per week.

Sales of Sonny Angels increased in late 2024 and brought in revenue of over $5million dollars for the brand.

Some popular Sonny Angel series include "Hippers - Harvest Series", "Animal 4 Series", and "Marine Series".

Cultural impact

Gen Z

Most fans of Sonny Angels are members of Generation Z. The collectible figurines have been heavily featured on social media platforms including TikTok, resulting in a massive supply shortage amongst the brands' 441 authorized retailers.

Some attribute mental health benefits to the figurines, as some claim that the dolls provide comfort and nostalgia for one's childhood. Some also claim that the dolls provide emotionally isolated college students with a sense of personal connection and companionship.

The affordability of the figures may be part of the appeal to Gen Z fans, enabling consumers to build sizable collections.

References

{{reflist

Figurines
Toy collecting
Doll brands
Japanese dolls
Toy figurines