Sonny Angels are the new Gen Z obsession: Women in their 20s can’t get enough of ‘little friends’ who provide ‘healing moments’

Gen Z’s latest lifestyle craze comes in the form of a male cherub doll wearing nothing but a quirky hat.

Created by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya, Sonny Angels was first launched in 2005, but thanks to social media, the dolls have witnessed a surge in popularity.

TikTok fans have been unboxing the quirky figurines online, showing off their impressive collections, which are being marketed as ‘little friends’ that can ‘bring healing moments into your everyday life’, rather than being aimed at children.

The brand works with blind box packaging, meaning consumers don’t know what they will receive until they buy one. There are more than 650 variants available.

Prices start at £10, but the ultra-rare, in-demand dolls, such as the ‘Golden Pig’, can sell for more than £2,000 on second-hand shopping sites such as eBay.

Japan, Taiwan, the US, Hong Kong and Korea all have Sonny Angel stores, while UK fans buy the naked dolls online or from retailers.

Although the designs of the dolls vary, they are all distinguished by fun headgear that resembles fruits, vegetables, animals or flowers.

The trend also extends to celebrities. Supermodel Bella Hadid previously shared a photo of the dolls on her Instagram story, while Iris Law has done the same.

The website describes Sonny Angel as a “little angel boy who wears a headdress, will continue to watch over you, provide healing and bring more smiles to all of us in the world.”

It continues, “He is always by your side to make you laugh. Sonny Angel provides healing moments in your daily life.

‘It is a welcome presence at the entrance to your home, next to your bed, on your desk and in so many other places.’

The Instagram-friendly element of the toys means it’s no surprise the brand has a presence on social media, with people sharing their love for them online.

And on TikTok, #sonnyangel has been viewed 41.7 million times, with fans taking to the platform to show off their extensive collections.

A woman named Kayla, a 24-year-old college student from New York, has 65 Sonny Angel dolls and runs an account dedicated to them on Instagram.

The social media star, who attends doll-swapping events in the Big Apple, shared Nylon that they help others ‘escape the mundane’.

“Loving Sonny Angels has especially become publicly accepted because while they are indeed silly toys, there seems to be a common understanding: they bring us happiness,” she explained.

Elsewhere, another fan called Destination19, from California, took to TikTok to share her collection.

In the clip, in which she referred to the dolls as her “babies,” she raved about her cohort, which included more than fifty dolls.

Another enthusiast, Kristyhas taken her love for Sonny Angels to the next level and bought clothes for her dolls.

Kristy bases a lot of her content on the dolls, showing off the ‘jorts’ and shoes she was looking at in one clip.

Student Kyra Maxine Gomez, 22, from the Philippines explains republicasiamedia.com that she discovered the dolls through TikTok and Pinterest and feels like they represent her baby.

“I thought, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be so cute if my boyfriend and I had a little baby version of ourselves and took it on dates?'” she recalls.

In the meantime, Kimberlyfrom Britain, has started a Sonny Angel series on TikTok, where she unboxes her new items.

Collectively, the series of her first Sonny Angel dolls has been viewed more than 140,000 times.

Viewers took to the comments section to share their thoughts on Kimberley’s videos and Sonny Angels, with some even claiming they were “spending their savings on it.”

“The apple is my dream, I want it so bad,” another added.

“Stop that, that’s so cute,” said a third. ‘Look at the belly!

“No, I’m obsessed,” one person added.

“Now I want one,” another insisted. ‘They are so cute!’