Healing Your Inner Child with Sonny Angels: A Beginner’s Guide
If there’s one thing Gen Z values, it’s their dedication to “healing the inner child,” reclaiming hobbies and objects otherwise seen as “childish” well into their late teens and mid-twenties. In the past year, Sonny Angels have become collectors’ new objects of affection, emerging as the latest craze following Smiskis and Squishmallows.
Suppose you’re a beginner looking to dive into the world of Sonny Angels. In that case, this guide will walk you through the ins and outs of the community, from terminologies and rarities to trading and selling tips, product recommendations, and more.
What are Sonny Angels?
Described on Sonny Angels’ official website as a “little angel boy who likes wearing all sorts of headgear,” these cherub figures were created by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya in 2005. Soeya shared that Angels were made with the purpose of accompanying working women in their late 20s, as the figures are under three inches tall, designed to fit in one’s pocket.
Sonny Angels come in two main categories: Regular and Limited Series. Regulars feature naked babies with simple headgear, representing common themes like animals, fruits, sweets, and more. They are continuously available and restocked when sold out.
Limited series, on the other hand, often only have a one-time release and have more intricate designs, usually featuring clothed babies with timely themes such as the annual Christmas ornament series and the newly released Valentines series.
One of the biggest delights in Sonny Angel collecting is how they come in blind boxes, bringing excitement in the fact that you don’t know which specific design you’ll get, with Regular babies getting equal chances of being received. Both Regular and Limited series, however, may contain “Secret” and “Robby” figures that have a 1/144 chance of appearing, making them very rare and highly sought after by collectors.
Lastly, “Hippers” are figures who have adhesives where their bellies would be, used by collectors to stick on their items or phone cases to carry around or display.
Where to Buy Sonny Angels?
You can find Sonny Angels in various stores, including Newbury Comics, Urban Outfitters, Kinokuniya, Fully Booked, Books-A-Million, Sanrio, and H Mart. On top of the Sonny Angel website where you can order series online, Sonny Angel USA app is also a great resource for finding which stores near your location carry certain series.
If you would like to purchase a specific Sonny Angel design without the risk of testing your luck with blind boxes, collectors also list their babies on online marketplaces such as DePop, Mercari and Poshmark for easy browsing.
Sonny Angel Trading Communities
On top of being surrounded by individuals who share the same interest in collecting babies, online trading communities are your next best source of finding rarer items.
As the popularity of Sonny Angels grew in the latter half of 2023, the number of members in Facebook groups, Reddit forums, and Instagram and TikTok collecting pages also surged.
Tanya Garcia, a collector under the name “Strawberrii Tales” and a crafter from Metro Manila, Philippines, currently owns almost 70 Sonny Angels. Besides the joy of purchasing Sonny Angels, she found that interacting with the buy-and-sell communities further elevated the experience.
“If you don’t belong to any communities yet, try to join. This helped me a lot when I was starting. A lot of people are willing to help newbies to get the best possible experience and help you out in almost anything,” Garcia said.
Key Phrases
While Garcia claims community members are willing to help beginners, entering the Sonny Angel collecting community can feel like stepping into a new world with its own language.
Here’s a quick guide to some commonly used terms when buying and selling:
LFB/LFS: Looking for buyer/Looking for seller
WTS/UFS: Want to sell/Up for sale
WTT/UFT: Want to trade/Up for trade
ISO: In search of; items a user is looking for
DISO: Desperately in search of; items a user is looking for with higher priority
Prio: ”Priority”; the Sonny Angel at the top of your wishlist
Ship: Shipping fee
Tips for Buying, Selling, and Trading Sonny Angels
Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or trader, here are general tips to enhance your experience in the Sonny Angel community:
Buyers:
- Ask for adequate proof to avoid scams.
- Avoid claiming an item if not entirely sure to prevent wasting sellers’ time.
Sellers:
- Pack your angels securely to ensure they arrive in good condition.
- Be transparent about the condition of your angels.
Traders:
- Be honest if you’re not interested in a trade offer.
- Avoid entertaining multiple trades simultaneously.
Displaying your Collection
Now that you’ve collected a couple of Sonny Angels, what’s the next step? Just like any other collector, you may find a sense of joy in displaying the babies in your room, on work desks, inside keychain holders, or other places. It is essential to regularly dust the babies with a soft brush, especially if displayed at home, and to avoid direct sunlight to maintain their vibrant colors. Quality products like the ones below are also important to keep the babies safe and protected.
Customizing Sonny Angels: A Personal Touch
Besides simply displaying your Sonny Angel collection, some collectors like Garcia have ventured into customizing the figures for their own personal touch and interest.
Prior to Sonny Angels, Garcia collected My Melody plush and hard figures, delving into miniatures, dollhouses, and ball-jointed dolls. She created her Instagram account in July, 2023, to showcase her collections online. Garcia’s introduction to the popularity of Sonny Angels came when a collector commissioned her to transform a figure into the Sanrio character.
Her customization process involves meticulous steps such as sculpting, sanding down the designs, and painting. She shared a customized Vintage Strawberry Shortcake Sonny Angel project in a Facebook group, her most popular creation to date, with 34,000 likes. The passion others had for her craft propelled her to turn her passion into a business venture.
“I was ecstatic, especially when it gained the first thousand likes, and then people started following the account too, it was so unreal,” Garcia recalled. “People kept asking me to commission it for them, but I was unsure I wanted to do that since it was supposed to be a OOAK (one-of-a-kind) project. I eventually gave in and opened 15 slots for commission. I honestly thought I’d have orders for maybe 10 pieces at most, but the day I opened the slots, I found myself having to add 10 more slots due to multiple requests from people.”
For those interested in customization, Tanya Garcia advises starting with air-dry or foam clay for customization, avoiding acetone or alcohol for cleaning stains, and seeking out a supportive community for mutual encouragement.
Embracing the Joy of Collecting
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting, the world of Sonny Angels offers a journey filled with surprises, unique customization, and a supportive community. From understanding the terminologies to finding the perfect display, the key to a fulfilling Sonny Angel collecting experience lies in the joy of discovery and the connections made with others who, above all, just want to share the love for the cherubs that have made many people smile.
Interested in more creative items to add to your collection? Check out our small business spotlights here!
