On Medill sophomore Bazil Frueh’s desk, an approximately four-inch cherub in a starfish hat sits next to a collection of books, peering at its owner with wide eyes. His dorm is dotted with these figurines, called Sonny Angels — they hang off his bed, stand by the window and rest on tables.
Across campus, students collect Sonny Angels in different ways. NYLON dubbed the toy as “Gen Z’s darling,” while on TikTok, #sonnyangel has garnered 734 million views. Now, collectors post pictures of their figurines, host meetups and trade toys.
“Honestly, I just think they’re cute,” Frueh said. “I love putting them in places that interact with my stuff. I think it’s fun.”
Each cherub has wings on its back and wears a funky, colorful hat. The brand sells more than 650 kinds of Sonny Angel figurines, separated into different collections, including the Vegetable Series and the Winter Wonderland Series.
Japanese toy designer Toru Soeya designed the figurines as companions for working women in their 20s. Released in 2005, the figurines aim to bring happiness and deliver smiles around the world, according to the toy’s website.
Weinberg freshman Kira Hughes said she resonates with the story behind the figurines.
She added that her sister collects Sonny Angels, and Hughes likes to borrow them from her sister’s room.
“I may be 19, but I feel like a woman in my 20s who’s working,” Hughes said. “I need a little companion to calm me down.”
Medill sophomore Sarah Kim, who owns a few dolls, said Sonny Angels are marketed well on social media. She often sees photos of the cherubs tacked on cell phones or posed against various backdrops.
“There’s something very cool and appealing when people post with the Sonny Angels with aesthetic backgrounds,” Kim said.
The dolls are sold in blind boxes. Kim feels satisfaction opening the packaging because she doesn’t know which design she will pull, she said.
Frueh purchased the Mount Fuji Sonny Angel from the Japanese Good Luck Series while studying abroad in Japan. The figurine wears a blue dome-shaped hat that mimics a mountain. Now, it sits on Frueh’s shelf, reminding him of the special memories from his time abroad.
When he was in Japan, Frueh said he “stocked up” on Sonny Angels, since the angels are less expensive there than they are in the United States. Though he owns eight angels, he has also bought about 20 to gift to friends, he said.
Frueh described collecting Sonny Angels as a “weird, addictive habit.” Once you buy one, it’s hard to stop collecting, he said.
“Wherever I was, I’d be checking to see if there were any Sonny Angels that I hadn’t found before, just ones I could get my friends,” Frueh said. “It’s such a good gift.”
SESP junior Mia Xia said she was initially confused by the popularity of “just a naked baby.” But, after her first unboxing, she understood the hype, she said.
Xia also collects other trinkets from brands and enjoys finding things that spark joy, she said.
“These days, there’s a huge spike in just being a girl and liking cute things,” Xia said.
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