The tiny doll that has Bella Hadid, Victoria Beckham and Gen Z in a chokehold.

Unashamedly nude and usually wearing a wild hat, Sonny Angel has women in their teens, twenties and beyond absolutely besotted. Born in 2004 with cherubic features, a shy smile and a promise that "he may bring you happiness", his popularity is continuing to grow the world over. 

Even high-profile celebs aren't immune. Bella Hadid shared snaps of her angelic collection on Instagram, and Victoria Beckham showed her Sonny love in a bathroom mirror selfie, the tiny doll adorning her phone.

You would be forgiven for thinking that perhaps Sonny is a hot new actor or pop artist, but in fact, he is a seven-centimetre-tall doll. His aesthetic is inspired by the classic kewpie doll, and his name is derived from his Japanese creator, Toru "Sonny" Soeya.

Soeya is CEO of the company Dreams, which produces a range of cute figurines and products that are distributed to more than 30 countries worldwide. Having launched Dreams in 1996 with the mission to "provide healing and joy", Soeya’s vision in creating Sonny Angel was with the 20-something working Japanese woman in mind, to bring a moment of happiness amidst the stresses of young adulthood.

"Aside from how cute and sweet they are, I love how they allow us adults to enjoy them for our inner child," said Lucy, 24, who has built a collection of 30 Sonny Angel dolls in just a year.

Lauren, 20, is also a fan. "I love the simple cuteness of taking them on little adventures. They bring me so much joy in a period of my life where things aren't all joyful."

Lauren, 20, with one of her Sonny Angels. Image: Supplied.

Sold as a 'blind box', part of the Sonny Angel appeal is the thrill of the surprise — you don't know which little angel you'll get until you open the packaging. With more than 650 figures to collect, there are currently nine regular series sets, each comprising 12 angels, plus two 'secrets' — which you have about a one in 144 chance of finding. Limited-edition themed series are also constantly being released, the latest of which is a set of six (plus two secret) Sonny Angels wearing Jurassic-themed headwear with colour coordinated overalls (yes, sometimes he does wear clothes!)

"I love the experience of opening Sonny Angels and the excitement and happiness it brings when you unbox a Sonny and get the one you want," explained Natalie, 21, who has been collecting Sonny Angels for about 18 months and has already amassed a collection of more than 50 dolls.

While the Sonny Angel promise of bringing happiness seems to ring true for these women, it certainly doesn't come cheap.

In Australia, a Sonny Angel blind box can range from $18.95 for a regular series figure to $24.95 for a limited series figure. Comparatively, Sonny Angels are more affordable overseas, where collectors can pick up a regular series figure for around $11 (JPY1100) in Japan, $13 (HKD72) in Hong Kong, or $14 (USD10) in the US.

Perhaps driving the higher price in Australia is their scarcity, as only a small number of boutique toy and gift stores across the country stock the dolls. These stores often sell out quickly, and limited series pre-release orders are usually gone within minutes. 

And the most highly sought-after angels and 'secrets' can reach re-sale price tags into the hundreds within online fan groups.

Lucy, 24, has spent hundreds building her Sonny Angel collection. Image: Supplied.

 Lucy said that she has spent hundreds of dollars building her collection, with the most she has spent on a single Sonny Angel being $100. Natalie has lost track of her Sonny spend, but said it’s probably too much, while super-collector Diana, 27, admitted that her 150-strong collection has set her back at least $3,000 over the past two years. 

"He's a quirky little guy that brings me joy," she explained simply.

Part of this joy is the shared experience of curating an ever-evolving Sonny Angel collection and the sense of community that is built in online fan groups.

"I love the Sonny Angel community," said Natalie, who is a member of one of the many private Facebook fan groups where members can buy, sell and trade. 

Lauren agreed, and said that the community behind Sonny Angel is one of her favourite things about being a collector.

The largest Australian online group, Sonny Angel Collectors (Australia) has around 6,300 members. It is not only a vibrant digital marketplace, but a place for fans share their Sonny-inspired crafts, like tiny crocheted clothing and cute custom keyrings, as well as ideas on how best to display their growing collections. They even organise real-life meet-ups.

Whether it's this sense of community, the thrill of opening a surprise package, or the simple joy of taking this little doll on an adventure, Sonny Angel is clearly an anchor for Gen Z and late-Millennials as they navigate early adulthood. So while 20 bucks may seem like an absurd amount for a plastic doll to some, it's a small price to pay for a sense of comfort and happiness.

Yonna is a writer exploring culture, mental health, neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, feminism, parenting and holistic living (it's a lot, she’s endlessly curious). She is also the author and illustrator of a children’s book titled Do the Drac!.

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