New York City Goes Crazy for Sonny Angels

These plastic figurines are all New Yorkers can talk about.

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Shoppers crowded in front of an.me's East Village on Nov. 22 to get their hands on a figurine from the new Sonny Angel collection: A Happy Christmas Dinner with Sonny Angel. Over 1,300 different Sonny Angels have been made since the first Sonny Angel was produced in May 2004 by Japanese Toy maker Toru Soey. Customers in line said that Sonny Angels are more than three-inch collectibles, but a way to foster community and joy.

Yuki, a Brooklyn resident in her mid-twenties who did not give her last name due to privacy concerns, waited in line with her boyfriend. 

“They just make me happy,” Yuki said. “It’s like a real baby. It brings you together like a family.”

Yuki told 101 News Stop that she’s collected Sonny Angels for two years and has acquired over 75 of the cherub-like figurines. She runs an Instagram account, where she posts her collection and connects with other Sonny Angel lovers. She and other Sonny Angel enthusiasts plan to host a “Sonnysgiving meet” in Washington Square Park, inviting collectors to socialize and trade with one another.

“I didn’t know about the trading community until this year,” Yuki said. “It’s an awesome, beautiful community.” 

It’s also a large community. 

On TikTok, #sonnyangel has over 198,000 videos, and #anme — referring to the An.mé stores — has 19,600 videos. 

“It’s like a global phenomenon,” said Ellie Polleux, an avid collector. “When it comes to Sonny Angels, there’s something for everyone.”

Polleux brought her two friends, Maxwell Madison and Alexandra Worms, to wait in the thirty-minute line for the drop. The college students said Polleux “influenced” them into buying their first Sonny Angel.

The trio opened their Sonny Angels upon exiting the shop, with people in line looking on in anticipation. When they unveiled their figurines, the onlookers unleashed a symphony of excited giggles and cheers.

High school student Maggie, who did not give her last name due to privacy concerns, came from her home in Brooklyn to get her hands on the new launch. Maggie told 101 News Stop she once hated Sonny Angels, but had a change of heart.

“To be honest with you, I despised them,” Maggie said. “And then I started looking into them more and I was like, ‘Oh, they're actually really cute.’ They’re just like a little magnet that just attracts you.”

Now, Maggie has over 20 Sonny Angels of her own, and hopes to attend a Sonny Angel meetup in the coming year.

“It definitely creates a community,” Maggie said. “Sonny Angels are just something everyone can relate to.”