Sonny Angels are the cool girl’s new best friend. You can find these little cherub babies on people’s phones, peeking over laptops or simply accompanying their owners for everyday tasks.

Sonny Angels are mini cherub doll figurines that look a little like a Kewpie doll. Each comes in a blind box, which adds to the excitement of collecting them. The series includes marine, animal and fruit dolls, not to mention their limited series, which include the cat life and summer vacation dolls.

With every box, you get the chance to find 12 different variations of Sonny, or a Robby. Robby is a special doll known as the best friend of the Sonny Angels and is extremely rare. But in my eyes, Robby essentially robs you of a Sonny Angel, and I despise the little rabbit.

But what makes these dolls so special? Despite the constant questions of “What is that thing?” or “Why is it naked?”, I proudly carry around my collection of Sonnys because it’s like a little best friend that I can take when I do my everyday tasks like going to the grocery store, studying or even working.

This is precisely what the creator, Toru Soeya, intended while creating these toys. He designed the doll to accompany working women in their 20s during the stresses of adulthood. And it’s exactly what people all over the country and even the world have been doing.

Nationwide, Sonny Angel meet-ups are being held so owners can sell and trade their dolls. The New York meetups are most notable, with the latest one in June boasting over 400 attendees. Los Angeles has also had them, but to my disappointment, there haven’t been many in the San Fernando Valley.

If you want to get into collecting Sonny Angels, here are some tricks to get started:

1. Try visiting Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, Tokyo Lifestyle, and Little Tokyo to look for Sonny Angels. To be honest, some of these places are slightly overpriced, with the highest price being $20 and the lowest price being $9. Just make sure you look for affordable prices to save some money.
2. Attend a Sonny Angel meetup! I still have never attended one, but the idea of meeting more people in the community and getting the chance to trade for my favorites sounds super exciting.
3. Join a Sonny Angel Facebook group or Discord server! This seems a little dorky, but it’s been a great help to find stores that sell them in my area, especially since there currently is a Sonny Angel shortage.
4. Create a Sonny Angel account on Instagram or TikTok. Many people own accounts and can make friends to trade and sell their angels online. You can even get popular on the platforms since the dolls are trendy.

Sonny Angels are the perfect companion for people to bring along during their busy lives, and have been a fun stress reliever for me over the last couple of months. I recommend buying your first Sonny Angel and enjoying the happiness it brings to your life.