Who's That Angel?

by Danielle Jaculewicz

It is not unlikely that one may witness the phone case of a fellow student (including myself) adorned with a little angel perched on top while walking through the halls of Gallatin. This smiling little boy wears a hat— consisting of anything between a tomato and a tiger— and has a name: Sonny. To be exact, Sonny Angel gets his name from the Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya. Thousands of miles away from his birthplace, why is Sonny circulating around NYU?

Toru Soeya founded the toy distribution company Dreams in 1996. Dreams sells anything from glowing bath goods to piggy banks, but after nine years of successful manufacturing, Soeya launched the Sonny Angel figurine. While there have been 18 years of Sonny Angel, Soeya’s inspiration goes all the way back to the early twentieth century. Sonny’s predecessor is named Kewpie, originally drawn by the illustrator Rose O’Neill as a comic illustration. O’Neill’s Kewpie became the pinnacle of her career and led to the manifestation of three dimensional Kewpie figurines.

Throughout the early 1900s, when illustrations were still the main mode of marketing, Kewpie was drawn onto many advertisements. He became so popular as to appear in the ads for massive corporations like Kellogg’s and Jell-O, clearly demonstrating how the image of a cute cherub has long been a way to win over the hearts and bank accounts of consumers on a global scale.

Sonny Angel’s original intended audience is the 25-year-old Japanese working woman. Though this woman was the target consumer, Sonny offers the same cute sentiment for virtually anyone. With millions of hits online, Sonny Angel has reached a large demographic of those craving some whimsical joy. He draws even more attention than just online searches or one time purchases— many people devotedly work to amass huge collections. With thousands of different hats, Sonny is an exciting collectible to have because each box is a surprise as to which version you will receive.

Image courtesy of *Metropolitan News Enterprise*

Dutiful Sonny Angel collectors met this spring in Washington Square Park, bringing enough attention for the New York Times and Buzzfeed News to cover it. Seeing as one of the biggest Sonny Angel meetups was on our campus, it is not hard to see why NYU students go crazy for Sonny. The New York Times reported that people in attendance were on the hunt for some of the rarer versions to add to their collections, most notably the Robby Angel. Although his picture appears on every box presented as Sonny’s best friend, there is only a roughly one in 144 chance of getting Robby Angel. These collectors created a community that enthusiastically shares their love of the figurine— The New York Times interviewed many people at the meet-up, many of whom, unsurprisingly, were NYU students. Students talked about how Sonny Angel helped heal their inner child and provide character to their homes.

It was not until the start of college that I longed for the nostalgic elements of my childhood. Starting a Sonny Angel collection was something I stumbled into when I wandered into An.Me, a toy shop on East 9th between First and Second Avenue. Seeing all the cute toys like Sonny Angels, Monchichis, and Calico Critters reminded me of being a little girl in the very best way. I walked out of the store with one of the greatest ten-dollar purchases I have made in a while.

My Sonny Angel collection has only grown and gone with me from place to place as I have moved around the city. If there is any one thing I have gained in purchasing Sonny Angels, it is the reminder to lean into the lightheartedness of life despite the stress of growing up. As I write, my little carrot Sonny Angel sits perched on my laptop and, as silly as it may seem, serves as a gesture to move through college and life with levity.