The Appeal Surrounding Sonny Angels and Smiskis

Isabelle Ng

The two Japanese figurines, Sonny Angel and Smiski, have been on the rise, appearing on people’s phone cases, workspaces and kitchens. A mini naked baby and a glow in the dark creature–what’s the appeal?

Sonny Angel was introduced to the public in March 2005. Created by Toru Soeya, Sonny Angel serves as a tiny companion to working adults going through the stresses of adulthood. They are packaged as a blind box, with a selection of 10 different series, each one having around 12 figures with various headpieces and shirts.

Recently, more Sonny Angels can be found on top of phone cases. Chelsea Lee (VA ‘24) has a pink bunny Sonny Angel attached to her phone, and explained, “I find them really cute, and because of the variety, I find myself wanting more.” 

While these $15 figurines are in a shortage in the United States, not everyone seems to get the appeal. Elise Park (FTV ‘24) expressed, “It’s ugly and their facial expressions are creepy.”

Another beloved figurine, Smiskis, was introduced to the United States in 2018 and was created under Toru Soeya’s company, Dream. They are bald, curious, glow-in-the-dark figures that can be found hiding in the corners of a room or in small spaces. Like Sonny Angel, Smiskis come in the form of a blind box, so there is no guarantee of a certain figure from the 14 different series. A few of the popular series are their lifestyle series, bath series and work series.

Olivia Yun (VA ‘25) uses Smiskis to decorate her room. She shared, “Collecting Smiskis helps me fixate on something other than academics, and they're cute! They add a little surprise to my room, especially when they glow in the dark!” 

Personally, I would always choose Smiskis. The rush of excitement I get when unpackaging the box is like no other. The expressionless figures that hide on my shelf and desk bring me joy every day. While I do find Sonny Angels super cute, their eyes scare me, and I prefer the nonchalant face Smiskis give me when I place them around my room.