Sonny Angels may be pointless, but they’re still delightful
2-9-2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Stephanie Vinzens
They’re cute, naked and, on first inspection, pretty useless. But as pointless as they may be, I’ve stuck them to just about all of my devices. Now, I can’t imagine my workspace without them. Here’s why.
I still vividly remember the first time I came across a Sonny Angel. Having glanced over at my coworker Laura, I spotted him cheekily climbing over the edge of her laptop, a radish squished onto his head as a helmet, his bare bum waving in my direction. Seeing it immediately triggered a sense of cute aggression within me – that strange urge to squeeze things we find adorable. Quite a feat for an inanimate object.
Collectibles that do more than just lie around
I eventually found out that this cute little munchkin was a Sonny Angel from the Japanese company Dreams Inc. These baby angel figurines wear funky hats inspired by animals, fruit, vegetables and various other themes. Now, here’s the thing: although I think collectible figurines are cute, I never really know where to put them. In the end, they wind up gathering dust on a less prominent shelf, before being relegated to a drawer. It’s sad, really.
Sonny Angels’ Hippers range was created to address this very dilemma. Instead of standing on two legs like typical figurines, the angels have an adhesive strip allowing you to stick them to different objects. This instantly turns them into accessories. By the way, the sticky pad is reusable. Simply rinse it with water and once it’s dry, you’ll be able to use it again.
Just a few days after seeing Laura’s Sonny Angel for the first time, I had my own little mischievous cherub stuck to my MacBook. Since then, he’s gained a few Sonny Angel companions who’ve found homes on my Kindle, my speakers and even my TV. But who says Hippers are only for gadgets? Placed in unexpected spots around the house – perhaps the back of a chair or next to the coffee maker – they work well as playful little accents.
Stick your way to happiness
Admittedly, you could describe Sonny Angels as pointless. At the end of the day, all they do is look cute. But hey, sometimes that’s worth something. There have been multiple studies demonstrating that cute things impact us; they activate the parts of our brain associated with reward and positive emotions. A 2012 study named The Power of Kawaii even demonstrated that people worked with greater focus and care after looking at photos of baby animals.
I’d also say the Sonny Angels possess a childlike charm. They just put you – and others around you – in a good mood. They’re always putting smiles on people’s faces at the office. And they’ve even encouraged strangers to strike up conversations with me in cafes and at lectures.
Yes, these little angels serve a function I definitely hadn’t considered when the first «Aww» left my mouth: they’re surprisingly good ice-breakers. They provide people with an easy conversation starter and help ease the tension in awkward situations just a little bit.
The lucky bag principle
A major part of the fun begins even before you stick your angel down. Sonny Angels are sold in so-called blind boxes. You can choose a particular series, but you don’t know exactly which figurines will be inside the box. It’s only once you open it that you’ll find out if a sloth, a giraffe or some other adorable creature will be peeking over the edge of your screen. So, unboxing the Sonny Angels brings back an almost forgotten sense of childlike excitement.
Taken to the extremes, this lucky bag principle might make you turn into a bit of a collectibles fiend – and cost you a three-digit sum. At 20 to 30 francs per box, the figurines aren’t exactly cheap. That said, it might also teach you a valuable lesson: to be content with what you have. After all, it’s not as if you can lose. The designs are all so endearing that even angels that weren’t at the top of your wish list will quickly grow on you.
By the way, the Hippers series isn’t just made up of Sonny Angels. If you’d prefer to have Sanrio characters clinging to your laptop, you’ll find ones inspired by Hello Kitty and Friends. And if all that’s just a tad too saccharine for you, you could go for Smiski – little humanoid figures that glow in the dark – instead.
EUR25,71
Sonny Angel Sonny Angels Animal Hippers
Dreams Inc SONNY ANGEL Hippers Cherry Blossom Series 1pz Assortimento
EUR29,53
Sonny Angel Sonny Angels Harvest Hippers
EUR29,64
Sonny Angel Sonny Angels Looking Back
EUR28,05
Dreams Inc Hippers Hello Kitty & Friends 1pz Assortimento
Dreams Inc Smiski Hippers
Header image: Stephanie Vinzens
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
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