Latest news with #SonnyAngels
CBC
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
What do you think of blind box toys?
You tell us Every month, we take a deep dive into a topic that's been making headlines in a series called KN Explains. We then ask you to Have Your Say by sharing your own experiences and opinions. Fill out the form to submit your answer to this month's question. Then check again next week to see if your thoughts are featured! What do you think of blind box toys? That's the question of the month. Blind boy toys like Labubus and Sonny Angels have been taking off. Spotted on the bags of celebrities and on countless social media posts, they're a popular trend. It's a trend experts say causes a surprise. That surprise then affects your brain and the happy chemicals it releases. What do you think of blind box toys? Are they worth it or do you see them as a total waste of money? Have you ever opened one? If so, what did it feel like? You have to tell us! Share your thoughts with CBC Kids News. Want to know more before you answer? Make up your mind by learning more CBC Kids News contributor Mela Pietrapaolo breaks it down in the latest KN Explains video. Click play to learn more about blind box toys like Labubus. Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the 'send us feedback' link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Buzz Feed
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Pokémon Might Be Headed To The Brisbane 2032 Olympics!
From Sonny Angels and Labubus to sneakers and comic books, it seems like everyone these days is collector. Now, one of your collections might actually get you into the Olympics — but only if you know how to use it. That's right, your days of ripping open packets of Pokémon cards and battling your friends could soon become an Olympic-qualifying sport. How? Well, the popular trading card game meets a number of eligibility criteria, making a strong case to the Australian Olympic Committee for consideration. A number of people have already signed a growing petition to make this happen — and you can too. Pokémon TCG's global appeal, competitive structure, international ranked players, inclusive nature and strong engagement from people under 30 make it suitable for consideration ahead of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. There's a full-format tournament at CollectFest 2025 — Australia's first festival for collectors — to showcase what the concept will look like on the Olympic stage. There'll be training, big competitions and even a learn-to-play session to get traders and contestants of all skills levels involved. People like Asif Mir are keen to make this happen in time for Brisbane 2032. 'This isn't just nostalgia. It's a serious competitive pursuit with national champions, international rankings, and millions of active players," says the long time collector and player. Director of CollectFest, Brendan Munchan explains that this bid for Pokémon TCG to be in the Olympics isn't to "replace traditional sport" but instead opens up a new possibility of giving strategy-based games their own "seat at the table". You can get involved in the tournament at CollectFest 2025 (or even, sign the petition) to give Pokémon TCG a fighting chance on the Olympic stage. What do you think of Pokémon joining the Olympics?
Irish Independent
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
The Labubu craze: What are the little monsters, why are they causing fights and should I have one hanging from my handbag?
For those of you not familiar, Sonny Angels originate from Japan. They have cute rosy cheeks, some form of hat and are usually trouser-less. Very odd when written out, but to look at they're adorable. Part of the appeal of these 'blind box' collectibles is that you can't see into the box that they come in, so you don't know which specific one you're going to get from the general theme you've chosen. I complimented Isobel's bag charm, and then joked about how many she had: her house is covered in them. They're not only keychains, people also stick them on shelves, laptops – any surface really. She informed me she had got an ultra-rare one which she bought for €15.90, but can be sold for around €150 online. Apparently bag charms are big business! If naked baby charms aren't your, ahem, bag, there's many more options. Jellycat stuffed animals – meant for kids but beloved by adults – have also hopped on the bag charm bandwagon, offering a wide range priced from €23-€30. Maybe you need a grumpy cloud to adorn your Birkin? Or you could keep it classic with a fluffy bunny. Or perhaps a monkey that sucks his thumb? In that case, look no further than a Monchhichi, the cute primate doll that first launched in 1974 whose latest incarnation is in keychains that start at around €20. Monchhichi hails from Japan, which is also the home to Sanrio, the company that created characters like Hello Kitty (also born in 1974) and Cinnamoroll, which are both popular for bag charms. However, today's most in-demand charms come from China. Labubus were created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung in 2015 but only recently sprung into mainstream popularity after Rihanna and K-Pop star Lisa, from band Blackpink, paired them with their designer bags. Little monsters inspired by Nordic fairy tales, these guys look like they're up to no good! You can buy a Labubu surprise box on for €19.20 – if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. The retailer recently halted selling the toys in its UK stores due to reports of fights between customers when new stock dropped. If you can't find the real deal, there's always 'Lafufu' – the name by which fake Labubus have become known. Yes, these little guys are in such high demand they're being counterfeited. Curious, I bought one from a store on Dublin's Moore Street. Just like a counterfeit handbag, it had all the tags included: a Pop Mart logo, a Kasing logo stamped on the foot and branding sewn onto the keychain strap. One major difference was that mine came in a clear box, so it wasn't a surprise. Probably for the best: I recently saw a TikTok of two girls unboxing their 'Lafufu' in the city centre. It looked nothing like the pictures listed on the box, one eye was bigger than the other and its feet were twisted in opposite directions… ouch. I'm undecided about this trend. On one hand, these charms are a symptom of late-stage capitalism. We're collecting items that are essentially worthless once they've been opened, and we're encouraged to buy them in mass – the more hanging off your purse the better. On the other hand, I think people are just trying to have fun. In a world that feels increasingly dark, why not have a silly little monster attached to your bag? Plus, there's always a cheaper Lafufu. I can't guarantee his eyes, or even his limbs, will even be facing in the right direction… but doesn't that add to the charm?
Buzz Feed
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
What Is A Labubu? Everything To Know About The Trendy Toy
In the era of sweet little treats and trying to ignore the dumpster fire state of the world with whimsical little trinkets, it's no surprise blind boxes are having a moment. Coming off the heels of Sonny Angels, Labubus are scratching that nostalgic and ugly-cute itch for those of us that grew up collecting Troll dolls or Beanie Babies back in the day. Now, I bet you're probably thinking, 'Okay, cool, but what the heck is a Labubu?' Well, the furry little creatures hail from a series of books called The Monsters by artist Kasing Lung. Lung — a Hong Kong-based artist living in the Netherlands — took inspiration from Nordic folklore and mythology to create these little mischievous elves, with their huge eyes and jagged little teeth. Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart to bring his creations to life off the page, and the rest is history. Besides Labubus, Pop Mart also sells collectibles of other creatures from the books. There's Zimomo, who is bigger than the Labubus and has a tail. He's the leader of the Monsters (fun fact: Labubus are canonically girlies!) and is described as being more mellow than the others. There's also Mokoko, who is pink, has a heart-shaped nose, and is described as a total sweetheart. All these characters — plus a ton of others from Pop Mart's various blind box collections — can be found IRL at the PopLand theme park in Beijing. While it's not too hard to find Pop Mart's other iconic collections, like Skullpanda, Crybaby, or Peach Riot (a personal favorite of mine, TBH), I'm sorry to say you won't be able to get your hands on a Labubu right now without putting up a bit of a fight first. That is unless you're A-OK with paying a boatload for resale or getting a Lafufu instead — the internet's teasing name for the plethora of decent-to-horrifyingly-botched Labubu knockoffs that have taken gas stations and flea markets alike by storm in the wake of the Labubu craze. I've gotta be honest with you, Lafufus are kinda iconic. As of right now, you can't simply walk into a Pop Mart store and buy a Labubu blind box off the shelves, unfortunately. If you happen to live near a Pop Mart Robo Shop (like the one off of Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles, which is essentially a vending machine), they occasionally restock them IRL, but they tend to sell out in the blink of an eye, so you've gotta be fast. Your best bet is to try and snatch one in their online drops — either on their website or through the TikTok Shop during Pop Mart's livestream — for face value (which is about $30), then have it shipped to your home or pick it up in-store. In my experience, I was only able to add one to my cart and cross my fingers as I checked out in hopes of it not selling out before I was able to press 'confirm,' but others have reported being able to use Pop Mart's virtual 'pick one to shake' option, which hints at which Monster might be inside (and confirms which one definitely isn't), allowing you to increase your chances of getting the one you want. This seems most common with Pop Mart's latest Labubu collection, Big Into Energy. In general, though, I've heard through the grapevine that the Pop Mart website tends to restock in small quantities around 7 p.m. PT daily, and that's how I got mine. On the slim chance that they do find their way to a store near you, like they did a little over two months ago when Pop Mart opened a new physical store in Culver City, be prepared to go into battle. I truly wish I were exaggerating, but the turnout for their Big Into Energy collection was so overwhelming and chaotic that they had to cancel it until a later time according to those who attended. All that being said…have you hopped on the Labubu bandwagon? Are you dying to get your hands on one or are you rolling your eyes at everybody losing their minds over a plushie? Or are you simply enjoying the secondhand serotonin from watching other people unbox theirs? Tell us your take in the comments below.
Euronews
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Labubu: Why is everyone so obsessed with these 'creepy' dolls?
What's happening? Labubu dolls, that's what. Creepy cute little monsters with fluffy bodies and razor sharp grins. Originally created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung for his picture book series "Monsters", they were turned into figurines in 2019 as part of a collaboration with toymakers Pop Mart. Since then, their popularity has skyrocketed — especially in bag charm form. Everyone wants one! Why are they in the news? Last week, Pop Mart decided to pull the toys from all 16 of its UK shops until June, citing "potential safety issues". Many fans have responded angrily — but only have themselves to blame. The announcement followed a fight that reportedly broke out in a London store, where people had queued overnight to obtain the latest Labubu editions. "People were shouting, basically saying there were no more Labubus left,' one customer told the BBC. 'I even witnessed a fight between a worker and a customer." What's driving this craziness? As is the source of most contemporary trends, we can blame TikTok. The trend took off after Lisa, a member of the popular K-pop band Blackpink, was seen with one on her bag. At the time of writing, there are 1.4M posts under #Labubu, with people excitedly sharing their collections, unboxings, and even crocheting their own versions. In an age where most things are mass produced and easily obtainable, Pop Art's blind boxes and limited edition drops are exciting in their spontaneity. How much are they? In the UK, they tend to cost anywhere between £13.50 (€16) to £50 (€59), although rare editions can go for even more. One of the main reasons for the recent chaos is re-sellers, who frantically buy up new drops purely to hike up the price, leaving genuine buyers out of luck and frustrated. Ok, but can we talk about the fact grown adults are getting so upset over toys? Sure, but don't you know we're in the midst of a plushie pandemic?! From Jellycats to Squishmallows — adults have become key consumers of all things cute. According to research group Circana, one in five toys and games are now bought by over-18s for themselves. It's a rapidly growing market known as 'kidults', and led by a mixture of things — like people having children later and overwhelming existential anxiety. The world is on fire, might as well buy some weird little guys to cope. But… Why are they so scary looking? That's their appeal: the combination of sweet and sinister. Another example of this is the hugely popular Sonny Angels — cherubic little figurines wearing themed bonnets and no pants. Sure, they sound whimsical, but if you look closely enough at those perfectly poised arms and sideways glances... They're plotting something. But it's often these subtly unnerving/bizarre elements of certain toys that make them stand-out; the expressions and outfits characterful and endlessly adaptable. Sounds like Labubu have got this whole 'kidult' toy craze in the bag. On the bag, more like! Speaking of which — ours suddenly looks awful lonely without... Don't even... via GIPHY
