Fans Toys FT-25 Outrider (Transformers Masterpiece Trailbreaker)
Fanstoys items usually come with an outer plastic baggie to protect the box.
Lol… Tesla’s bio is on the box by mistake.
The box design is not the type we usually get with FT releases. I wonder why?
Even the styrofoam doesn’t have the usual FT-# number markings.
Ye ole Fans Toys protective film sheet.
Since this is a Third Party, non-official item, it doesn’t come with a faction symbol. It’s best to get some stickers from Reprolabels/Toyhax.com to make this guy more “toon-accurate”. Alternately, you can also use “water slide decals” to make them look even more flawless (you won’t see the edges, unlike with stickers) but I’ve never really had the proper skills, or time (usually needs to be individually cut first) to work with those.
For water slide decals, most folks recommend the one from Ocean Studio. Here:
http://www.unclebillyshop.com/decals-poster/ocean-logo-decals.html
To apply stickers, I find the best way to stick the stickers on is to use the tip of a blade, or a flat, small-tipped object, this way you have more control over the application, as compared to using one’s stubby fingers. You can also use the blade to help gently peel off a corner of the sticker in case you didn’t center it right and need to re-apply.
Functioning as the Autobot’s “defensive strategist”, Trailbreaker is in charge of defense for Autobot operations. One of the more likeable Autobots thanks to his good humor, in truth, Trailbreaker actually suffers from low self-esteem due to his lack of speed and heavy Energon requirements. This results in him usually being left behind at headquarters during missions that are farther away.
Previously revealed back in 2016, Fanstoys eventually decided to scrap their original plans for the figure and Outrider had to be totally redesigned from the ground up for the 2022 release.
In the G1 series, Trailbreaker was most notable for being the only Autobot with an onboard forcefield generator.
Outrider weighs 439 Grams and stands roughly 8.5 inches tall.
Diecast parts:
-Sections of the torso
-Legs
-Feet
I got QC 31
I love that Fans Toys was able to keep the backpack to a minimum on this guy. It’s no simple feat, great engineering here.
One of the biggest issues for the older X-Transbots version of this guy for me was that you could see the internal white plastic parts through the chest window, as well as a big hinge joint for the chest right in the open. Fans Toys’ design addresses it nicely, you won’t see any of those issues here.
I am, however, not a fan of these square panels on the hood/ robot mode chest. Screw hole covers? They really break the line art.
The set features an optional left hand in case you want to attach it to his arm. It will require unscrewing the default arm cannon off though.
Outrider comes with 3 other optional faceplates. 2 of them are for recreating the small face we sometimes see in the cartoon models (I think).
Apart from his arm cannon, Trailbreaker also comes with a shoulder cannon (I don’t think he ever fired from it though). The apparatus on his left shoulder is the forcefield generator. This guy is probably the most weapon-laden Autobot next to Ironhide.
Strangely, he also comes with a gun, I can’t really remember when in the cartoons did he ever wield a gun?
The lack of clear windows here is a bit off-putting, but I guess it’s fine since using clear plastic here would probably risk some breakage for the figure when transforming.
Be mindful of the side-view mirrors when transforming this one.
Yep… really not liking the screw covers on the hoods.
Parabolic satellite dish for spying on Decepticons is included.
The dish is mounted on this flip out panel for the car roof. You can opt to flip the panel around to hide the mounting peg.
I just LOVE the crazy details on this front grill. The use of various clear plastics for the lamps is just beautiful! Kudos to the Fans Toys design team here.
Overall, I love it! It’s really big and heavy and the transformation for it is complex, but fun. I’m also really impressed at how well FT managed to collapse everything into a small backpack. Given the choice between this or the X-Transbots version, this one easily wins out. I do wish Fans Toys included extra props like X-Transbots did (log and coffee mugs) but it is what it is.
Now to see if the Takara version can beat this release or not.
Funfact: In a deleted storyboard scene in the original 1986 movie, we were supposed to see a dead (?) Trailbreaker on the ground right next to where Astrotrain would take off with the retreating Decepticons following Megatron’s defeat by Optimus Prime. This would supposedly explain his fate in the events of the movie, guess Trailbreaker’s not much of a “defensive strategist” after all?
Gold
