Fans Toys FT-15 Willis

I'd hoped for better...

Okay, so Willis is a pretty good representation of a Masterpiece style Hound, albeit with some design liberties taken. He's perhaps a little too tall and some of his markings and colourations are off, but these things are to be expected with third-party figures that aren't going for the super toon accuracy now favoured by Takara. However, there's one major design 'feature' that really shouldn't have been deemed acceptable as it almost ruins the entire figure. Willis's ankles are held on by a single screw (not a pin), which is almost guaranteed to loosen itself the first time you transform him to the point at which the ankles become floppy messes. This in turn means that Willis can't support his own weight and topples backwards/forwards, rendering dynamic poses all but impossible. Now it is possible to tighten the screws if you disassemble the legs, but this really isn't something you should have to do on a figure at this price point. Some people have resorted to using super glue to keep the screws in place, but as that stuff isn't good for plastic I just tighten the screws whenever they get too loose.

Don't get me wrong, I do like this figure, particularly with the alternate toon accurate head attached (although that didn't actually fit until I shaved the connector, another QC issue), but I had hoped for more from Fans Toys. That said, he looks the part if you just pose him and leave him on a shelf with the rest of your collection, so he'll do until Takara's version arrives.