Fans Hobby puts a lid on the Headmaster Jr trio with their latest release of MB-14 Kap; an homage to the Autobot Headmaster Jr. Cab, from Transformers Super-God Masterforce. Fans Hobby was ever so kind to send a sample my way to check out. Let’s get into it!

Vehicle Mode

Kap comes packaged in his vehicle mode, a squat red little fire-fighting box on wheels. Initially I was amused by the cartoonish proportions, but a fellow collector on Facebook (and ex-firefighter as I found out) shared some photos with me of similar vehicles complete with collapsible ladders and ladder mounted sprayers as seen on Kap. I learned that small firetrucks like this actually exist in Japan and many other parts of the world. In hindsight, it makes sense that a dense city layout would require smaller more maneuverable appliances than some of the giant trucks I see in my home town.

The front of the cab can be opened, revealing 2 seats for the smaller Power Pilots (Headmasters). Getting one of the pilots into the driver’s seat can be a bit of a task as the steering wheel will collide with the pilot. The other seat is much easier to accommodate a pilot. There are side mirrors that can be folded against the side of the cab, a storage area at the rear that can hold the pilots helmet, and a collapsible ladder with a sprayer/blaster attached to the end. There is also a spot for weapon storage underneath the ladder to hold his hand held blaster. Rubber tires and painted wheels finish off the playability features of the vehicle mode.

The included decals provide Kap with a chromed front bumper, license plates, and some tech detail on the upper rear sections. Personally I prefer paint and tampo details, rather than stickers. But the added sticker detail is nice once applied. Even taking into consideration that Kap is a smaller Fire Truck, he is still a little small when set next to his pals Ace Hitter and Athena. That being said, if the truck were made bigger, the bot mode would also be larger which would put him out of scale with his pals in the mode that most collectors are more concerned about.

Robot Mode

Fans Hobby continues to knock it out of the park with fun and intuitive transformations. I was able to figure Kap out 99% without instructions, I just needed to take a quick peek to figure out the proper way to collapse his backpack as I didn’t want to risk damage. I love figuring out Fans Hobby’s transformations as they are unique, engaging, and the materials typically allow for some trial and error without much risk.

Once transformed Kap makes for a handsome squared off Autobot cadet. The front of the cab forms the lower legs, making it clear this bot used to be a vehicle. Other than that almost everything else is hidden away making for a very clean silhouette. The figure is primarily Red and White, with a few instances of grey to break up the monotony. Adding the included decals to the chest, shoulders, arms, pelvis, and knees makes for a nice break up and adds welcome G1 style detailing. Thankfully the stickers on the chest, shoulders, and forearms have recessed areas they fit into to prevent the edges from peeling.

Kap’s design has some refinements that are welcome, compared to his predecessors on the Jr. Squad. Everything is folded and tucked away nicely, no stray flaps on the back of the legs or anything like that. Nothing to hinder his articulation. He has a small backpack with his ladder hanging off his back, but quite frankly I expect that with Fire Truck bots. (Though I’m still impressed all these years later at how Masterpiece Inferno hides his ladder away). The backpack gives him a utilitarian look that I find adds to his charm as a rescue vehicle turned robot. I wish the ladder could be removed and used as an arm mounted tool or something similar, but the way it’s attached I don’t think it can be removed without risking damage.

Articulation is as follows, from the head down.

- 360º rotation at the neck. Can look down, but not up.
- 2-way hinge at the shoulder, 90º outward, 360º around (the backpack may interfere).
- Reverse butterfly at the shoulder. (With the backpack in place you still get a lot of movement).
- Bicep swivel.
- 90º at the elbow. The joint is a double but the bottom joint is boxed in.
- 360º wrist rotation, single pin knuckle, trigger finger separate.
- Ab/Lower chest crunch, about 45º.
- 360º rotation at the waist.
- Ratchets at the hips, 1 or 2 clicks short of 90º outward, 90º back, 1 or 2 clicks short of 90º.
- Ratcheted double knees, slightly less than 90º bend due to the mass of the lower leg.
- Extending the collapsible joint in the knee will get you a full 90º at the expense of exposing the joint.
- Ratchets at the ankle allow for in/out as well as up/down articulation and some rotation.

I spoke a little too soon when I said there was no hindrance to the articulation. The hip skirts can collide with the center of his abdomen and lock waist rotation if they are up to high. The waist also has to be centered with the abdomen to move them up to the full height. A similar limitation affects their Power Baser figure in armored mode so it’s a little disappointing to see it here as well. Be careful when posing his legs in combination with a waist swivel as you could pop off the hip skirts or potentially damage them.

Gimmicks and Accessories

Power Pilot (Headmaster)

This little pilot can sit in the cab of the vehicle mode, and when combined with the additional helmet piece, can become the head of Kap in robot mode. For some reason he did not come with any swap out faceplates unlike his team mates. He has some limited articulation including ball joints at the shoulders and hips and an ab crunch owing in thanks to the Headmaster transformation.

Power Gauge

Opening the white chest panel reveals a working power gauge similar to the G1 Headmaster figures. The power ratings are pre-set as the gimmick is activated via the chest panel, rather than notches on the headmaster like the classic gimmick. This means the power ratings will not change with different Headmasters inserted.

Collapsible Hand-Held Blaster

Can be collapsed and stored in the top of the vehicle mode underneath the ladder. In robot mode the barrel can be extended and a slot and groove system in the hands allows the weapon to be held securely. The blaster sits a little bit high in the hand and can look awkward at certain angles. I was not able to find any feasible storage options in robot mode.

Collectors Card & Instructions

The card is pretty nice quality just like the cards included with previous Fans Hobby releases. The instructions are well done with clear photos and easy to understand instructions.

Final Thoughts

I am absolutely enamored with this figure. No bones about it.

Kap has a lovely suite of articulation that makes him a pleasure to pose and play with. In particular the reverse butterfly joints and ab crunch allow for some really dynamic movement. He is sturdy with a nice base, and can hold a pose and balance really easily.

He has that classic “Autobot” kind of look to him that makes him instantly endearing to look at. Really the only thing I’d change is the collision of the hip skirts, and if he could look upward that would be the icing on the Kap cake.

His solid frame and sturdy feel put him over the edge to make him my favorite of the Jr. Trio from Fans Hobby to play with. Athena is lithe and nimble, but light as a feather in comparison, yet Kap can hold his own in a pose off with her no problem. That’s what I call a win! I highly recommend finishing off this Trio if you’ve already started it, or even just picking up Kap as a one off desk toy! You can get your own at Fans Hobby’s shopify site here.

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Thanks for taking some time to check out this latest Fans Hobby release with me! I wish you well my friends.