AKB48 Team Surprise – Hungry Lion (Pachinko Hall Version M2) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. ハングリーライオン
2. ハングリーライオン (Off-Vocal Ver.)

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 4:30

1. ハングリーライオン Music Clip

To commemorate the release of the latest Pachinko AKB48 game machine for 2014 and a tie-in with Pachinko company Kyoraku, 16 senbatsu members of AKB48 would form a special team known as “Team Surprise” and songs featured in the pachinko game will be released each week via a CD+DVD single beginning in September 2014.

Fort this second stage release, the members chosen to participate in this special project are (note: the songs were recorded prior to Oshima Yuko, Shinoda Mariko and Itano Tomomi’s graduation from AKB48):

Team A: Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka; Team K: Kitahara Rie, Yokoyama Yui; Team B: Watanabe Mayu, Kashiwagi Yuki, Takajo Aki; Team 4: Minegishi Minami; SKE48 Team E: Matsui Rena; NMB48 Team N: Yamamoto Sayaka; NMB48 Team BII: Watanabe Miyuki and HKT48 Team H: Sashihara Rino

Each week from September through mid-November, a single plus its music video will be released via a pachinko hall version (which can be won or sold at pachinko halls) and a web version, each featuring two different covers and will come with exclusive collectors cards for the pachinko hall and another for the web version.

It’s important to note that because these releases are not sold in regular stores, the best way for those living outside of Japan to purchase these singles is through eBay.

The second AKB48 Team Surprise CD single for the second stage is titled “Hungry Lion” and is sung by Oshima Yuko, Kojima Haruka, Shinoda Mariko and Takajo Aki.

The single that I am reviewing is the pachinko hall version and features the four women posing with their ’60s inspired clothing. The 8-page booklet featuring lyrics, production credits and liner notes from Ishigami and pictures of the group on stage. The back cover of the CD features Watanabe Miyuki and Yokoyama Yui in a red dress.

Also, by visiting the official website for “Hungry Lion”, you can get access to liner notes, gallery (a few photos are what is featured in the CD insert), wallpaper and poster.

“Hungry Lion” is an upbeat discotheque style single about a girl approaching adulthood and according to the liner notes, instead of using a song such as “Lion Hunter”, because it’s about a woman entering the adult world, the focus was on a “Hungry Lion”.

The second stage singles also come with a second vocal-less track of the primary single.

As for the DVD, the music video features each member in stylish ’60s clothing.  Takajo Aki, Shinoda Mariko and Kojima Haruna are seen in more elegant style clothing, while Oshima Yuko is in a summer dress and hat and each are dancing.  Very cool use of the mirrors in the music video but also like the choreography for this track!

It’s important to note that this is a region 2 DVD and will not play on a region 1 player (unless you have a non-region DVD player) but can be played on a MAC or PC using free video playing software such as VLC or Daum PotPlayer.

Overall, the AKB48 Team Surprise CD singles may not be for everyone, primarily because there is only one song and one music video and they cost the same price of a regular single. But yet, if you are an AKB48 collector and you gotta collect them all!

For the most part, “Hungry Lion” is one of my favorite AKB48 Team Surprise upbeat dance tracks.  I love the music for this song and also the upbeat choreography in the music video.  Also, you don’t often see this style of pairing with Oshima Yuko, may it be Mariko or Haruna, let alone Aki.  And the combination with all four members was cute and just fun to watch and listen to!

“Hungry Lion”, the second AKB48 Team Surprise CD+DVD release for the second stage is recommended for those who don’t mind that there is only one single vocal track on the CD and DVD!