AKB48 – Namida Surprise! (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. 涙サプライズ!
2. 初日 – AKB48 Team B
3. FIRST LOVE – 小野恵令奈 (Erena Ono)
4. 涙サプライズ! (off vocal ver.)

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 22:27

1. 涙サプライズ! Music Clip
2. メイキング映像
3. 永久保存版 メンバーによる「あなたへの“お誕生日おめでとう”」メッセージ映像 (特典映像)

Idol group AKB48 is back with their 12th CD single titled “Namida Surprise!”.  The single marks the groups highest ranking CD single yet as it debuted at #2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

There will be two releases of this single, the regular edition which features a CD+DVD and also the theater edition which comes with no DVD. And the first press of the regular edition will come with a voting card in which fans can vote who will take part in the next AKB48 senbatsu election and also come with a handshake event ticket (valid for Sapporo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo handshake meeting events).

The CD single cover features artwork by popular artist Takashi Murakami of each member in anime/manga style illustration. For the insert booklet, it’s actually a tri-gatefold cover. One side features Polaroids of each member with “Happy Birthday” written underneath, while the other side features the lyrics booklet.

The single begins with “Namida Surprise!” (Surprise Tears!) which is an upbeat, idol pop birthday song. The lyrics is about classmates secretly having a surprise birthday for a friend. The friends take the person in blindfold to the high school gymnasium and to the person’s surprise, all her friends are there wishing her a happy 17th birthday and surprise tears flowing down the birthday person’s cheeks. Overall, a happy, upbeat pop song.

I have to admit that at first the song didn’t register, until listening to it a few times and the whole “Happy Happy Birthday” lyrics literally stayed in my head for hours and after listening to it a few times, I’m actually enjoying the song a lot more!

The second track is titled “Shonichi” which translates to “Opening Day” and is performed by AKB48’s Team B group.The song is pretty much a positive pop track that revolves a member who gets their chance to perform on the big stage. And for all the hard work, the person is being recognized by being made to a member. And teh challenges the person faced while on the road or when they were unable to take part in the performance due to an injury and also the challenge of trying to balance their dream of career and school. No doubt a true AKB48 song of the experience faced by many of the members of the group and a very good idol song.

It’s important to note that “Shonichi” was included as a coupling song for the Napster digital single release of their ninth single “Baby Baby Baby”.

The third track features a solo track from AKB48 member Erena Ono. The single “FIRST LOVE” is a slow ballad about love at first sight and falling in love for the first time. Typically with AKB48 single releases, you don’t get a solo track but in this case, I get a feeling that producer Yasushi Akimoto is positioning “Erepyon” for a solo single release. But a idol pop ballad that is sugary and sweet and well-sung by Erena Ono.

The fourth track is the off-vocal instrumental version of “Namida Surprise!”.

As for the DVD, the first DVD track is the music video of “Namida Surprise!” and is set in a classroom while Atsuko Maeda’s character is seen as having a crush on her school teacher. Meanwhile, her friends have a surprise for her and put a blindfold to cover her eyes and taking her to the gymnasium.

When she removes the blindfold, all her friends are there to wish her a happy birthday.

The second track is the making of “Namida Surprise!” and is a brief featurette showing people rehearsing and having fun behind-the-scenes of the making of the PV.

The third and final DVD track is a long video featuring an AKB48 member in a certain setting and then suddenly going up to the camera to wish you a happy birthday.  This one is a long featurette, so fans will definitely enjoy this CD+DVD release for this segment alone.

Overall, AKB48’s “Namida Surprise!” is a more upbeat, happy CD single, moreso because of its emphasis of being a “happy birthday” type of single.  Still, the single is quite fun with three solid AKB48 tracks plus a DVD that not only comes with just the music video like many other CD+DVD releases) but also includes a making of and a lengthy “Happy Birthday” message from each member of AKB48.

If you love idol music, AKB48’s 12th single “Namida Suprise!” is recommended!

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