Moonlight Densetsu

"Moonlight Densetsu" (Japanese: ムーンライト伝説, Hepburn: Mūnraito Densetsu, lit. "Moonlight Legend") is a song that served as an opening theme for the anime series, Sailor Moon.

"Moonlight Densetsu / Heart Moving"
Single by Dali et al.
from the album Bishōjo Senshi Sailormoon: Ai wa Doko ni Aru no?
ReleasedMarch 21, 1992 (1992-03-21)
Genre
Length13:08
LabelNippon Columbia
Composer(s)Tetsuya Komoro
Lyricist(s)Kanako Oda
"Moonlight Densetsu"
Song by MoonLips
from the album "'Rashiku' Ikimasho"
ReleasedJuly 21, 1995 (1995-07-21)
GenreJ-pop
LabelNippon Columbia
(8 cm single, CODC-8995)
Songwriter(s)Kanako Oda
Haruo Chikada
"'Rashiku' Ikimasho" track listing
  1. "'Rashiku' Ikimasho"
  2. "Moonlight Densetsu"
"Moonlight Densetsu / Otome no Policy"
Single by Dali and Yoko Ishida
ReleasedJune 21, 2000 (2000-06-21)
GenreJ-pop
LabelNippon Columbia

The song's original version was released in Japan on March 21, 1992, on a split single by Dali and Misae Takamatsu titled "Moonlight Densetsu / Heart Moving" (ムーンライト伝説/HEART MOVING). The Dali recording of "Moonlight Densetsu" served as the opening theme for the first two seasons of Sailor Moon's anime adaptation. Another version of "Moonlight Densetsu" by Moon Lips was the opening theme of the next two Sailor Moon anime seasons.

The English dubbed Sailor Moon broadcast in North America adopted an English cover version with the rewritten lyrics.[1]

Reception

The song "Moonlight Densetsu" was a big hit in Japan.[2] In 1995, the original 1992 single by Dali et al. was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.[3] An online survey conducted in 2008 by Goo recognized it as the most popular song from an anime series for karaoke from 1991 to 2000.[4] "Moonlight Densetsu" won first place in the Song category in Animage's 15th and 16th Anime Grand Prix.[5][6] It came seventh in the 17th Grand Prix.[7] According to a poll conducted by Japanese music magazine CD&DL Data in 2016 about the most representative songs associated with the moon, the original version by Dali was ranked 4th by 6203 respondents aging from teens to thirties.[8] In 2019, the original Dali version won the Performance Award of the Heisei Anisong Grand Prize among the anime theme songs from 1989 to 1999.[9] "Moonlight Densetsu" was ranked 12th in Onegai! Ranking Series' derivative variety show "130,000 People Vote! Anime Song General Election" broadcast by TV Asahi on September 6, 2020.[10]

Due to the high similarity of its melody to the song "Sayonara wa dansu no nochi ni" (lit. "Goodbye After the Dance", composed by Hirooki Ogawa, lyrics by Hiroshi Yokoi), the composer, Ogawa, negotiated through JASRAC and reached a settlement under the condition that he would receive a certain amount of money.[11]

Track listings

1992 single (Columbia CODC-8995)[12]

"Moonlight Densetsu / Heart Moving" (ムーンライト伝説 / HEART MOVING, "Moonlight Legend / Heart Moving...") is a split single by Dali and Misae Takamatsu. It was released in Japan on March 21, 1992.

  1. "Moonlight Densetsu" (ムーンライト伝説) — Dali (DALI)
  2. "Heart Moving" (HEART MOVING) — Misae Takamatsu (高松美砂絵)
  3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
  4. "Heart Moving" (Original Karaoke)

1995 single (Columbia CODC-8995)[13]

"Moonlight Densetsu / Rashiku "Ikimasho"" (ムーンライト伝説 / らしく”いきましょ", "Moonlight Legend / Let's be like") is a single by MoonLips and Meu. It was released in Japan on July 21, 1995. The single was used for the Sailor Moon S and Sailor Moon Super S, respectively.

  1. "Moonlight Densetsu" (ムーンライト伝説) — MoonLips
  2. "Rashiku Ikimasho" (らしく”いきましょ) — Meu
  3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
  4. "Rashiku Ikimasho" (Original Karaoke)

2000 single (Columbia CODC-1873)

"Moonlight Densetsu / Otome no Policy" (ムーンライト伝説 / 乙女のポリシー, "Moonlight Legend / Maiden's Policy") is a split single by Dali and Yoko Ishida. It was released in Japan on June 21, 2000. The second track, "Otome no Policy", had been used to end Sailor Moon R and Sailor Moon S.

  1. "Moonlight Densetsu" (ムーンライト伝説) — Dali (DALI)
  2. "Otome no Policy" (乙女のポリシー) — Yoko Ishida (石田燿子)
  3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
  4. "Otome no Policy" (Original Karaoke)

Other versions
  • J-pop idol group Momoiro Clover Z provided their version of the song for the Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Memorial Tribute album in 2014.[14]
    • The group re-sung their version of the song with current members (subtitled "ZZ ver.") for the "Moon Color Chainon" (月色Chainon, Tsukiiro Chainon) single album in 2021.[15]
  • A French language cover version, translated and performed by the Japan-based French singer Clémentine, was included in the 20th Anniversary Memorial Tribute album as a bonus track in 2014.[16]
  • J-pop singer LiSA provided her version of the song for Sailor Moon 25th Anniversary Memorial Tribute album in 2018.[17]
  • The voice actresses of Inner Sailor Guardians from Sailor Moon Crystal series: Kotono Mitsuishi (as Sailor Moon), Hisako Kanemoto (as Sailor Merury), Rina Satō (as Sailor Mars), Ami Koshimizu (as Sailor Jupiter), and Shizuka Itō (as Sailor Venus), provided their version of the song for the 25th Anniversary Memorial Tribute album in 2018 as a bonus track.[18]
    • The voice actresses provided a different version of the song for the opening theme of the first film of the Sailor Moon Cosmos two-part film in 2023.[19]

References
  1. "Whoosh! In the News: Babes in toyland; Xena versus Sailor Moon". Whoosh.org. Archived from the original on November 6, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  2. "セーラームーンのあゆみ 1992年" (in Japanese). Naoko Takeuchi - PNP - TV Asahi - Toei Animation. Archived from the original on 2010-03-06. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
  3. "『THE RECORD』1995年4月号（No.425）" (PDF) (in Japanese). RIAJ. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
  4. "カラオケで盛り上がる1991〜2000年のアニメソングランキング - gooランキング" (in Japanese). Goo. 2008-12-13. Archived from the original on 2013-07-28. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
  5. 第15回アニメグランプリ ［1993年5月号］ (in Japanese). Animage.jp. Archived from the original on September 13, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
  6. 第16回アニメグランプリ ［1994年5月号］ (in Japanese). Animage.jp. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
  7. 第17回アニメグランプリ ［1995年5月号］ (in Japanese). Animage.jp. Archived from the original on September 15, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
  8. "「月（ＭＯＯＮ）からイメージする曲」ランキング。～音楽情報マガジン『ＣＤ＆ＤＬでーた』～". PRTIMES (in Japanese). September 26, 2016. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021.
  9. "Evangelion's "Cruel Angel's Thesis" Theme Song Takes Heisei Anisong Grand Prize". Anime News Network. 2019-03-05.
  10. "アニソン総選挙2020" (in Japanese).
  11. "JRRCマガジン No.117 小川寛興の楽曲". Japan Reproduction Rights Center. 6 October 2017.
  12. "Discography - Singles". Sailormusic.net. Archived from the original on 2003-12-16. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
  13. "Moon Lips". Discogs.com.
  14. Loveridge, Lynzee (April 26, 2014). "Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Tribute Album Goes Vinyl". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  15. "劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンEternal」テーマソング「月色Chainon」". sailormoon-official.com (in Japanese). 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  16. "美少女戦士セーラームーン THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE". hwv.co.jp.
  17. Komatsu, Mikakazu (March 30, 2018). "Check Out Songs from "Sailor Moon" 25th Anniversary Tribute Album in Preview". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  18. "美少女戦士セーラームーン THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE". Sailor Moon Official (in Japanese). March 30, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  19. "劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンCosmos」 テーマソング・コレクション". Sailor Moon Official (in Japanese). May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
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