Moonlight Densetsu Explained

Moonlight Densetsu / Heart Moving
Type:	single
Artist:	Dali et al.
Album:	Bishōjo Senshi Sailormoon: Ai wa Doko ni Aru no?
Length:	13:08
Label:	Nippon Columbia
Composer:	Tetsuya Komoro
Lyricist:	Kanako Oda

Moonlight Densetsu
Artist:	Moonlips
Album:	"'Rashiku' Ikimasho"
Genre:	J-pop
Label:	Nippon Columbia (8 cm single, CODC-8995)
Tracks:	"'Rashiku' Ikimasho" "Moonlight Densetsu"

Moonlight Densetsu / Otome no Policy
Type:	single
Artist:	Dali and Yoko Ishida
Genre:	J-pop
Label:	Nippon Columbia

is a song that served as an opening theme for the anime series, Sailor Moon.

The song's original version was released in Japan on March 21, 1992, on a split single by Dali and Misae Takamatsu titled . The Dali recording of "Moonlight Densetsu" served as the opening theme for the first two seasons of Sailor Moons 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]

is a split single by Dali and Misae Takamatsu. It was released in Japan on March 21, 1992.

1. — Dali (DALI)
2. —
3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
4. "Heart Moving" (Original Karaoke)

1995 single (Columbia CODC-8995)^[13]

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. — MoonLips
2. — Meu
3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
4. "Rashiku Ikimasho" (Original Karaoke)

2000 single (Columbia CODC-1873)

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. — Dali (DALI)
2. —
3. "Moonlight Densetsu" (Original Karaoke)
4. "Otome no Policy" (Original Karaoke)

Other versions

• Japanese idol girl 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 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 Mercury), 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]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Whoosh! In the News: Babes in toyland; Xena versus Sailor Moon. Whoosh.org. October 27, 2008. November 6, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081106135202/http://www.whoosh.org/news/1997/970201sni.html. live.
2. Web site: セーラームーンのあゆみ 1992年. https://web.archive.org/web/20100306015312/http://sailormoon.channel.or.jp/ayumi/1992.html. 2010-03-06. Japanese. Naoko Takeuchi - PNP - TV Asahi - Toei Animation. 2015-04-27.
3. Web site: 『THE RECORD』1995年4月号（No.425）. 5. RIAJ. 2015-04-27. Japanese. https://web.archive.org/web/20150105132418/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/1995/199504.pdf. 2015-01-05.
4. Web site: 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. Goo. 2008-12-13. 2015-04-27. Japanese. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130728222559/http://ranking.goo.ne.jp/ranking/025/2000_animationsong. 2013-07-28.
5. Web site: http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1993.html . ja:第15回アニメグランプリ ［1993年5月号］ . Animage.jp . ja . July 19, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090913102306/http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1993.html . September 13, 2009 .
6. Web site: http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1994.html . ja:第16回アニメグランプリ ［1994年5月号］ . Animage.jp . ja . July 19, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090914195200/http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1994.html . September 14, 2009 .
7. Web site: http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1995.html . ja:第17回アニメグランプリ ［1995年5月号］ . Animage.jp . ja . July 19, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090915221432/http://animage.jp/old/gp/gp_1995.html . September 15, 2009 .
8. Web site: 「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』～. September 26, 2016. PRTIMES. https://archive.today/20210626070403/https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002696.000007006.html. 26 June 2021. ja.
9. Web site: Evangelion's "Cruel Angel's Thesis" Theme Song Takes Heisei Anisong Grand Prize. 2019-03-05. Anime News Network.
10. Web site: アニソン総選挙2020. ja.
11. Web site: JRRCマガジン No.117 小川寛興の楽曲. Japan Reproduction Rights Center. 6 October 2017.
12. Web site: Discography - Singles. https://web.archive.org/web/20031216181621/http://www.sailormusic.net/tracks/index-singles.html. 2003-12-16. 2015-04-27. Sailormusic.net.
13. News: Moon Lips . Discogs.com.
14. Web site: Sailor Moon 20th Anniversary Tribute Album Goes Vinyl. Loveridge. Lynzee. April 26, 2014. Anime News Network. April 16, 2014.
15. Web site: 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」. 2020-11-12. sailormoon-official.com. ja. 2020-11-12.
16. Web site: 美少女戦士セーラームーン THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE. hwv.co.jp.
17. Web site: Check Out Songs from "Sailor Moon" 25th Anniversary Tribute Album in Preview. Komatsu. Mikakazu. March 30, 2018. Crunchyroll. March 30, 2018.
18. Web site: 美少女戦士セーラームーン THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE. March 30, 2018. Sailor Moon Official. ja. March 20, 2018.
19. Web site: 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. May 11, 2023. Sailor Moon Official. ja. May 11, 2023.