Before the “Sailor Moon” OP theme song “Moonlight Densetsu”, there was the Baisho Chieko and KEY WEST CLUB version

In March 21, 1992 “Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon” opening theme song “Moonlight Densetsu” by lyricist Oda Kanako and composer Komoro Tetsuya and performed by idol group Dali (A pop group consisting of Manish members, vocalist Takahashi Misuzu and keyboardist Nishimoto Mari, Ishizawa Akira and Tsuchiya Sayuri) was released on March 21, 1992.

But a video is circulating on the Internet of the same song with different lyrics by the group KEY WEST CLUB (which actress Nakatani Miki and Higashi Keiko was part of) titled “Yume wa majorika Senorita”.

実はセーラームーンでお馴染み「ムーンライト伝説」には「夢はマジョリカ・セニョリータ」という原曲が存在し、当時パフォーマンスを行なっていたKEY WEST CLUBというアイドルグループにはあの中谷美紀が在籍していた、というトリビアがあります pic.twitter.com/TVHaksdWMN

— Emmo Takenawa®︎ (@emmo_takenawada) April 6, 2022

So, which song came first? Well, the original song by KEY WEST CLUB was sung on the late night program “IDOL2” on NTV and was broadcasted on cable. The song is the first version but never released. The version featured on stage, the melody was used for “Moonlight Densetsu” but both songs have totally different lyrics, as the KEY WEST CLUB version was composed by Kawashima Daria and arranged by Ikeda Daisuke. And the original song would later have version released on August 21, 1992 with a different pitch.

Since KEY WEST CLUB was disbanded with this work, the song was never recorded on the album and a single that is hard to find.

But when you investigate further, both songs may be inspired from a classic 1965 song “Sayonara wa Dansu no nochi ni” by Baisho Chieko. And because of this, JASRAC and composer Ogawa Hirooki negotiated that he is entitled to monetary conditions from “Moonlight Densetsu”.

And another thing that is interesting, there are various theories of who composed the Sailor Moon “Moonlight Densetsu” song.  First, it was said to be by Komoro Tetsuya (a play on Komuro Tetsuya), then changed to Kawashima Daria.

But in February 2021, it was said that the real composer was Chikada Haruko but Chikada took to Twitter and denied it and said, “I don’t remember ever writing (Moonlight Densetsu)”.

In Sept. 18, 2021, Nagato Daiko was involved in the music production said on “OLDIES GOODIES (e-radio)” that the writer of “Moonlight Densetsu” was Mr. MUSIC music producer, Yoshie who went by the name Komoro Tetsuya.

But considering the song was released in 1992, not many people are willing to come forth and declare themselves as the composer of “Moonlight Densetsu” or “Yume wa majorika Senorita” (people are speculating on social media because of song rights and someone may have to pay up for the rights of the song) and to this very day, is still discussed as a mystery.

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