With San Diego Comic-Con upon us once again, cosplayers across the country are putting the finishing touches on their costumes.
And while Disney Princess mash-ups, Star Wars characters, and Deadpool are perennial favorites, I’ve always been partial to the Sailor Scouts of Sailor Moon. A group of magical girls saving the world with love and Lisa Frank color schemes is just the right combination for killer group costumes.
But one thing is always missing from these groups: audio. Luckily, Japan Trends dug up an amazing cover of the Sailor Moon theme song (above) that’s waiting for groups of Sailor Scouts to blast it from their cell phone speakers as they maneuver the Comic-Con throngs.
For the vintage spin on a pop culture classic, Shamisen player Name Kineie (center) brought together traditional Japanese musicians Eikiko Kumazawa (twenty string koto), Makoto Takes (flute), Luo Jun (percussion), and Masko Watanabe (seventeen string koto). Each instrument has deep ties to Japanese culture. The shamisen dates back to the 1500s, while the koto was adapted from a similar Chinese instrument called the zheng in the eighth century. Take seems to be playing a shinobue flute, which is made from bamboo and has been documented in Japanese courts as far back as the 700s. Percussion instruments have been part of human culture since immemorial.
Together, thousands of years of music combine to create a peaceful yet upbeat rendition of “Moonlight Serenade” What do you guys think? Did the group do the original justice? Should they branch out and become a cartoon theme song cover band?
