Anime Voice Acting Script · Dramatic farewell monologue
Sweep the Courtyard
An emotional anime mentor monologue: a wounded master gives his apprentice one last lesson in the snow. Practice warmth, humor, and a slow fade.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Length
- 149 words · ~1 min
- Skills
- emotional restraint, breath control, aging voice
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
(weak, but smiling)Stop crying, Akio. You’ll get snow in your eyes, and then you won’t see a thing.
No, don’t call anyone. Sit. We have time for one more lesson. Just one.
Ten years ago, you asked me how to become strong. Do you remember what I told you?
"Sweep the courtyard." You were furious. You swept it for a whole year, cursing my name.
(a soft laugh that turns into a wince)Ha... ow. Don’t make me laugh.
Here’s what I never told you. The sweeping wasn’t the lesson. Coming back the next morning was.
Anyone can be brave once. Real strength is getting up when nobody’s watching. When it’s cold. When you’ve already lost.
You’re scared right now. Good. Fear means you have something worth protecting. Don’t throw it away. Carry it.
(slowing)The sword is yours now. Don’t use it to win. Use it so other people don’t have to fight.
(barely a whisper)Akio... tomorrow morning... sweep the courtyard.
Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0. Original script drafted with AI assistance and edited by SceneDub; any resemblance to existing characters is coincidental.
Practise it now
The teleprompter scrolls at the speed you set in words per minute. Tick "Record audio while reading" to capture a take; the audio stays in your browser until you download it.
Coaching notes
- Tadaoki is comforting Akio, not himself. Keep a smile in "Stop crying, Akio" so the opening feels like teasing, not tragedy.
- The laugh on "Ha... ow." has to start as a genuine chuckle and break into a wince. Practice the switch until it sounds like one breath, not two separate sounds.
- Bring the courtyard back on the last line as a gift, not a goodbye. Let "sweep the courtyard" sound almost playful, then let the voice trail off.
Try it three more ways
- Play Tadaoki as stern to the very end, hiding his affection behind strict instructions.
- Read it as if the master isn’t dying at all, just retiring, and is being a little overdramatic about it.
- Perform it as a much younger mentor, only a few years older than Akio, who’s terrified but trying hard to sound wise.
Take it further
More scripts to practise
Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Sweep the Courtyard" script?
149 spoken words, about 1 min at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 9 sec at a slower 130 wpm. Your take will vary with pauses and character choices.
Can I use this script in my voice acting demo reel?
Yes. SceneDub's original scripts are licensed CC BY 4.0. You can perform, record, edit, and publish them, including in demo reels, classes, and auditions, as long as you credit "Script by SceneDub (scenedub.com), CC BY 4.0" where you share the recording or the text.
How should I practise this script?
Read it silently once, then perform it with the direction above: warm, wry, quietly heartbreaking, unhurried, slowing to the end. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.