Anime Voice Acting Script · Pre-duel monologue
Three Hundred Swings
Original anime voice acting script: a sword rival’s fiery declaration before a tournament duel, building from a quiet grudge to a shouted attack name.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Length
- 157 words · ~1 min 3 sec
- Skills
- vocal projection, emotional build, breath support
- License
- CC BY 4.0
The script
Shun Hinase! Turn around. I didn’t climb all the way up here to talk to your back.
A year ago, on this exact stage, you knocked the sword right out of my hands. The crowd laughed. You didn’t. You just bowed, like I wasn’t even worth a smile.
(quieter)Do you know what I did that night? I went back to the dojo. Alone. And I swung until I couldn’t feel my arms.
Every morning since. Rain. Snow. That fever in March. Three hundred swings before sunrise, and every single one had your name on it.
(building)So don’t you dare go easy on me. Don’t hold back because you feel sorry for me. If you do, I’ll never forgive you.
I’m not fighting for the trophy today. I’m not fighting for the crowd. I’m fighting so that, just once, you’ll look at me like I’m a real threat.
(drawing the sword)Here it comes, Shun. Everything I’ve got.
(full-voice attack call)Ninefold... Ember... GALE!
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
- Open with "Shun Hinase!" loud enough to cross an arena, then drop straight into the memory of losing. That contrast is what makes the shout at the end feel earned.
- On "Rain. Snow. That fever in March." give each item its own breath. It’s a list of sacrifices, not a grocery list, so let each one land heavier than the last.
- Save your biggest volume for "GALE!" and drive it from your breath support. Stretch "Ninefold... Ember..." with tension so the final word releases like a strike instead of a scream from the throat.
Try it three more ways
- Play Kaede as ice-cold and composed, so the only time she raises her voice is the attack name.
- Read it as if Kaede is secretly afraid she’ll lose again, with cracks of doubt under the bravado.
- Perform it as a comedic rival who has clearly rehearsed this speech in a mirror and is thrilled to finally deliver it.
Take it further
More scripts to practise
Frequently asked questions
How long is the "Three Hundred Swings" script?
157 spoken words, about 1 min 3 sec at a conversational 150 words per minute and 1 min 12 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: fierce, wounded pride, measured, then accelerating. Record a take with the teleprompter, listen back, and try one of the alternate reads to stretch your range.