How I Learned to Build Beautiful Anime Cards (Thanks to AI + Curiosity)

When I was building my Next.js anime browser, I wanted each anime to feel special—not just a static image, but a little interactive card that reveals more when you hover over it.

I didn’t know how to do it… so I asked Cursor AI to help me generate a cool styling. And you know what? I was amazed and also That’s where the real learning began.

Instead of just copying the code, I studied it, broke it, fixed it, and made it my own. Here’s what I learned along the way.

1. Responsive Grid: “Fit as Many Cards as Possible”

First, I needed the cards to look great on any screen—phone, tablet, or desktop.

The AI suggested this CSS trick:

.animeGrid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(280px, 1fr));
  gap: 24px;
}

At first, I didn’t get it. But after playing with it, I realized:

• minmax(280px, 1fr) = “Each card is at least 280px wide, but can grow to fill space.”
• auto-fill = “Add as many columns as fit—no media queries needed!”

It’s pure CSS magic—and now I use it everywhere(though i remember it!)

2. The Hover Overlay: Sleek, Smooth, and Useful

I wanted to show more details (score, summary, genres) on hover—without cluttering the main view.

Here’s the core idea the AI gave me:

• Wrap the card in a position: relative container
• Add an absolutely positioned .animeOverlay that’s hidden by default
• On hover, slide it in with transform and fade it with opacity

.animeCard {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.animeOverlay {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0;
  background: linear-gradient(
    to bottom,
    rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 0%,
    rgba(0,0,0,0.3) 100%
  );
  backdrop-filter: blur(2px);
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateY(-100%);
  transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);
  padding: 16px;
  z-index: 10;
}

.animeCard:hover .animeOverlay {
  opacity: 1;
  transform: translateY(0);
}

What I learned:

• backdrop-filter: blur() creates that modern glass effect
• cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) is the same easing Apple uses—it feels natural
• Always use overflow: hidden on the parent to prevent scrollbars during animation

3. Custom Scrollbar: Because Default Ones Are Ugly

Some anime have long synopses, so the overlay needs to scroll. But browser scrollbars are thick and distracting.

The AI showed me how to style a minimal, elegant scrollbar:

.overlayContent {
  overflow-y: auto;
  /* Firefox */
  scrollbar-width: thin;
  scrollbar-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.3) transparent;
}

/* WebKit (Chrome, Safari) */
.overlayContent::-webkit-scrollbar {
  width: 4px;
}
.overlayContent::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {
  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.3);
  border-radius: 2px;
}

Now the scrollbar is:

• Only 4px wide
• Semi-transparent white
• Rounded corners
• Invisible until you scroll

It feels native, clean, and intentional—like it belongs.

The Real Lesson: AI Is a Teacher, Not a Crutch

I could’ve just pasted the code and moved on. But by asking “why?”—

• Why minmax()?
• Why transform instead of top?
• Why backdrop-filter?

—I turned AI output into real understanding.

And that’s the key: use AI to jumpstart your learning, not replace it.

Now I know some styling patterns that I didn't know before!

💡 Try it yourself:

Take an AI-generated snippet, save it somewhere else, and rebuild it from scratch. You’ll learn 10x more.

Happy coding—and happy styling! 🎨✨