This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Dani

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!

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Dani