diff --git a/src/components/PostList.astro b/src/components/PostList.astro
index 63431ff..70d82a3 100644
--- a/src/components/PostList.astro
+++ b/src/components/PostList.astro
@@ -1,23 +1,93 @@
 ---
 const { posts, tag } = Astro.props;
----
-{tag && <h2 style="margin-bottom: 20px;">Tagged: {tag}</h2>}
 
-{posts.map((post) => (
-  <article class="post">
-    <h2 class="post-title">
-      <a href={`/${post.slug}/`}>{post.title}</a>
-    </h2>
-    <div class="post-meta">
-      {new Date(post.date).toLocaleDateString('en-US', { year: 'numeric', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' })}
-      {post.tags.map((t) => (
-        <span class="tag"><a href={`/tag/${t}/`}>{t}</a></span>
-      ))}
-    </div>
-    <p class="post-excerpt">{post.rawExcerpt}</p>
+// Extract first cover image directly from the raw markdown body.
+// Cheap regex — avoids rendering the full HTML for each card.
+function firstImage(body) {
+  const m = body && body.match(/!\[[^\]]*\]\((\/images\/[^)]+)\)/);
+  return m ? m[1] : null;
+}
+
+const enriched = posts.map((p) => ({
+  ...p,
+  cover: firstImage(p.body),
+}));
+const hero = enriched[0];
+const rest = enriched.slice(1);
+
+const fmt = (d) => new Date(d).toLocaleDateString('en-US',
+  { year: 'numeric', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' });
+---
+{tag && (
+  <h2 class="tag-banner">
+    Tagged: <em>{tag}</em>
+  </h2>
+)}
+
+{enriched.length > 0 && !tag && hero && (
+  <article class="post-hero" data-reveal>
+    <a class="post-hero-link" href={`/${hero.slug}/`}>
+      {hero.cover && (
+        <div class="post-hero-img">
+          <img src={hero.cover} alt="" loading="eager" />
+        </div>
+      )}
+      <div class="post-hero-body">
+        <div class="post-hero-flag">Top story</div>
+        <h2 class="post-hero-title">{hero.title}</h2>
+        <p class="post-hero-excerpt">{hero.rawExcerpt}</p>
+        <div class="post-hero-meta">
+          <span>{fmt(hero.date)}</span>
+          {hero.tags.slice(0, 4).map((t) => (
+            <span class="post-hero-tag"><a href={`/tag/${t}/`}>{t}</a></span>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </a>
+  </article>
+)}
+
+{(tag ? enriched : rest).map((post, i) => (
+  <article class="post-row" data-reveal style={`animation-delay:${Math.min(i * 50, 500)}ms`}>
+    <a class="post-row-link" href={`/${post.slug}/`}>
+      {post.cover && (
+        <div class="post-row-img">
+          <img src={post.cover} alt="" loading="lazy" />
+        </div>
+      )}
+      <div class="post-row-body">
+        <h3 class="post-row-title">{post.title}</h3>
+        <p class="post-row-excerpt">{post.rawExcerpt}</p>
+        <div class="post-row-meta">
+          <time>{fmt(post.date)}</time>
+          {post.tags.slice(0, 3).map((t) => (
+            <span class="post-row-tag"><a href={`/tag/${t}/`}>{t}</a></span>
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </a>
   </article>
 ))}
 
-{posts.length === 0 && (
-  <p style="color: #999; text-align: center; padding: 50px 0;">No posts yet.</p>
+{enriched.length === 0 && (
+  <p class="post-empty">No posts yet.</p>
 )}
+
+<script is:inline>
+(() => {
+  const els = document.querySelectorAll('[data-reveal]');
+  if (!('IntersectionObserver' in window)) {
+    els.forEach((e) => e.classList.add('is-visible'));
+    return;
+  }
+  const obs = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => {
+    for (const e of entries) {
+      if (e.isIntersecting) {
+        e.target.classList.add('is-visible');
+        obs.unobserve(e.target);
+      }
+    }
+  }, { rootMargin: '0px 0px -10% 0px', threshold: 0.05 });
+  els.forEach((e) => obs.observe(e));
+})();
+</script>
diff --git a/src/layouts/Layout.astro b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
index 6d982d6..17e69dd 100644
--- a/src/layouts/Layout.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
@@ -449,6 +449,207 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       .post-content > p:first-of-type::first-letter { font-size: 52px; }
       .related-posts-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
     }
+
+    /* ========== Reveal animation for cards ========== */
+    [data-reveal] {
+      opacity: 0;
+      transform: translateY(12px);
+      transition: opacity 0.6s ease, transform 0.6s ease;
+    }
+    [data-reveal].is-visible {
+      opacity: 1;
+      transform: translateY(0);
+    }
+
+    /* ========== Tag banner ========== */
+    .tag-banner {
+      font-family: 'Fraunces', 'Noto Serif SC', serif;
+      font-weight: 600;
+      font-size: 24px;
+      color: var(--ink);
+      margin-bottom: 28px;
+      padding-bottom: 16px;
+      border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+      font-variation-settings: 'opsz' 36;
+    }
+    .tag-banner em { font-style: italic; color: var(--accent); }
+
+    /* ========== Hero card ========== */
+    .post-hero {
+      margin-bottom: 44px;
+      border-radius: 14px;
+      overflow: hidden;
+      background: var(--bg-card);
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      transition: transform 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease;
+    }
+    .post-hero:hover {
+      transform: translateY(-2px);
+      box-shadow: 0 18px 48px -22px rgba(40, 30, 50, 0.22);
+    }
+    .post-hero-link {
+      display: grid;
+      grid-template-columns: 1.1fr 1fr;
+      text-decoration: none;
+      color: inherit;
+    }
+    .post-hero-img {
+      overflow: hidden;
+      background: var(--bg-soft);
+      min-height: 280px;
+    }
+    .post-hero-img img {
+      width: 100%; height: 100%;
+      object-fit: cover; display: block;
+      transition: transform 0.6s ease;
+    }
+    .post-hero:hover .post-hero-img img { transform: scale(1.04); }
+    .post-hero-body {
+      padding: 36px 36px;
+      display: flex;
+      flex-direction: column;
+      justify-content: center;
+    }
+    .post-hero-flag {
+      color: var(--accent);
+      font-size: 11px;
+      font-weight: 700;
+      text-transform: uppercase;
+      letter-spacing: 0.16em;
+      margin-bottom: 12px;
+    }
+    .post-hero-title {
+      font-family: 'Fraunces', 'Noto Serif SC', serif;
+      font-weight: 700;
+      font-size: clamp(26px, 3.5vw, 36px);
+      line-height: 1.12;
+      letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+      color: var(--ink);
+      margin-bottom: 14px;
+      font-variation-settings: 'opsz' 144;
+      transition: color 0.15s;
+    }
+    .post-hero:hover .post-hero-title { color: var(--accent); }
+    .post-hero-excerpt {
+      color: var(--ink-soft);
+      font-size: 16px;
+      line-height: 1.6;
+      margin-bottom: 18px;
+    }
+    .post-hero-meta {
+      display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 10px; align-items: center;
+      color: var(--ink-muted);
+      font-size: 13px;
+      letter-spacing: 0.02em;
+    }
+    .post-hero-tag {
+      display: inline-block;
+      padding: 2px 10px;
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      border-radius: 999px;
+      color: var(--ink-soft);
+      font-size: 12px;
+    }
+    .post-hero-tag a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
+
+    /* ========== Row cards ========== */
+    .post-row {
+      background: var(--bg-card);
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      border-radius: 12px;
+      margin-bottom: 16px;
+      overflow: hidden;
+      transition: transform 0.18s ease, border-color 0.18s ease, box-shadow 0.18s ease;
+    }
+    .post-row:hover {
+      transform: translateY(-2px);
+      box-shadow: 0 14px 36px -18px rgba(40, 30, 50, 0.18);
+    }
+    .post-row-link {
+      display: grid;
+      grid-template-columns: 220px 1fr;
+      text-decoration: none;
+      color: inherit;
+    }
+    .post-row-img {
+      overflow: hidden;
+      background: var(--bg-soft);
+    }
+    .post-row-img img {
+      width: 100%; height: 100%;
+      min-height: 160px;
+      object-fit: cover; display: block;
+      transition: transform 0.5s ease;
+    }
+    .post-row:hover .post-row-img img { transform: scale(1.04); }
+    .post-row-body {
+      padding: 22px 26px;
+      display: flex; flex-direction: column;
+      justify-content: center;
+    }
+    .post-row-link:has(.post-row-body:only-child) {
+      grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+    }
+    .post-row-title {
+      font-family: 'Fraunces', 'Noto Serif SC', serif;
+      font-weight: 600;
+      font-size: 22px;
+      line-height: 1.22;
+      letter-spacing: -0.015em;
+      color: var(--ink);
+      margin-bottom: 8px;
+      font-variation-settings: 'opsz' 80;
+      transition: color 0.15s;
+    }
+    .post-row:hover .post-row-title { color: var(--accent); }
+    .post-row-excerpt {
+      color: var(--ink-soft);
+      font-size: 15px;
+      line-height: 1.55;
+      margin-bottom: 12px;
+      display: -webkit-box;
+      -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
+      -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
+      overflow: hidden;
+    }
+    .post-row-meta {
+      display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 8px; align-items: center;
+      color: var(--ink-muted);
+      font-size: 12px;
+      letter-spacing: 0.02em;
+    }
+    .post-row-tag {
+      display: inline-block;
+      padding: 1px 9px;
+      background: var(--bg-soft);
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      border-radius: 999px;
+      color: var(--ink-soft);
+      font-size: 11px;
+      font-weight: 500;
+    }
+    .post-row-tag a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
+
+    .post-empty {
+      color: var(--ink-muted);
+      text-align: center;
+      padding: 80px 0;
+      font-size: 15px;
+    }
+
+    @media (max-width: 820px) {
+      .post-hero-link { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
+      .post-hero-img { min-height: 220px; max-height: 260px; }
+      .post-hero-body { padding: 24px 22px; }
+    }
+    @media (max-width: 700px) {
+      .post-row-link { grid-template-columns: 110px 1fr; }
+      .post-row-img img { min-height: 110px; }
+      .post-row-body { padding: 16px 18px; }
+      .post-row-title { font-size: 17px; }
+      .post-row-excerpt { font-size: 13px; }
+    }
+
   </style>
 </head>
 <body>