diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1a89385..0fd080e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@bomb.sh/args": "^0.3.1",
+    "@bomb.sh/tty": "^0.8.0",
     "@clack/prompts": "^0.11.0",
     "zod": "^4.0.0"
   },
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 42b5b4c..0938586 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ importers:
       '@bomb.sh/args':
         specifier: ^0.3.1
         version: 0.3.1
+      '@bomb.sh/tty':
+        specifier: ^0.8.0
+        version: 0.8.0
       '@clack/prompts':
         specifier: ^0.11.0
         version: 0.11.0
@@ -96,6 +99,10 @@ packages:
   '@bomb.sh/args@0.3.1':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-CwxKrfgcorUPP6KfYD59aRdBYWBTsfsxT+GmoLVnKo5Tmyoqbpo0UNcjngRMyU+6tiPbd18RuIYxhgAn44wU/Q==}
 
+  '@bomb.sh/tty@0.8.0':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-tEE0mtqnEp2uJt4kQS5AjdghCD5KN4BobqHOlfhaiNyrigxFBKk61XkDy//4D7V/AejrTvubh44B4NV35lsnxw==}
+    engines: {node: '>= 22'}
+
   '@clack/core@0.5.0':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-p3y0FIOwaYRUPRcMO7+dlmLh8PSRcrjuTndsiA0WAFbWES0mLZlrjVoBRZ9DzkPFJZG6KGkJmoEAY0ZcVWTkow==}
 
@@ -712,6 +719,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@bomb.sh/args@0.3.1': {}
 
+  '@bomb.sh/tty@0.8.0': {}
+
   '@clack/core@0.5.0':
     dependencies:
       picocolors: 1.1.1
diff --git a/src/banner.ts b/src/banner.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..909e344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/banner.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import {
+	close,
+	createTerm,
+	fixed,
+	grow,
+	open,
+	rgba,
+	text,
+	type Op,
+} from "@bomb.sh/tty";
+
+const ART = [
+	"  __ _     _",
+	" / _(_) __| |",
+	"| |_| |/ _` |",
+	"|  _| | (_| |",
+	"|_| |_|\\__,_|",
+];
+const TAGLINE = "a fid works knots. this one works tangled’s.";
+const HEIGHT = ART.length + 2; // art + blank + tagline
+
+const dim = (s: string) => `\x1b[2m${s}\x1b[0m`;
+export const staticBanner = `\n${ART.join("\n")}\n\n${dim(TAGLINE)}\n`;
+
+const GREEN = rgba(74, 222, 128);
+const WHITE = rgba(255, 255, 255);
+const GRAY = rgba(90, 95, 105);
+const TAG = rgba(140, 145, 155);
+
+// where is the cursor? (DSR roundtrip; null = terminal didn't answer)
+function cursorRow(): Promise<number | null> {
+	return new Promise((resolve) => {
+		const stdin = process.stdin;
+		const done = (row: number | null) => {
+			clearTimeout(timer);
+			stdin.off("data", onData);
+			stdin.setRawMode(false);
+			stdin.pause();
+			resolve(row);
+		};
+		const timer = setTimeout(() => done(null), 250);
+		const onData = (buf: Buffer) => {
+			const m = /\x1b\[(\d+);\d+R/.exec(buf.toString("utf8"));
+			if (m) done(Number(m[1]));
+		};
+		stdin.setRawMode(true);
+		stdin.resume();
+		stdin.on("data", onData);
+		process.stdout.write("\x1b[6n");
+	});
+}
+
+export async function animateBanner(): Promise<void> {
+	if (!process.stdout.isTTY || !process.stdin.isTTY || process.env.CI) {
+		console.log(staticBanner);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// reserve our rows first so the math survives scrolling at screen bottom
+	process.stdout.write("\n".repeat(HEIGHT));
+	const after = await cursorRow();
+	if (after === null) return; // banner sacrificed; don't garble the terminal
+	const top = Math.max(1, after - HEIGHT);
+
+	const width = Math.min(process.stdout.columns || 80, 60);
+	const term = await createTerm({ width, height: HEIGHT });
+	const artWidth = Math.max(...ART.map((l) => l.length));
+
+	process.stdout.write("\x1b[?25l");
+	const frames = 24;
+	for (let f = 0; f <= frames; f++) {
+		const t = f / frames;
+		const head = Math.floor(t * (artWidth + 3)) - 1; // sweep column, slight overshoot
+		const ops: Op[] = [
+			open("root", {
+				layout: { width: grow(), height: grow(), direction: "ttb" },
+			}),
+		];
+		ART.forEach((line, i) => {
+			ops.push(open(`l${i}`, { layout: { direction: "ltr" } }));
+			const a = Math.min(Math.max(head, 0), line.length);
+			const b = Math.min(a + 2, line.length);
+			if (a > 0) ops.push(text(line.slice(0, a), { color: GREEN }));
+			if (b > a) ops.push(text(line.slice(a, b), { color: WHITE }));
+			if (b < line.length) ops.push(text(line.slice(b), { color: GRAY }));
+			ops.push(close());
+		});
+		ops.push(open("gap", { layout: { height: fixed(1) } }), close());
+		const typed = TAGLINE.slice(0, Math.floor(t * TAGLINE.length));
+		ops.push(open("tag", {}));
+		if (typed) ops.push(text(typed, { color: TAG }));
+		ops.push(close(), close());
+
+		const { output } = term.render(ops, { mode: "line", row: top });
+		// line mode emits plain rows with no cursor addressing — repark at the
+		// region top each frame or every frame stacks below the previous one
+		process.stdout.write(`\x1b[${top};1H`);
+		process.stdout.write(output);
+		if (f < frames) await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 26));
+	}
+	// park the cursor below the banner and hand the terminal back
+	process.stdout.write(`\x1b[${Math.min(top + HEIGHT, after)};1H\x1b[?25h`);
+}
diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index 50ac398..84ee90b 100644
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 import { parse } from '@bomb.sh/args'
+import { animateBanner, staticBanner } from './banner.js'
 
 const args = parse(process.argv.slice(2), {
   boolean: ['json', 'all', 'fresh', 'help'],
   alias: { h: 'help' },
 })
 
-const dim = (s: string) => `\x1b[2m${s}\x1b[0m`
-
-const banner = `
-  __ _     _
- / _(_) __| |
-| |_| |/ _\` |
-|  _| | (_| |
-|_| |_|\\__,_|
-
-${dim('a fid works knots. this one works tangled’s.')}
-`
-
-const usage = `${banner}
+const usage = `${staticBanner}
 usage:
   fid list          every knot on the network
     --json          machine-readable output
@@ -32,7 +21,7 @@ if (args.help || !command) {
   process.exit(command ? 0 : 1)
 }
 
-if (!args.json) console.log(banner) // keep --json pipe-clean
+if (!args.json) await animateBanner() // keep --json pipe-clean
 
 switch (command) {
   case 'list':