diff --git a/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx b/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
index 71975541..05f64ae3 100644
--- a/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ContentPanel.tsx
@@ -203,10 +203,10 @@ const ContentPanel: React.FC<ContentPanelProps> = ({
     setIsMarkedAsRead(true)
     setShowCheckAnimation(true)
 
-    // Reset animation after it completes
+    // Reset animation after it completes (2.5s for full fancy animation)
     setTimeout(() => {
       setShowCheckAnimation(false)
-    }, 600)
+    }, 2500)
 
     // Fire-and-forget: publish in background without blocking UI
     ;(async () => {
diff --git a/src/styles/components/reader.css b/src/styles/components/reader.css
index 7cd148a6..04e5f6cd 100644
--- a/src/styles/components/reader.css
+++ b/src/styles/components/reader.css
@@ -216,7 +216,72 @@
 .mark-as-read-btn:hover:not(:disabled) { background: var(--color-border); border-color: var(--color-text-muted); transform: translateY(-1px); }
 .mark-as-read-btn:active:not(:disabled) { transform: translateY(0); }
 .mark-as-read-btn:disabled { opacity: 0.6; cursor: not-allowed; }
-.mark-as-read-btn svg { font-size: 1.1rem; }
+.mark-as-read-btn svg { font-size: 1.1rem; transition: transform 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1); }
+
+/* Fancy Mark as Read animation */
+@keyframes markAsReadSuccess {
+  0% {
+    background: var(--color-bg-elevated);
+    border-color: var(--color-border-subtle);
+    transform: scale(1);
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(16, 185, 129, 0);
+  }
+  10% {
+    transform: scale(1.05);
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 8px rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.3);
+  }
+  25% {
+    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #10b981 0%, #059669 100%);
+    border-color: #10b981;
+    color: white;
+    transform: scale(1.02);
+    box-shadow: 0 4px 20px rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.4);
+  }
+  65% {
+    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #10b981 0%, #059669 100%);
+    border-color: #10b981;
+    color: white;
+    transform: scale(1.02);
+    box-shadow: 0 4px 20px rgba(16, 185, 129, 0.4);
+  }
+  100% {
+    background: #6b7280;
+    border-color: #6b7280;
+    color: white;
+    transform: scale(1);
+    box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
+  }
+}
+
+@keyframes iconSpin {
+  0% {
+    transform: rotate(0deg) scale(1);
+  }
+  15% {
+    transform: rotate(0deg) scale(1.2);
+  }
+  50% {
+    transform: rotate(360deg) scale(1.2);
+  }
+  100% {
+    transform: rotate(360deg) scale(1);
+  }
+}
+
+.mark-as-read-btn.animating {
+  animation: markAsReadSuccess 2.5s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1) forwards;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.mark-as-read-btn.animating svg {
+  animation: iconSpin 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1) forwards;
+}
+
+.mark-as-read-btn.marked {
+  background: #6b7280;
+  border-color: #6b7280;
+  color: white;
+}
 @media (max-width: 768px) {
   .reader {
     max-width: 100%;