diff --git a/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/SpritePage.tsx b/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/SpritePage.tsx
index 1a255a02..3a3ba710 100644
--- a/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/SpritePage.tsx
+++ b/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/SpritePage.tsx
@@ -9,11 +9,34 @@ import {
   regenerateSprite,
   updatePrompt,
 } from '../api'
-import type { Sprite, Variant } from '../types'
+import type { RecentVariant, Sprite, Variant } from '../types'
 import { colors, statusColors } from './theme'
-import { DimensionSection, ImageModal, VariantCard, variantSrc } from './SpriteComponents'
+import { DimensionSection, ImageModal, variantSrc } from './SpriteComponents'
+import { Card } from './TheaterCard'
 import { Tooltip } from '../components/Tooltip'
 
+function variantToRecent(v: Variant, sprite: Sprite): RecentVariant {
+  return {
+    variant_id: v.id,
+    sprite_id: v.sprite_id,
+    category: sprite.category,
+    entity_id: sprite.entity_id,
+    raw_path: v.raw_path ?? '',
+    processed_path: v.processed_path,
+    seed: v.seed,
+    created_at: v.created_at,
+    rating: v.rating,
+    notes: v.notes,
+    is_approved: v.is_approved,
+    scored_by: null,
+    review_tier: null,
+    quality_json: null,
+    gates_json: null,
+    reject_reason: v.reject_reason,
+    quality_scorer: null,
+  }
+}
+
 export function SpritePage(): ReactNode {
   const params = useParams()
   const navigate = useNavigate()
@@ -342,29 +365,28 @@ export function SpritePage(): ReactNode {
         <div style={{ marginBottom: 32 }}>
           <h2 style={{ color: colors.text, fontSize: 18, marginBottom: 4 }}>Variants</h2>
           <p style={{ color: colors.muted, fontSize: 12, margin: '0 0 14px 0' }}>
-            Keys 1-{Math.min(8, variants.length)} to select, Enter to approve selected, Esc to deselect
+            Keys 1-{Math.min(8, variants.length)} to select · Enter to approve selected · Esc to deselect
           </p>
           <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexWrap: 'wrap', gap: 12 }}>
             {variants.map((v, i) => (
-              <VariantCard
+              <div
                 key={v.id}
-                variant={v}
-                index={i}
-                isSelected={selectedIndex === i}
-                onSelect={(): void => {
-                  setSelectedIndex(i)
-                  const src = variantSrc(v)
-                  if (src) {
-                    setModalSrc(src)
-                  }
-                }}
-                onApprove={(): void => {
-                  void handleApprove(v.id)
-                }}
-                onReject={(): void => {
-                  void handleRejectVariant(v.id)
-                }}
-              />
+                style={{ width: 220, flexShrink: 0, outline: selectedIndex === i ? `2px solid ${colors.highlight}` : 'none', borderRadius: 8 }}
+              >
+                <Card
+                  v={variantToRecent(v, sprite)}
+                  isNew={false}
+                  index={i}
+                  alwaysShowActions
+                  onSelect={(): void => {
+                    setSelectedIndex(i)
+                    const src = variantSrc(v)
+                    if (src) setModalSrc(src)
+                  }}
+                  onApprove={(): void => { load() }}
+                  onReject={(): void => { void handleRejectVariant(v.id) }}
+                />
+              </div>
             ))}
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/TheaterCard.tsx b/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/TheaterCard.tsx
index ac58fdb7..2572e70d 100644
--- a/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/TheaterCard.tsx
+++ b/tools/sprite-generation/gui/src/pages/TheaterCard.tsx
@@ -232,9 +232,11 @@ export interface CardProps {
   onApprove: (variantId: number) => void
   onReject: (variantId: number) => void
   onSelect?: (v: RecentVariant) => void
+  /** Show Approve/Reject buttons even when no scoring notes exist */
+  alwaysShowActions?: boolean
 }
 
-export const Card = memo(forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, CardProps>(function Card({ v, isNew, index, onApprove, onReject, onSelect }, ref) {
+export const Card = memo(forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, CardProps>(function Card({ v, isNew, index, onApprove, onReject, onSelect, alwaysShowActions }, ref) {
   const conf = useMemo(() => confidence(v), [v.notes])
   const scores = useMemo(() => parseScores(v.notes), [v.notes])
   const gateOk = useMemo(() => gatePassed(v), [v.notes])
@@ -360,15 +362,48 @@ export const Card = memo(forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, CardProps>(function Card({ v
       {/* ── Art frame ───────────────────────────────────────────── */}
       <div
         onClick={() => onSelect?.(v)}
-        style={{ display: 'block', cursor: 'pointer' }}
+        style={{ display: 'block', cursor: 'pointer', position: 'relative' }}
         title={`#${v.variant_id} — ${v.sprite_id} (click for details)`}
       >
-        <img
-          src={imgUrl ?? ''}
-          alt={v.entity_id}
-          style={{ width: '100%', display: 'block', aspectRatio: '1/1', objectFit: 'cover' }}
-          loading="lazy"
-        />
+        {imgUrl ? (
+          <img
+            src={imgUrl}
+            alt={v.entity_id}
+            style={{
+              width: '100%', display: 'block', aspectRatio: '1/1', objectFit: 'cover',
+              opacity: v.rating === -1 ? 0.35 : 1,
+              filter: v.rating === -1 ? 'saturate(0)' : 'none',
+            }}
+            loading="lazy"
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <div style={{
+            width: '100%', aspectRatio: '1/1',
+            background: '#0d0f1a',
+            display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+            flexDirection: 'column', gap: 4,
+          }}>
+            <span style={{ fontSize: 22, opacity: 0.15 }}>▣</span>
+            <span style={{ fontSize: 9, color: '#2a3044', letterSpacing: '0.5px' }}>no image</span>
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {v.rating === -1 && (
+          <div style={{
+            position: 'absolute', inset: 0,
+            display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+            pointerEvents: 'none',
+          }}>
+            <span style={{
+              fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 800, color: '#ef4444',
+              background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.7)',
+              border: '1px solid #ef444466',
+              borderRadius: 4, padding: '3px 10px',
+              letterSpacing: '1px', textTransform: 'uppercase',
+            }}>
+              Rejected
+            </span>
+          </div>
+        )}
       </div>
 
       {/* ── Text box ────────────────────────────────────────────── */}
@@ -458,7 +493,28 @@ export const Card = memo(forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, CardProps>(function Card({ v
         }}>
           APPROVED
         </div>
-      ) : scores && (
+      ) : v.rating === -1 ? (
+        <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6, padding: '0 10px 8px' }}>
+          <Tooltip text="Approve this variant despite prior rejection">
+            <button
+              onClick={(e) => {
+                e.stopPropagation()
+                approveVariant(v.sprite_id, v.variant_id).then(
+                  () => { onApprove(v.variant_id) },
+                  () => {},
+                )
+              }}
+              style={{
+                flex: 1, padding: '5px 0', borderRadius: 4, fontSize: 11, fontWeight: 600,
+                background: '#10b98133', color: '#10b981', border: '1px solid #10b98155',
+                cursor: 'pointer',
+              }}
+            >
+              Approve anyway
+            </button>
+          </Tooltip>
+        </div>
+      ) : (scores || alwaysShowActions) && imgUrl ? (
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6, padding: '0 10px 8px' }}>
           <Tooltip text="Approve this variant as the final game sprite">
             <button
@@ -494,7 +550,7 @@ export const Card = memo(forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, CardProps>(function Card({ v
             </button>
           </Tooltip>
         </div>
-      )}
+      ) : null}
     </div>
   )
 }))