diff --git a/src/lib/components/ui/CharacterTypeahead.svelte b/src/lib/components/ui/CharacterTypeahead.svelte
index b0a287a8..8aab0375 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/ui/CharacterTypeahead.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/ui/CharacterTypeahead.svelte
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 <script lang="ts">
 	import Svelecte from 'svelecte'
+	import Icon from '../Icon.svelte'
 	import { searchAdapter, type SearchResult } from '$lib/api/adapters/search.adapter'
 
 	interface CharacterOption {
@@ -13,10 +14,12 @@
 	}
 
 	interface Props {
-		/** Selected character ID */
+		/** Selected character granblue ID (e.g. "3040581000") */
 		value?: string | null
+		/** Initial character data for display (when loading existing value) */
+		initialCharacter?: { id: string; name: string; granblueId: string } | null
 		/** Callback when value changes */
-		onValueChange?: (characterId: string | null) => void
+		onValueChange?: (granblueId: string | null) => void
 		/** Placeholder text */
 		placeholder?: string
 		/** Disabled state */
@@ -27,29 +30,66 @@
 		clearable?: boolean
 		/** Minimum characters before search */
 		minQuery?: number
+		/** Use contained styling (for use inside containers) */
+		contained?: boolean
 	}
 
 	let {
 		value = $bindable(null),
+		initialCharacter = null,
 		onValueChange,
 		placeholder = 'Search characters...',
 		disabled = false,
 		size = 'medium',
 		clearable = true,
-		minQuery = 2
+		minQuery = 2,
+		contained = false
 	}: Props = $props()
 
-	let options = $state<CharacterOption[]>([])
+	// Initialize selectedOption from initialCharacter if provided
+	function initializeFromCharacter() {
+		if (initialCharacter && value) {
+			return {
+				id: initialCharacter.id,
+				label: initialCharacter.name,
+				granblueId: initialCharacter.granblueId
+			}
+		}
+		return null
+	}
+
+	let searchResults = $state<CharacterOption[]>([])
+	let selectedOption = $state<CharacterOption | null>(initializeFromCharacter())
 	let isLoading = $state(false)
 	let searchTimeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
 
+	// Update selectedOption when initialCharacter changes or value is cleared
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (!value) {
+			selectedOption = null
+		} else if (initialCharacter && !selectedOption) {
+			selectedOption = initializeFromCharacter()
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Combine search results with the selected option so Svelecte can always find it
+	const options = $derived.by(() => {
+		const selected = selectedOption
+		if (selected && !searchResults.find((o) => o.granblueId === selected.granblueId)) {
+			return [selected, ...searchResults]
+		}
+		return searchResults
+	})
+
 	const typeaheadClasses = $derived(
-		['character-typeahead', size, disabled && 'disabled'].filter(Boolean).join(' ')
+		['character-typeahead', size, contained && 'contained', disabled && 'disabled']
+			.filter(Boolean)
+			.join(' ')
 	)
 
 	async function searchCharacters(query: string) {
 		if (query.length < minQuery) {
-			options = []
+			searchResults = []
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -61,7 +101,7 @@
 				locale: 'en'
 			})
 
-			options = response.results.map((result: SearchResult) => ({
+			searchResults = response.results.map((result: SearchResult) => ({
 				id: result.id,
 				label: result.name?.en || result.name?.ja || result.granblueId,
 				granblueId: result.granblueId,
@@ -69,7 +109,7 @@
 			}))
 		} catch (error) {
 			console.error('Character search error:', error)
-			options = []
+			searchResults = []
 		} finally {
 			isLoading = false
 		}
@@ -90,35 +130,30 @@
 	}
 
 	function handleChange(selected: CharacterOption | null) {
-		const newValue = selected?.id || null
+		const newValue = selected?.granblueId || null
 		value = newValue
+		selectedOption = selected
 		onValueChange?.(newValue)
 	}
-
-	// Compute current value for Svelecte display
-	const displayValue = $derived.by(() => {
-		if (!value) return null
-		const found = options.find((o) => o.id === value)
-		if (found) return found
-		// If we have a value but it's not in options, show placeholder
-		return { id: value, label: value, granblueId: '' } as CharacterOption
-	})
 </script>
 
 <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
 <div class={typeaheadClasses} oninput={handleInput}>
 	<Svelecte
 		{options}
-		value={displayValue}
+		value={value}
 		labelField="label"
-		valueField="id"
+		valueField="granblueId"
 		searchable={true}
 		{placeholder}
 		{disabled}
 		{clearable}
 		onChange={handleChange}
-		keepSelectionInList={false}
-	/>
+	>
+		{#snippet toggleIcon(dropdownShow)}
+			<Icon name="chevron-down-small" size={14} class="chevron" />
+		{/snippet}
+	</Svelecte>
 	{#if isLoading}
 		<span class="loading-indicator">...</span>
 	{/if}
@@ -129,19 +164,21 @@
 	@use '$src/themes/colors' as *;
 	@use '$src/themes/typography' as *;
 	@use '$src/themes/layout' as *;
+	@use '$src/themes/mixins' as *;
+	@use '$src/themes/effects' as *;
 
 	.character-typeahead {
 		position: relative;
 		width: 100%;
 
-		// Svelecte overrides
+		// Svelecte CSS variable overrides
 		--sv-bg: var(--input-bg);
 		--sv-border-color: transparent;
-		--sv-border: 2px solid var(--sv-border-color);
-		--sv-active-border: 2px solid #{$blue};
+		--sv-border: 1px solid var(--sv-border-color);
+		--sv-active-border: 1px solid #{$blue};
 		--sv-active-outline: none;
 		--sv-border-radius: #{$input-corner};
-		--sv-min-height: calc(#{$unit} * 5.5);
+		--sv-min-height: #{$unit-4x};
 		--sv-placeholder-color: var(--text-tertiary);
 		--sv-color: var(--text-primary);
 
@@ -154,27 +191,88 @@
 		--sv-item-active-bg: var(--option-bg-hover);
 		--sv-item-selected-bg: var(--option-bg-hover);
 
-		--sv-icon-color: var(--text-secondary);
+		--sv-icon-color: var(--text-tertiary);
 		--sv-icon-hover-color: var(--text-primary);
 
 		&.disabled {
 			opacity: 0.5;
 			pointer-events: none;
 		}
+
+		// Target Svelecte control for hover states
+		:global(.sv-control) {
+			padding: calc($unit-half + 1px) $unit calc($unit-half + 1px) $unit-half;
+			@include smooth-transition($duration-quick, background-color, border-color);
+		}
+
+		&:hover:not(.disabled) :global(.sv-control) {
+			background-color: var(--input-bg-hover);
+		}
+
+		// Contained variant
+		&.contained {
+			--sv-bg: var(--select-contained-bg);
+
+			&:hover:not(.disabled) :global(.sv-control) {
+				background-color: var(--select-contained-bg-hover);
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Style the dropdown
+		:global(.sv_dropdown) {
+			border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
+			max-height: 40vh;
+			z-index: 102;
+		}
+
+		// Style dropdown items
+		:global(.sv-item) {
+			border-radius: $item-corner-small;
+			padding: $unit $unit-2x;
+			gap: $unit;
+			@include smooth-transition($duration-quick, background-color);
+		}
+
+		// Style the input text
+		:global(.sv-input--text) {
+			font-family: var(--font-family);
+		}
+
+		// Style the indicator buttons
+		:global(.sv-btn-indicator) {
+			color: var(--text-tertiary);
+			@include smooth-transition($duration-quick, color);
+
+			&:hover {
+				color: var(--text-primary);
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Style our custom chevron icon
+		:global(.chevron) {
+			flex-shrink: 0;
+			color: var(--text-tertiary);
+		}
+
+		// Hide the separator bar between buttons
+		:global(.sv-btn-separator) {
+			display: none;
+		}
 	}
 
+	// Size variants
 	.character-typeahead.small {
-		--sv-min-height: calc(#{$unit} * 3.5);
+		--sv-min-height: #{$unit-3x};
 		--sv-font-size: #{$font-small};
 	}
 
 	.character-typeahead.medium {
-		--sv-min-height: calc(#{$unit} * 5.5);
+		--sv-min-height: #{$unit-4x};
 		--sv-font-size: #{$font-regular};
 	}
 
 	.character-typeahead.large {
-		--sv-min-height: calc(#{$unit} * 6.5);
+		--sv-min-height: calc(#{$unit} * 6);
 		--sv-font-size: #{$font-large};
 	}