diff --git a/animation.cpp b/animation.cpp
index aea103d..ed6af21 100644
--- a/animation.cpp
+++ b/animation.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ namespace components {
   }
 
   void Animation::step(sf::Vector2f& scale_out, sf::Vector2f& pos_out, sf::IntRect& rect_out) {
-    dbc::check(rect_out.size.x > 0, "invalid frame width in animation");
-    dbc::check(rect_out.size.y > 0, "invalid frame height in animation");
+    dbc::check(rect_out.size.x > 0, "step given rect_out with size.x <= 0, must be >");
+    dbc::check(rect_out.size.y > 0, "step given rect_out with size.y <= 0, must be >");
 
     if(playing && current < frames) {
       float tick = twitching();
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ namespace components {
           } break;
           case ease::STRETCH: {
             scale_out.x = std::lerp(min_x, max_x, tick);
-            fmt::println("scale_x: {} max_scale: {} tick: {} scale_out.x: {}",
-                min_x, max_x, tick, scale_out.x);
           } break;
           case ease::GROW: {
             scale_out.y = std::lerp(min_y, max_y, tick);
@@ -151,17 +149,18 @@ namespace animation {
         try {
           auto anim = components::convert<Animation>(data);
 
-          dbc::check(sprites.contains(name),
-              fmt::format("animation '{}' doesn't have sprite, spelled wrong in config.json?", name));
+          if(!sprites.contains(name)) {
+            fmt::println("animation '{}' doesn't have sprite, spelled wrong in config.json?", name);
+          } else {
+            auto& sprite_config = sprites[name];
 
-          auto& sprite_config = sprites[name];
+            anim.frame_width = sprite_config["frame_width"];
+            anim.frame_height = sprite_config["frame_height"];
 
-          anim.frame_width = sprite_config["frame_width"];
-          anim.frame_height = sprite_config["frame_height"];
-
-          dbc::check(anim.frame_width > 0 && anim.frame_height > 0,
-              fmt::format("invalid frame width/height for animation: {}",
-                name));
+            dbc::check(anim.frame_width > 0 && anim.frame_height > 0,
+                fmt::format("invalid frame width/height for animation: {}",
+                  name));
+          }
 
           MGR.animations.insert_or_assign(name, anim);
         } catch(...) {
diff --git a/assets/animations.json b/assets/animations.json
index 7b02df7..be39692 100644
--- a/assets/animations.json
+++ b/assets/animations.json
@@ -288,5 +288,23 @@
     "toggled": false,
     "flipped": false,
     "looped": false
+  },
+  "test_zoom": {
+    "_type": "Animation",
+    "easing": 6,
+    "motion": 5,
+    "ease_rate": 0.5,
+    "min_x": 1.0,
+    "min_y": 1.0,
+    "max_x": 1.2,
+    "max_y": 1.2,
+    "simple": true,
+    "frames": 1,
+    "speed": 0.01,
+    "scaled": true,
+    "stationary": true,
+    "toggled": false,
+    "flipped": false,
+    "looped": false
   }
 }
diff --git a/boss/fight.cpp b/boss/fight.cpp
index c92c334..f027859 100644
--- a/boss/fight.cpp
+++ b/boss/fight.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ namespace boss {
         $ui.status(L"PLAYER TURN");
         const std::string& player_pos = run % 10 < 5 ? "player1" : "player2";
         $ui.move_actor("player", player_pos);
-        $ui.zoom(player_pos);
+        $ui.$zoom_anim.play();
         int attack_id = std::any_cast<int>(data);
         boss::System::combat(attack_id);
         state(State::PLAYER_TURN);
diff --git a/boss/ui.cpp b/boss/ui.cpp
index cc97599..6d37d49 100644
--- a/boss/ui.cpp
+++ b/boss/ui.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #include "boss/ui.hpp"
 #include "scene.hpp"
 #include "constants.hpp"
+#include "components.hpp"
+#include "animation.hpp"
 
 namespace boss {
   using namespace guecs;
@@ -10,7 +12,8 @@ namespace boss {
     $combat_ui(true),
     $arena(scene),
     $view_texture({BOSS_VIEW_WIDTH, BOSS_VIEW_HEIGHT}),
-    $view_sprite($view_texture.getTexture())
+    $view_sprite($view_texture.getTexture()),
+    $zoom_anim(animation::load("test_zoom"))
   {
     $view_sprite.setPosition({BOSS_VIEW_X, BOSS_VIEW_Y});
   }
@@ -40,6 +43,11 @@ namespace boss {
   void UI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
     $actions.render(window);
     $combat_ui.render(window);
+
+    if($zoom_anim.playing) {
+      zoom("player2");
+    }
+
     $arena.render($view_texture);
     $view_texture.display();
     window.draw($view_sprite);
@@ -71,10 +79,25 @@ namespace boss {
     if(cell_name == "") {
       sf::View zoom{{BOSS_VIEW_WIDTH/2,BOSS_VIEW_HEIGHT/2}, {BOSS_VIEW_WIDTH, BOSS_VIEW_HEIGHT}};
       $view_texture.setView(zoom);
-    } else {
+    } else if($zoom_anim.playing) {
       auto& cell = $arena.$ui.cell_for(cell_name);
-      sf::View zoom{{(float)cell.mid_x, (float)cell.mid_y},
-          {(float)cell.w*3, (float)cell.h*3}};
+      sf::Vector2f scale{$zoom_anim.min_x, $zoom_anim.min_y};
+      sf::Vector2f pos{float(cell.x), float(cell.y)};
+      sf::IntRect rect{{0,0}, {cell.w, cell.h}};
+
+      $zoom_anim.step(scale, pos, rect);
+      fmt::println("SCALE: {},{}; pos: {},{}; rect: {},{};{},{}",
+          scale.x, scale.y, pos.x, pos.y,
+          rect.position.x, rect.position.y,
+          rect.size.x, rect.size.y);
+
+      sf::View zoom{pos,
+        {float(cell.w * 2), float(cell.h * 2)}};
+
+      if($zoom_anim.scaled) {
+        zoom.zoom(scale.x);
+      }
+
       $view_texture.setView(zoom);
     }
 
diff --git a/boss/ui.hpp b/boss/ui.hpp
index 1ff4994..6a63eb9 100644
--- a/boss/ui.hpp
+++ b/boss/ui.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #include "gui/combat_ui.hpp"
 #include "scene.hpp"
 
+namespace components {
+  struct Animation;
+}
+
 namespace boss {
   using std::shared_ptr;
 
@@ -14,6 +18,7 @@ namespace boss {
     guecs::UI $actions;
     sf::RenderTexture $view_texture;
     sf::Sprite $view_sprite;
+    components::Animation $zoom_anim;
 
     UI(components::AnimatedScene &scene, DinkyECS::Entity boss_id);