diff --git a/app/(pages)/error.tsx b/app/(pages)/error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c69f4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/(pages)/error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { IconAlertTriangle, IconRefresh } from "@tabler/icons-react";
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+
+export default function PagesError({
+  error,
+  reset,
+}: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    console.error("[pages error boundary]", error);
+  }, [error]);
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-6 py-24 text-center">
+      {/* Icon ring */}
+      <div className="flex size-14 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-destructive/20 bg-destructive/5 text-destructive">
+        <IconAlertTriangle className="size-6" strokeWidth={1.5} />
+      </div>
+
+      <div className="space-y-2">
+        <h1 className="font-display text-2xl tracking-tight sm:text-3xl">
+          Something went wrong
+        </h1>
+        <p className="mx-auto max-w-sm text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+          An unexpected error occurred while loading this page. You can try
+          again or head back to the dashboard.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      {error.digest && (
+        <p className="font-mono text-[11px] text-muted-foreground/40">
+          Error ID: {error.digest}
+        </p>
+      )}
+
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={reset}
+          className="group relative inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center gap-2 overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-primary px-5 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-lg hover:shadow-primary/20"
+        >
+          <IconRefresh className="size-4" />
+          <span className="relative z-10">Try again</span>
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/10 to-transparent opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100" />
+        </button>
+        <Link
+          href="/dashboard"
+          className="inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-border px-5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:border-primary/40 hover:bg-primary/5"
+        >
+          Dashboard
+        </Link>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/app/(pages)/not-found.tsx b/app/(pages)/not-found.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0ee101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/(pages)/not-found.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+
+export default function PagesNotFound() {
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-6 py-24 text-center">
+      {/* Ghosted 404 */}
+      <h1 className="animate-stagger-item font-display text-[6rem] leading-[0.85] tracking-tight text-foreground/[0.06] sm:text-[8rem]">
+        404
+      </h1>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item -mt-4 space-y-2"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 1 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <h2 className="font-display text-2xl tracking-tight sm:text-3xl">
+          Page not found
+        </h2>
+        <p className="mx-auto max-w-sm text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+          This page doesn&apos;t exist or may have been moved. Try searching for
+          what you&apos;re looking for instead.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item flex items-center gap-3"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 2 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <Link
+          href="/dashboard"
+          className="group relative inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-primary px-5 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-lg hover:shadow-primary/20"
+        >
+          <span className="relative z-10">Dashboard</span>
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/10 to-transparent opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100" />
+        </Link>
+        <Link
+          href="/explore"
+          className="inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-border px-5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:border-primary/40 hover:bg-primary/5"
+        >
+          Explore
+        </Link>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/app/(pages)/people/[id]/not-found.tsx b/app/(pages)/people/[id]/not-found.tsx
index 9f1d8eb..b63b2f4 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/people/[id]/not-found.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/people/[id]/not-found.tsx
@@ -2,20 +2,45 @@ import Link from "next/link";
 
 export default function PersonNotFound() {
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-4 py-24 text-center">
-      <h1 className="font-display text-4xl tracking-tight text-balance">
-        Person not found
-      </h1>
-      <p className="text-muted-foreground">
-        The person you&apos;re looking for doesn&apos;t exist or may have been
-        removed.
-      </p>
-      <Link
-        href="/explore"
-        className="inline-flex h-9 items-center rounded-lg bg-primary px-4 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-md hover:shadow-primary/20"
+    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-6 py-24 text-center">
+      <h1
+        className="animate-stagger-item font-display text-[6rem] leading-[0.85] tracking-tight text-foreground/[0.06] sm:text-[8rem]"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 0 } as React.CSSProperties}
       >
-        Explore titles
-      </Link>
+        404
+      </h1>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item -mt-4 space-y-2"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 1 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <h2 className="font-display text-2xl tracking-tight sm:text-3xl">
+          Person not found
+        </h2>
+        <p className="mx-auto max-w-sm text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+          The person you&apos;re looking for doesn&apos;t exist or may have been
+          removed from the database.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item flex items-center gap-3"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 2 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <Link
+          href="/explore"
+          className="group relative inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-primary px-5 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-lg hover:shadow-primary/20"
+        >
+          <span className="relative z-10">Explore titles</span>
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/10 to-transparent opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100" />
+        </Link>
+        <Link
+          href="/dashboard"
+          className="inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-border px-5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:border-primary/40 hover:bg-primary/5"
+        >
+          Dashboard
+        </Link>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/app/(pages)/titles/[id]/not-found.tsx b/app/(pages)/titles/[id]/not-found.tsx
index 3bebd5d..a08d902 100644
--- a/app/(pages)/titles/[id]/not-found.tsx
+++ b/app/(pages)/titles/[id]/not-found.tsx
@@ -2,18 +2,45 @@ import Link from "next/link";
 
 export default function TitleNotFound() {
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-4 py-24 text-center">
-      <h1 className="font-display text-4xl tracking-tight">Title not found</h1>
-      <p className="text-muted-foreground">
-        The title you&apos;re looking for doesn&apos;t exist or may have been
-        removed.
-      </p>
-      <Link
-        href="/explore"
-        className="inline-flex h-9 items-center rounded-lg bg-primary px-4 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-all hover:shadow-md hover:shadow-primary/20"
+    <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-6 py-24 text-center">
+      <h1
+        className="animate-stagger-item font-display text-[6rem] leading-[0.85] tracking-tight text-foreground/[0.06] sm:text-[8rem]"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 0 } as React.CSSProperties}
       >
-        Explore titles
-      </Link>
+        404
+      </h1>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item -mt-4 space-y-2"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 1 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <h2 className="font-display text-2xl tracking-tight sm:text-3xl">
+          Title not found
+        </h2>
+        <p className="mx-auto max-w-sm text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+          The title you&apos;re looking for doesn&apos;t exist or may have been
+          removed from the database.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      <div
+        className="animate-stagger-item flex items-center gap-3"
+        style={{ "--stagger-index": 2 } as React.CSSProperties}
+      >
+        <Link
+          href="/explore"
+          className="group relative inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-primary px-5 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-lg hover:shadow-primary/20"
+        >
+          <span className="relative z-10">Explore titles</span>
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/10 to-transparent opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100" />
+        </Link>
+        <Link
+          href="/dashboard"
+          className="inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg border border-border px-5 text-sm font-medium transition-colors hover:border-primary/40 hover:bg-primary/5"
+        >
+          Dashboard
+        </Link>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/app/global-error.tsx b/app/global-error.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8c5182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/global-error.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+"use client";
+
+export default function GlobalError({
+  error,
+  reset,
+}: {
+  error: Error & { digest?: string };
+  reset: () => void;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <html lang="en" style={{ colorScheme: "dark" }}>
+      <head>
+        <style>{`
+          body {
+            margin: 0;
+            min-height: 100vh;
+            display: flex;
+            flex-direction: column;
+            align-items: center;
+            justify-content: center;
+            font-family: 'DM Sans', ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, sans-serif;
+            background-color: oklch(0.13 0.006 55);
+            color: oklch(0.93 0.015 80);
+            padding: 1.5rem;
+            text-align: center;
+            overflow: hidden;
+          }
+          .ge-glow {
+            position: fixed;
+            left: 50%;
+            top: 40%;
+            width: 400px;
+            height: 400px;
+            transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+            border-radius: 50%;
+            background: oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.04);
+            filter: blur(120px);
+            pointer-events: none;
+          }
+          .ge-icon-ring {
+            width: 48px;
+            height: 48px;
+            margin: 0 auto 1.5rem;
+            border-radius: 50%;
+            border: 1px solid oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.2);
+            display: flex;
+            align-items: center;
+            justify-content: center;
+            color: oklch(0.8 0.14 65);
+          }
+          .ge-title {
+            font-family: 'DM Serif Display', 'Georgia', ui-serif, serif;
+            font-size: 1.75rem;
+            font-weight: 400;
+            letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+            margin: 0 0 0.75rem;
+          }
+          .ge-desc {
+            font-size: 0.875rem;
+            line-height: 1.6;
+            color: oklch(0.63 0.02 80);
+            max-width: 22rem;
+            margin: 0 auto 2rem;
+          }
+          .ge-digest {
+            font-size: 0.7rem;
+            font-family: monospace;
+            color: oklch(0.63 0.02 80 / 0.5);
+            margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
+          }
+          .ge-actions {
+            display: flex;
+            gap: 0.75rem;
+            justify-content: center;
+          }
+          .ge-btn {
+            height: 40px;
+            padding: 0 1.5rem;
+            border-radius: 0.5rem;
+            font-size: 0.875rem;
+            font-weight: 500;
+            font-family: inherit;
+            cursor: pointer;
+            transition: box-shadow 0.2s, border-color 0.2s, background 0.2s;
+          }
+          .ge-btn-primary {
+            border: none;
+            background: oklch(0.8 0.14 65);
+            color: oklch(0.13 0.006 55);
+          }
+          .ge-btn-primary:hover, .ge-btn-primary:focus-visible {
+            box-shadow: 0 10px 25px -5px oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.2);
+          }
+          .ge-btn-secondary {
+            border: 1px solid oklch(1 0.015 65 / 0.1);
+            background: transparent;
+            color: oklch(0.93 0.015 80);
+          }
+          .ge-btn-secondary:hover, .ge-btn-secondary:focus-visible {
+            border-color: oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.4);
+            background: oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.05);
+          }
+        `}</style>
+      </head>
+      <body>
+        <div className="ge-glow" />
+
+        <div style={{ position: "relative", zIndex: 1 }}>
+          <div className="ge-icon-ring">
+            <svg
+              width="20"
+              height="20"
+              viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+              fill="none"
+              stroke="currentColor"
+              strokeWidth="1.5"
+              strokeLinecap="round"
+              strokeLinejoin="round"
+              role="img"
+              aria-label="Error"
+            >
+              <path d="M12 12m-9 0a9 9 0 1 0 18 0a9 9 0 1 0 -18 0" />
+              <path d="M12 12m-1 0a1 1 0 1 0 2 0a1 1 0 1 0 -2 0" />
+              <path d="M13.41 10.59l2.59 -2.59" />
+            </svg>
+          </div>
+
+          <h1 className="ge-title">Intermission</h1>
+
+          <p className="ge-desc">
+            We hit a snag loading this page. This is usually temporary &mdash;
+            try refreshing or come back in a moment.
+          </p>
+
+          {error.digest && (
+            <p className="ge-digest">Error ID: {error.digest}</p>
+          )}
+
+          <div className="ge-actions">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={reset}
+              className="ge-btn ge-btn-primary"
+            >
+              Try again
+            </button>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => {
+                window.location.href = "/";
+              }}
+              className="ge-btn ge-btn-secondary"
+            >
+              Return home
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </body>
+    </html>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/app/not-found.tsx b/app/not-found.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b18e8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/not-found.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { SofaLogo } from "@/components/sofa-logo";
+
+export default function NotFound() {
+  return (
+    <div className="relative flex min-h-screen flex-col items-center justify-center overflow-hidden px-6">
+      {/* Warm projector glow */}
+      <div className="pointer-events-none absolute left-1/2 top-[40%] h-[500px] w-[500px] -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 rounded-full bg-primary/4 blur-[160px]" />
+
+      {/* Subtle vertical light beam */}
+      <div
+        className="pointer-events-none absolute left-1/2 top-0 h-[60vh] w-px -translate-x-1/2"
+        style={{
+          background:
+            "linear-gradient(to bottom, oklch(0.8 0.14 65 / 0.12), transparent)",
+        }}
+      />
+
+      <div className="relative z-10 flex flex-col items-center text-center">
+        {/* Frame counter label */}
+        <p
+          className="animate-stagger-item font-mono text-[10px] tracking-[0.5em] uppercase text-muted-foreground/40"
+          style={{ "--stagger-index": 0 } as React.CSSProperties}
+        >
+          Scene not found
+        </p>
+
+        {/* Large ghosted 404 */}
+        <h1
+          className="animate-stagger-item font-display text-[8rem] leading-[0.85] tracking-tight text-foreground/[0.06] sm:text-[11rem] md:text-[14rem]"
+          style={{ "--stagger-index": 1 } as React.CSSProperties}
+        >
+          404
+        </h1>
+
+        {/* Message */}
+        <div
+          className="animate-stagger-item -mt-2 space-y-3 sm:-mt-4"
+          style={{ "--stagger-index": 2 } as React.CSSProperties}
+        >
+          <h2 className="font-display text-2xl tracking-tight sm:text-3xl">
+            Lost in the credits
+          </h2>
+          <p className="mx-auto max-w-sm text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
+            This page was left on the cutting room floor. It may have been
+            moved, removed, or never made it past the screenplay.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Actions */}
+        <div
+          className="animate-stagger-item mt-8 flex items-center gap-3"
+          style={{ "--stagger-index": 3 } as React.CSSProperties}
+        >
+          <Link
+            href="/"
+            className="group relative inline-flex h-10 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-primary px-6 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground transition-shadow hover:shadow-lg hover:shadow-primary/20"
+          >
+            <span className="relative z-10">Return home</span>
+            <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/10 to-transparent opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100" />
+          </Link>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Logo watermark */}
+        <div
+          className="animate-stagger-item mt-16 text-muted-foreground/20"
+          style={{ "--stagger-index": 4 } as React.CSSProperties}
+        >
+          <SofaLogo className="size-8" />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}