diff --git a/internal/anime/search_api.go b/internal/anime/search_api.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a104eaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/anime/search_api.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package anime
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"mal/internal/server"
+	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+)
+
+const searchAnimeLimit = 24
+
+type searchItem struct {
+	ID          string `json:"id"`
+	Type        string `json:"type"`
+	Label       string `json:"label"`
+	Subtitle    string `json:"subtitle"`
+	Href        string `json:"href"`
+	Image       string `json:"image,omitempty"`
+	Icon        string `json:"icon,omitempty"`
+	InWatchlist bool   `json:"inWatchlist,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type searchResponse struct {
+	Items       []searchItem `json:"items"`
+	HasNextPage bool         `json:"hasNextPage"`
+	NextPage    int          `json:"nextPage,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func (h *AnimeHandler) HandleSearchAPI(c *gin.Context) {
+	user := server.CurrentUser(c)
+	if user == nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusUnauthorized, gin.H{"error": "Unauthorized"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	query := strings.TrimSpace(c.Query("q"))
+	page, err := strconv.Atoi(c.DefaultQuery("page", "1"))
+	if err != nil || page < 1 {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "invalid page"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	if query == "" || len(query) < 2 {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusOK, searchResponse{})
+		return
+	}
+
+	items, hasNextPage := h.searchAnimeResults(c, user.ID, query, page)
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, searchResponse{
+		Items:       items,
+		HasNextPage: hasNextPage,
+		NextPage:    page + 1,
+	})
+}
+
+func (h *AnimeHandler) searchAnimeResults(c *gin.Context, userID string, query string, page int) ([]searchItem, bool) {
+	res, err := h.svc.SearchAdvanced(c.Request.Context(), query, "", "", "", "", nil, 0, true, page, searchAnimeLimit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	animes := wrapAnimes(res.Animes)
+	watchlistMap := h.watchlistMapForAnimes(c.Request.Context(), userID, animes)
+	items := make([]searchItem, 0, len(animes))
+	for _, anime := range animes {
+		items = append(items, searchItem{
+			ID:          fmt.Sprintf("anime:%d", anime.MalID),
+			Type:        "anime",
+			Label:       anime.DisplayTitle(),
+			Subtitle:    strings.TrimSpace("Anime " + anime.Type),
+			Href:        fmt.Sprintf("/anime/%d", anime.MalID),
+			Image:       anime.ImageURL(),
+			InWatchlist: watchlistMap[int64(anime.MalID)],
+		})
+	}
+	return items, res.HasNextPage
+}