diff --git a/src/entity.lua b/src/entity.lua
index 648dec8..c4a78a3 100644
--- a/src/entity.lua
+++ b/src/entity.lua
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ end
 
 -- animate the entity based on the passed in imageTable. If reverse is true, play the
 -- animation backwards. duration is how long the animation should be in total
+-- TODO: it would be nice to be able to reverse the *current* animation without
+--       starting all the way over at the beginning...
 function Entity:animate(imgTable, duration, reverse)
    self.animationTable = imgTable
    local startValue = 1
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-1.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-1.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26d786b
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-1.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-2.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-2.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4627733
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-2.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-3.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-3.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfc04cb
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-3.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-4.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-4.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5fc32f
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-4.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-5.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-5.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea970b3
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-5.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-6.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-6.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38376ff
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-6.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-7.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-7.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..178aa32
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-7.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani/defend-table-8.png b/src/images/kani/defend-table-8.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a81b4cd
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/images/kani/defend-table-8.png differ
diff --git a/src/images/kani.png b/src/images/kani/static.png
similarity index 100%
rename from src/images/kani.png
rename to src/images/kani/static.png
diff --git a/src/kani.lua b/src/kani.lua
index fe00ac6..f9768bf 100644
--- a/src/kani.lua
+++ b/src/kani.lua
@@ -44,11 +44,17 @@ local SPEED_SIZE_LOOKUP <const> = {
    [4] = 1,
 }
 
+-- animations table
+local animations <const> = {
+   defend=gfx.imagetable.new("images/kani/defend")
+}
+
+
 
 class("Kani").extends(Entity)
 
 function Kani:init(ui)
-   Kani.super.init(self, gfx.image.new("images/kani.png"), 100)
+   Kani.super.init(self, gfx.image.new("images/kani/static.png"), 100)
 
    self.type = 'kani'
    self:setGroupMask(0x2)
@@ -96,6 +102,9 @@ function Kani:chargeShot()
 end
 
 function Kani:setReserveCharge(newCharge)
+   if newCharge < 0 then
+      newcharge = 0
+   end
    self.reserveCharge = newCharge
    self.ui.chargeMeter:setValue(self.reserveCharge)
 end
@@ -165,7 +174,7 @@ function Kani:runReady()
       self:fire()
    end
 
-   if playdate.buttonIsPressed(playdate.kButtonB) then
+   if playdate.buttonIsPressed(playdate.kButtonB) and self.reserveCharge > 0 then
       self.fsm:changeState("DEFEND")
    end
 
@@ -178,14 +187,16 @@ end
 
 function Kani:onDefend()
    self.armor = 5
+   self:animate(animations.defend, 500)
 end
 
 function Kani:onDefendExit()
    self.armor = 0
+   self:animate(animations.defend, 500, true)
 end
 
 function Kani:runDefend()
-   if not playdate.buttonIsPressed(playdate.kButtonB) then
+   if self.reserveCharge == 0 or not playdate.buttonIsPressed(playdate.kButtonB) then
       self.fsm:changeState("READY")
       return
    end