diff --git a/frontend/src/views/admin/AdminCandidatesView.vue b/frontend/src/views/admin/AdminCandidatesView.vue
index 34b030b..e2d290e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/admin/AdminCandidatesView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/admin/AdminCandidatesView.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed, reactive, ref, watch } from 'vue'
 import Select from 'primevue/select'
+import { Search, Sparkles, Tags, UserPlus, Users } from '@lucide/vue'
 
 import AdminPageHeader from '../../components/admin/AdminPageHeader.vue'
 import AdminSeasonToolbar from '../../components/admin/AdminSeasonToolbar.vue'
@@ -30,25 +31,47 @@ const candidateForms = reactive<Record<number, {
 const seasonDetail = computed(() => store.adminSeasonDetail)
 const selectedSeasonId = computed(() => store.adminSelectedSeasonId)
 const candidateFilter = ref('')
+const categoryFilter = ref<number | null>(null)
 const categoryOptions = computed(() =>
   seasonDetail.value.categories.map((category) => ({
     label: `${category.groupName} · ${category.name}`,
     value: category.id,
   })),
 )
+const categoryFilterOptions = computed(() => [
+  { label: 'Alle Kategorien', value: null },
+  ...categoryOptions.value,
+])
 const categoryLabelMap = computed(() =>
   Object.fromEntries(seasonDetail.value.categories.map((category) => [category.id, `${category.groupName} · ${category.name}`])),
 )
+const platformSummary = computed(() => {
+  const platforms = new Set(seasonDetail.value.candidates.map((candidate) => candidate.platform).filter(Boolean))
+  return platforms.size
+})
+const candidateStats = computed(() => [
+  { label: 'Kandidaten', value: seasonDetail.value.candidates.length, note: 'im Jahr gepflegt' },
+  { label: 'Kategorien', value: seasonDetail.value.categories.length, note: 'als Ziel verfuegbar' },
+  { label: 'Plattformen', value: platformSummary.value, note: 'in der Kandidatenbasis' },
+])
 const filteredCandidates = computed(() => {
   const query = candidateFilter.value.trim().toLowerCase()
-  if (!query) return seasonDetail.value.candidates
-  return seasonDetail.value.candidates.filter((candidate) =>
+  const candidates = categoryFilter.value
+    ? seasonDetail.value.candidates.filter((candidate) => candidate.categoryId === categoryFilter.value)
+    : seasonDetail.value.candidates
+
+  if (!query) return candidates
+  return candidates.filter((candidate) =>
     [candidate.displayName, candidate.channelSlug, candidate.platform, categoryLabelMap.value[candidate.categoryId] ?? '']
       .join(' ')
       .toLowerCase()
       .includes(query),
   )
 })
+const hasFilters = computed(() => candidateFilter.value.trim().length > 0 || categoryFilter.value !== null)
+const canCreateCandidate = computed(() =>
+  Boolean(selectedSeasonId.value && newCandidateForm.categoryId && newCandidateForm.displayName.trim() && newCandidateForm.channelSlug.trim()),
+)
 
 watch(
   seasonDetail,
@@ -85,7 +108,7 @@ async function saveCandidate(candidateId: number) {
 }
 
 async function createCandidate() {
-  if (!selectedSeasonId.value || !newCandidateForm.categoryId) return
+  if (!canCreateCandidate.value || !selectedSeasonId.value) return
 
   candidateSaving.value = 'new'
   adminMessage.value = ''
@@ -103,6 +126,11 @@ async function createCandidate() {
     candidateSaving.value = null
   }
 }
+
+function clearFilters() {
+  candidateFilter.value = ''
+  categoryFilter.value = null
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -110,92 +138,178 @@ async function createCandidate() {
     <AdminPageHeader
       eyebrow="Candidates"
       title="Kandidatenbasis pflegen"
-      description="Hier findest du alle Kandidaten des gewaehlten Award-Jahres an einem Ort. Filtere zuerst und bearbeite dann nur die relevanten Eintraege."
+      description="Schneller finden, sauber pruefen, gezielt bearbeiten: die Kandidaten sind jetzt nach Jahr, Kategorie und Handle besser steuerbar."
     />
 
     <AdminSeasonToolbar />
 
-    <div class="grid gap-6 xl:grid-cols-[1.1fr_0.9fr]">
-      <Card class="p-7">
-        <div class="flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
-          <div>
-            <h2 class="font-[Cormorant_Garamond] text-4xl text-violet-800">Kandidatenpflege</h2>
-            <p class="mt-2 text-sm text-slate-500">Bekannte Kandidaten koennen pro Kategorie gepflegt und fuer Voting und Archiv genutzt werden.</p>
-          </div>
-          <span class="text-sm uppercase tracking-[0.2em] text-slate-500">
-            {{ filteredCandidates.length }} / {{ seasonDetail.candidates.length }} Kandidaten
-          </span>
-        </div>
+    <div class="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-3">
+      <Card
+        v-for="stat in candidateStats"
+        :key="stat.label"
+        class="p-5"
+      >
+        <p class="text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.24em] text-violet-500">{{ stat.label }}</p>
+        <strong class="mt-2 block text-3xl text-violet-800">{{ stat.value }}</strong>
+        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-slate-500">{{ stat.note }}</p>
+      </Card>
+    </div>
 
-        <div class="mt-6 grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_220px]">
-          <input
-            v-model="candidateFilter"
-            type="text"
-            class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3"
-            placeholder="Nach Name, Handle, Plattform oder Kategorie filtern"
-          />
-          <div class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-100 bg-violet-50/60 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-slate-600">
-            Tipp: Nutze erst den Filter und aendere danach nur den Zielkandidaten.
+    <div class="grid gap-6 xl:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_360px]">
+      <Card class="overflow-hidden">
+        <div class="border-b border-violet-100 bg-white/70 p-6">
+          <div class="flex flex-col gap-4 lg:flex-row lg:items-start lg:justify-between">
+            <div>
+              <p class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.26em] text-violet-500">Kandidaten Center</p>
+              <h2 class="mt-2 font-[Cormorant_Garamond] text-4xl text-violet-800">Suchen, pruefen, aktualisieren</h2>
+              <p class="mt-2 max-w-2xl text-sm leading-6 text-slate-500">
+                Filtere nach Kategorie oder Handle und bearbeite nur den Kandidaten, der wirklich geaendert werden muss.
+              </p>
+            </div>
+            <div class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-100 bg-violet-50/60 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-slate-600">
+              <strong class="text-violet-800">{{ filteredCandidates.length }}</strong> von {{ seasonDetail.candidates.length }} sichtbar
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div class="mt-5 grid gap-3 lg:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_280px_auto]">
+            <label class="relative block">
+              <Search class="pointer-events-none absolute left-4 top-1/2 h-4 w-4 -translate-y-1/2 text-violet-400" />
+              <input
+                v-model="candidateFilter"
+                type="text"
+                class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 bg-white/90 pl-11 pr-4 text-sm text-slate-700 outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100"
+                placeholder="Name, Handle, Plattform oder Kategorie suchen"
+              />
+            </label>
+            <Select
+              v-model="categoryFilter"
+              :options="categoryFilterOptions"
+              option-label="label"
+              option-value="value"
+              class="w-full"
+            />
+            <Button v-if="hasFilters" variant="ghost" @click="clearFilters">Filter loeschen</Button>
           </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div class="mt-6 space-y-4">
-          <div
-            v-for="candidate in filteredCandidates"
-            :key="candidate.id"
-            class="rounded-[26px] border border-violet-100 bg-white/90 p-5"
-          >
-            <div class="grid gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
+        <div class="p-5">
+          <div class="grid gap-4">
+            <article
+              v-for="candidate in filteredCandidates"
+              :key="candidate.id"
+              class="rounded-[26px] border border-violet-100 bg-white/90 p-5 shadow-[0_16px_42px_rgba(168,145,214,0.08)]"
+            >
+              <div class="flex flex-col gap-4 lg:flex-row lg:items-start lg:justify-between">
+                <div class="min-w-0">
+                  <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+                    <span class="rounded-full border border-amber-200 bg-amber-50 px-3 py-1 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-amber-700">
+                      {{ candidate.platform }}
+                    </span>
+                    <span class="rounded-full border border-violet-100 bg-violet-50/70 px-3 py-1 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-violet-700">
+                      {{ categoryLabelMap[candidate.categoryId] || 'Ohne Kategorie' }}
+                    </span>
+                  </div>
+                  <h3 class="mt-3 truncate font-[Cormorant_Garamond] text-4xl text-violet-800">{{ candidate.displayName }}</h3>
+                  <p class="mt-1 text-sm font-semibold text-slate-500">{{ candidate.channelSlug }}</p>
+                </div>
+                <Button :disabled="candidateSaving === candidate.id" size="sm" @click="saveCandidate(candidate.id)">
+                  {{ candidateSaving === candidate.id ? 'Speichert ...' : 'Speichern' }}
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+
+              <div class="mt-5 grid gap-3 md:grid-cols-2">
+                <label class="space-y-2">
+                  <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Kategorie</span>
+                  <Select
+                    v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].categoryId"
+                    :options="categoryOptions"
+                    option-label="label"
+                    option-value="value"
+                    class="w-full"
+                  />
+                </label>
+                <label class="space-y-2">
+                  <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Display Name</span>
+                  <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].displayName" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 bg-white px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="Display Name" />
+                </label>
+                <label class="space-y-2">
+                  <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Handle</span>
+                  <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].channelSlug" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 bg-white px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="@channel" />
+                </label>
+                <label class="space-y-2">
+                  <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Plattform</span>
+                  <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].platform" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 bg-white px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="Twitch, YouTube, ..." />
+                </label>
+              </div>
+            </article>
+
+            <p v-if="filteredCandidates.length === 0" class="rounded-[26px] border border-dashed border-violet-100 px-5 py-6 text-sm text-slate-500">
+              Keine Kandidaten passen zum aktuellen Filter.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </Card>
+
+      <aside class="space-y-4 xl:sticky xl:top-6 xl:self-start">
+        <Card class="p-6">
+          <div class="flex items-start gap-4">
+            <div class="rounded-2xl bg-violet-100 p-3 text-violet-700">
+              <UserPlus class="h-5 w-5" />
+            </div>
+            <div>
+              <p class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.24em] text-violet-500">Neu</p>
+              <h2 class="mt-1 font-[Cormorant_Garamond] text-4xl text-violet-800">Kandidat anlegen</h2>
+              <p class="mt-1 text-sm leading-6 text-slate-500">Erstelle bekannte Kandidaten direkt fuer die richtige Kategorie.</p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          <div class="mt-6 space-y-4">
+            <label class="space-y-2">
+              <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Kategorie</span>
               <Select
-                v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].categoryId"
+                v-model="newCandidateForm.categoryId"
                 :options="categoryOptions"
                 option-label="label"
                 option-value="value"
                 class="w-full"
               />
-              <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].displayName" type="text" class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="Display Name" />
-              <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].channelSlug" type="text" class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="@channel" />
-              <input v-model="candidateForms[candidate.id].platform" type="text" class="rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="Platform" />
-            </div>
-
-            <div class="mt-4 flex justify-end">
-              <Button :disabled="candidateSaving === candidate.id" @click="saveCandidate(candidate.id)">
-                {{ candidateSaving === candidate.id ? 'Speichert ...' : 'Kandidat speichern' }}
-              </Button>
-            </div>
+            </label>
+            <label class="space-y-2">
+              <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Display Name</span>
+              <input v-model="newCandidateForm.displayName" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="z.B. Jayuhime" />
+            </label>
+            <label class="space-y-2">
+              <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Handle</span>
+              <input v-model="newCandidateForm.channelSlug" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="@channel" />
+            </label>
+            <label class="space-y-2">
+              <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.18em] text-slate-500">Plattform</span>
+              <input v-model="newCandidateForm.platform" type="text" class="h-12 w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 text-sm outline-none transition focus:border-violet-400 focus:ring-4 focus:ring-violet-100" placeholder="Twitch" />
+            </label>
+            <Button class="w-full" :disabled="candidateSaving === 'new' || !canCreateCandidate" @click="createCandidate">
+              {{ candidateSaving === 'new' ? 'Erstellt ...' : 'Kandidat anlegen' }}
+            </Button>
           </div>
 
-          <p v-if="filteredCandidates.length === 0" class="rounded-[26px] border border-dashed border-violet-100 px-5 py-6 text-sm text-slate-500">
-            Keine Kandidaten passen zum aktuellen Filter.
+          <p v-if="adminMessage" class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-emerald-200 bg-emerald-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-emerald-700">
+            {{ adminMessage }}
           </p>
-        </div>
-      </Card>
+          <p v-if="adminError" class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-rose-200 bg-rose-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-rose-700">
+            {{ adminError }}
+          </p>
+        </Card>
 
-      <Card class="p-7">
-        <h2 class="font-[Cormorant_Garamond] text-4xl text-violet-800">Neuer Kandidat</h2>
-        <div class="mt-6 space-y-4">
-          <Select
-            v-model="newCandidateForm.categoryId"
-            :options="categoryOptions"
-            option-label="label"
-            option-value="value"
-            class="w-full"
-          />
-          <input v-model="newCandidateForm.displayName" type="text" class="w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="Display Name" />
-          <input v-model="newCandidateForm.channelSlug" type="text" class="w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="@channel" />
-          <input v-model="newCandidateForm.platform" type="text" class="w-full rounded-2xl border border-violet-200 px-4 py-3" placeholder="Platform" />
-          <Button :disabled="candidateSaving === 'new' || !selectedSeasonId || !newCandidateForm.categoryId" @click="createCandidate">
-            {{ candidateSaving === 'new' ? 'Erstellt ...' : 'Kandidat anlegen' }}
-          </Button>
-        </div>
-
-        <p v-if="adminMessage" class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-emerald-200 bg-emerald-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-emerald-700">
-          {{ adminMessage }}
-        </p>
-        <p v-if="adminError" class="mt-6 rounded-2xl border border-rose-200 bg-rose-50 px-4 py-3 text-sm text-rose-700">
-          {{ adminError }}
-        </p>
-      </Card>
+        <Card class="p-5">
+          <div class="flex items-center gap-3">
+            <Sparkles class="h-5 w-5 text-amber-500" />
+            <p class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.24em] text-violet-500">Workflow</p>
+          </div>
+          <div class="mt-4 space-y-3 text-sm leading-6 text-slate-600">
+            <p class="flex gap-3"><Users class="mt-0.5 h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-violet-500" /> Erst Kandidaten suchen, damit du keine Duplikate anlegst.</p>
+            <p class="flex gap-3"><Tags class="mt-0.5 h-4 w-4 shrink-0 text-violet-500" /> Kategorie-Chip pruefen, dann nur die noetigen Felder anpassen.</p>
+          </div>
+        </Card>
+      </aside>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>