diff --git a/backlog/tasks/task-231 - Restore-controller-input-while-subtitle-sidebar-is-open.md b/backlog/tasks/task-231 - Restore-controller-input-while-subtitle-sidebar-is-open.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7357c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backlog/tasks/task-231 - Restore-controller-input-while-subtitle-sidebar-is-open.md	
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+---
+id: TASK-231
+title: Restore controller input while subtitle sidebar is open
+status: Done
+assignee:
+  - '@codex'
+created_date: '2026-03-24 00:15'
+updated_date: '2026-03-24 00:15'
+labels:
+  - bug
+  - controller
+  - subtitle-sidebar
+  - overlay
+dependencies: []
+references:
+  - /home/sudacode/projects/japanese/SubMiner/src/renderer/renderer.ts
+  - /home/sudacode/projects/japanese/SubMiner/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.ts
+  - /home/sudacode/projects/japanese/SubMiner/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.test.ts
+priority: high
+ordinal: 54900
+---
+
+## Description
+
+<!-- SECTION:DESCRIPTION:BEGIN -->
+
+When keyboard-only mode is active, opening the subtitle sidebar should not disable controller navigation and lookup/mining controls. Restore controller input while the sidebar is open, while keeping true modal dialogs blocking controller actions.
+
+<!-- SECTION:DESCRIPTION:END -->
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+<!-- AC:BEGIN -->
+
+- [x] #1 Opening the subtitle sidebar does not block controller input for keyboard-only mode actions.
+- [x] #2 Controller-select/debug and other true modal dialogs still block controller actions while open.
+- [x] #3 Focused regression coverage exists for the sidebar-open controller gating rule.
+
+<!-- AC:END -->
+
+## Implementation Notes
+
+<!-- SECTION:NOTES:BEGIN -->
+
+Root cause: renderer gamepad polling used the broad `isAnyModalOpen()` check as its interaction gate, and that list includes `subtitleSidebarModalOpen`. The subtitle sidebar is non-modal for controller usage, so gamepad input was being suppressed whenever the sidebar was visible.
+
+Fixed by extracting a dedicated controller-interaction blocking helper that excludes the subtitle sidebar but keeps the existing blocking behavior for true modal dialogs.
+
+<!-- SECTION:NOTES:END -->
+
+## Final Summary
+
+<!-- SECTION:FINAL_SUMMARY:BEGIN -->
+
+Restored controller input while the subtitle sidebar is open by switching gamepad polling to a dedicated modal-blocking rule that leaves the sidebar controller-passive. Added a regression test covering the sidebar-open exception and preserving hard blocks for actual modal dialogs.
+
+<!-- SECTION:FINAL_SUMMARY:END -->
diff --git a/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.test.ts b/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a040bc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import test from 'node:test';
+
+import { isControllerInteractionBlocked } from './controller-interaction-blocking.js';
+
+test('subtitle sidebar stays controller-passive while other modals block controller input', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    isControllerInteractionBlocked({
+      controllerSelectModalOpen: false,
+      controllerDebugModalOpen: false,
+      jimakuModalOpen: false,
+      kikuModalOpen: false,
+      runtimeOptionsModalOpen: false,
+      subsyncModalOpen: false,
+      youtubePickerModalOpen: false,
+      sessionHelpModalOpen: false,
+      subtitleSidebarModalOpen: true,
+    }),
+    false,
+  );
+
+  assert.equal(
+    isControllerInteractionBlocked({
+      controllerSelectModalOpen: false,
+      controllerDebugModalOpen: false,
+      jimakuModalOpen: false,
+      kikuModalOpen: false,
+      runtimeOptionsModalOpen: true,
+      subsyncModalOpen: false,
+      youtubePickerModalOpen: false,
+      sessionHelpModalOpen: false,
+      subtitleSidebarModalOpen: false,
+    }),
+    true,
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.ts b/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55e2fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/controller-interaction-blocking.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+type ControllerInteractionModalState = {
+  controllerSelectModalOpen: boolean;
+  controllerDebugModalOpen: boolean;
+  jimakuModalOpen: boolean;
+  kikuModalOpen: boolean;
+  runtimeOptionsModalOpen: boolean;
+  subsyncModalOpen: boolean;
+  youtubePickerModalOpen: boolean;
+  sessionHelpModalOpen: boolean;
+  subtitleSidebarModalOpen: boolean;
+};
+
+export function isControllerInteractionBlocked(state: ControllerInteractionModalState): boolean {
+  return (
+    state.controllerSelectModalOpen ||
+    state.controllerDebugModalOpen ||
+    state.jimakuModalOpen ||
+    state.kikuModalOpen ||
+    state.runtimeOptionsModalOpen ||
+    state.subsyncModalOpen ||
+    state.youtubePickerModalOpen ||
+    state.sessionHelpModalOpen
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/renderer.ts b/src/renderer/renderer.ts
index 4bfc019..20633f4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/renderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/renderer.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import { createJimakuModal } from './modals/jimaku.js';
 import { createKikuModal } from './modals/kiku.js';
 import { createSessionHelpModal } from './modals/session-help.js';
 import { createSubtitleSidebarModal } from './modals/subtitle-sidebar.js';
+import { isControllerInteractionBlocked } from './controller-interaction-blocking.js';
 import { createRuntimeOptionsModal } from './modals/runtime-options.js';
 import { createSubsyncModal } from './modals/subsync.js';
 import { createYoutubeTrackPickerModal } from './modals/youtube-track-picker.js';
@@ -88,6 +89,10 @@ function isAnyModalOpen(): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+function isControllerInputBlocked(): boolean {
+  return isControllerInteractionBlocked(ctx.state);
+}
+
 function syncSettingsModalSubtitleSuppression(): void {
   const suppressSubtitles = isAnySettingsModalOpen();
   document.body.classList.toggle('settings-modal-open', suppressSubtitles);
@@ -323,7 +328,7 @@ function startControllerPolling(): void {
       },
     getKeyboardModeEnabled: () => ctx.state.keyboardDrivenModeEnabled,
     getLookupWindowOpen: () => ctx.state.yomitanPopupVisible || isYomitanPopupVisible(document),
-    getInteractionBlocked: () => isAnyModalOpen(),
+    getInteractionBlocked: () => isControllerInputBlocked(),
     toggleKeyboardMode: () => keyboardHandlers.handleKeyboardModeToggleRequested(),
     toggleLookup: () => keyboardHandlers.handleLookupWindowToggleRequested(),
     closeLookup: () => {