diff --git a/assets b/assets
index 005c96f85..d5b2d05df 160000
--- a/assets
+++ b/assets
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 005c96f85f4304865acb196e7cc4d6d83f9d76d8
+Subproject commit d5b2d05df6d197f90a1b93f5b50835209c21adf7
diff --git a/source/funkin/play/character/BaseCharacter.hx b/source/funkin/play/character/BaseCharacter.hx
index 0dab2101a..4778e0c1c 100644
--- a/source/funkin/play/character/BaseCharacter.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/play/character/BaseCharacter.hx
@@ -382,12 +382,19 @@ class BaseCharacter extends Bopper
     // and Darnell (this keeps the flame on his lighter flickering).
     // Works for idle, singLEFT/RIGHT/UP/DOWN, alt singing animations, and anything else really.
 
-    if (!getCurrentAnimation().endsWith(Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX)
-      && hasAnimation(getCurrentAnimation() + Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX)
-      && isAnimationFinished())
+    if (isAnimationFinished()
+      && !getCurrentAnimation().endsWith(Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX)
+      && hasAnimation(getCurrentAnimation() + Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX))
     {
       playAnimation(getCurrentAnimation() + Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX);
     }
+    else
+    {
+      if (isAnimationFinished())
+      {
+        trace('Not playing hold (${getCurrentAnimation()}) (${isAnimationFinished()}, ${getCurrentAnimation().endsWith(Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX)}, ${hasAnimation(getCurrentAnimation() + Constants.ANIMATION_HOLD_SUFFIX)})');
+      }
+    }
 
     // Handle character note hold time.
     if (isSinging())
@@ -427,7 +434,7 @@ class BaseCharacter extends Bopper
         else
         {
           // Play the idle animation.
-          trace('${characterId}: attempting dance');
+          // trace('${characterId}: attempting dance');
           dance(true);
         }
       }
@@ -638,6 +645,7 @@ class BaseCharacter extends Bopper
     var anim:String = 'sing${dir.nameUpper}${miss ? 'miss' : ''}${suffix != '' ? '-${suffix}' : ''}';
 
     // restart even if already playing, because the character might sing the same note twice.
+    trace('Playing ${anim}...');
     playAnimation(anim, true);
   }
 
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
index dc42bd651..416e79df6 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
@@ -178,9 +178,22 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
 
   var stickerSubState:Null<StickerSubState> = null;
 
-  public static var rememberedDifficulty:Null<String> = Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY;
+  /**
+   * The difficulty we were on when this menu was last accessed.
+   */
+  public static var rememberedDifficulty:String = Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY;
+
+  /**
+   * The song we were on when this menu was last accessed.
+   * NOTE: `null` if the last song was `Random`.
+   */
   public static var rememberedSongId:Null<String> = 'tutorial';
 
+  /**
+   * The character we were on when this menu was last accessed.
+   */
+  public static var rememberedCharacterId:String = Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER;
+
   var funnyCam:FunkinCamera;
   var rankCamera:FunkinCamera;
   var rankBg:FunkinSprite;
@@ -210,14 +223,16 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
 
   public function new(?params:FreeplayStateParams, ?stickers:StickerSubState)
   {
-    currentCharacterId = params?.character ?? Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER;
+    currentCharacterId = params?.character ?? rememberedCharacterId;
     var fetchPlayableCharacter = function():PlayableCharacter {
-      var result = PlayerRegistry.instance.fetchEntry(params?.character ?? Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER);
+      var result = PlayerRegistry.instance.fetchEntry(params?.character ?? rememberedCharacterId);
       if (result == null) throw 'No valid playable character with id ${params?.character}';
       return result;
     };
     currentCharacter = fetchPlayableCharacter();
 
+    rememberedCharacterId = currentCharacter?.id ?? Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER;
+
     fromResultsParams = params?.fromResults;
 
     if (fromResultsParams?.playRankAnim == true)
@@ -744,10 +759,7 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
     var tempSongs:Array<Null<FreeplaySongData>> = songs;
 
     // Remember just the difficulty because it's important for song sorting.
-    if (rememberedDifficulty != null)
-    {
-      currentDifficulty = rememberedDifficulty;
-    }
+    currentDifficulty = rememberedDifficulty;
 
     if (filterStuff != null) tempSongs = sortSongs(tempSongs, filterStuff);
 
@@ -1216,7 +1228,7 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
       FlxG.switchState(FreeplayState.build(
         {
           {
-            character: currentCharacterId == "pico" ? "bf" : "pico",
+            character: currentCharacterId == "pico" ? Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER : "pico",
           }
         }));
     }
@@ -1889,7 +1901,7 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
       intendedCompletion = 0.0;
       diffIdsCurrent = diffIdsTotal;
       rememberedSongId = null;
-      rememberedDifficulty = null;
+      rememberedDifficulty = Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY;
       albumRoll.albumId = null;
     }
 
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/SongMenuItem.hx b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/SongMenuItem.hx
index 2eec83223..b4409d377 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/SongMenuItem.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/SongMenuItem.hx
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class SongMenuItem extends FlxSpriteGroup
 
     sparkle = new FlxSprite(ranking.x, ranking.y);
     sparkle.frames = Paths.getSparrowAtlas('freeplay/sparkle');
-    sparkle.animation.addByPrefix('sparkle', 'sparkle', 24, false);
+    sparkle.animation.addByPrefix('sparkle', 'sparkle Export0', 24, false);
     sparkle.animation.play('sparkle', true);
     sparkle.scale.set(0.8, 0.8);
     sparkle.blend = BlendMode.ADD;
@@ -523,7 +523,6 @@ class SongMenuItem extends FlxSpriteGroup
     checkWeek(songData?.songId);
   }
 
-
   var frameInTicker:Float = 0;
   var frameInTypeBeat:Int = 0;
 
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/mainmenu/MainMenuState.hx b/source/funkin/ui/mainmenu/MainMenuState.hx
index d219bfbcf..3f532d33c 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/mainmenu/MainMenuState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/mainmenu/MainMenuState.hx
@@ -119,7 +119,10 @@ class MainMenuState extends MusicBeatState
 
       openSubState(new FreeplayState(
         {
-          character: FlxG.keys.pressed.SHIFT ? 'pico' : 'bf',
+          #if debug
+          // If SHIFT is held, toggle the selected character, else use the remembered character
+          character: (FlxG.keys.pressed.SHIFT) ? (FreeplayState.rememberedCharacterId == Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER ? 'pico' : 'bf') : null,
+          #end
         }));
     });