Why We Built Fanakin (And Why You Might Need It)

Let me paint you a picture: It’s 2 AM, you’re scrolling through Netflix, and you know someone recommended a great show to you last month. Was it on that Reddit thread? In your Notes app? That text message you forgot to save?

Yeah, we’ve all been there. And when you’re with friends trying to decide what to watch? Forget it. Everyone has a different opinion and no easy way to just vote and move on.

The Problem Nobody Talks About

Here’s the thing about being a media enthusiast in 2024: we have more content than ever, but our tools are stuck in silos.

You end up with:

• 5 different apps
• 3 browser tabs always open
• That one Google Doc titled “stuff to check out” from 2019
• A Notes app that’s basically digital chaos

The “Aha” Moment

The idea for Fanakin came from a frustrating Saturday afternoon. I was trying to remember which Murakami book my book club friend recommended, while also looking up that A24 film my coworker mentioned, while also trying to find that indie game from that YouTube video.

Three apps. Three logins. Three different interfaces.

I thought: “Why isn’t there just… one place for all of this?”

What Makes Fanakin Different

We’re not trying to replace Letterboxd or Goodreads. Those platforms are great at what they do. But we noticed something they don’t do: bring everything together.

Fanakin is built around three core features:

Lists

Create lists for any type of media—movies, shows, books, games, podcasts. Mix them together or keep them separate. Make focused lists like “Cozy Fall Vibes” or “What I Finished This Month.”

Profiles

Build your media profile to showcase your taste. Share your favorite lists and recommendations. No pressure to constantly engage—just a simple way to express what you love.

Polls

Can’t decide what to check out next? Create a poll and let friends vote. Perfect for movie nights, book clubs, or settling debates about the best sci-fi across all media.

It’s Not About Perfection

Look, we’re not claiming to have built the perfect app. We’re still figuring things out, adding features, fixing bugs, and listening to what people actually need.

But here’s what we do know: organizing your media shouldn’t feel like work. It should be fun. It should be easy. And it definitely shouldn’t require a PhD in organizational systems.

That’s why we focused on three simple things: lists, profiles, and polls. Everything else is just noise.

Who Is This For?

Honestly? If you’ve ever:

• Forgotten a recommendation within 24 hours
• Wished you could organize your lists better
• Wanted to share your favorite books AND movies in one place
• Felt overwhelmed by having too many apps
• Needed a simple way to let friends vote on what to check out next

Then yeah, Fanakin might be for you.

What’s Next?

We’re just getting started. We’ve got ideas for better discovery, enhanced profiles, and more ways to make group decisions easier with polls.

But for now, we’re focused on one thing: making it stupid-easy to organize everything you want to check out with lists, showcase your taste with profiles, and decide what’s next with polls.

No more lost recommendations. No more app-hopping. Just your media, your way.

---

Try it out and let us know what you think. We’re building this for people like us—people who love media but hate the chaos of organizing it all.

P.S. - Yes, we know the name is a Star Wars reference. We’re nerds. We own it.