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Karthikeyan
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๐Ÿง  AI-Powered Quote Finder โ€“ Discover the Wisdom of Your Favorite Characters

Algolia MCP Server Challenge: Backend Data Optimization

This is a submission for the Algolia MCP Server Challenge


What I Built

Quote Finder is a lightning-fast, searchable archive of powerful quotes from anime, TV shows, games, and films. It helps fans rediscover iconic lines, explore character insights, and surface forgotten gems through a sleek UI powered by Algolia.

This project is a deeply personal one for me. I grew up immersed in anime โ€” not just as entertainment, but as a wellspring of emotional depth, moral nuance, and philosophical reflection. From One Pieceโ€™s freedom, to Evangelionโ€™s existential dread, anime taught me more about life than most textbooks ever could. Quote Finder is my tribute to that universe.


Features

  • ๐Ÿ” Instant Search powered by Algolia
  • ๐Ÿง  AI-Powered Tags & Sentiment (e.g. "hope", "despair", "wisdom")
  • โค๏ธ Emotion Extraction for deeper context
  • ๐ŸŽญ Filter by Anime & Character
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Responsive & Mobile-First UI
  • ๐Ÿ’พ Built-in Favorites (via localStorage)

Tech Stack

  • Frontend: Next.js 15, React, TypeScript
  • Search: Algolia Search API, InstantSearch.js
  • Styling: Tailwind CSS, Radix UI
  • AI Processing: Sentiment & tag generation via GPT
  • Deployment: Vercel

Live Links


Screenshots

๐ŸŽฌ Full-Text Search

search

๐ŸŽญ Filter by Character or Anime

anime

๐Ÿ’ฌ Saving the quotes

saving

๐Ÿ“ฑ Fully Responsive

responsive


How I Used Algolia MCP Server

1. Search Setup

  • Configured a dedicated Algolia index with fine-tuned searchable attributes like quote, character, and anime.
  • Integrated Algolia InstantSearch.js to handle real-time filtering and searching.

2. Dataset Design

  • Custom-built a quote dataset from a mix of anime and fictional media.
  • AI-tagged each quote with:
    • sentiment_score (1โ€“10)
    • sentiment_label (positive/neutral/negative)
    • tags (e.g. โ€œtruthโ€, โ€œgriefโ€, โ€œpurposeโ€)
    • emotion (e.g. โ€œinspiringโ€, โ€œtragicโ€)

3. Search Experience

  • Faceted filtering by character & anime
  • Searchable fields: quote, anime, character, emotion, and tags
  • Highlighted keywords in results
  • LocalStorage-powered favorites

Learnings & Challenges

๐ŸŽญ Emotional Inference

Challenge: How to assign emotion categories like โ€œtragicโ€ or โ€œupliftingโ€ without relying on external labels?

Solution: Combined sentiment score + thematic tags to derive high-level emotions algorithmically.

๐Ÿ—ƒ๏ธ Tag Consistency

Challenge: Quotes ranged from poetic to deeply philosophical. Tags needed to be accurate and meaningful.

Solution: Used GPT-4 to suggest tags based on meaning, not just keywords.

๐Ÿ’ก UX Refinement

Challenge: Simple UI that honors the tone of the content.

Solution: Minimalist card layout, soft gradients, and readable typography using Tailwind.


Technical Highlights

  • Real-time search with InstantSearch.js
  • Clean filter-based UI using Radix UI + Tailwind
  • AI-derived metadata for nuanced discovery
  • Fast, SEO-friendly static site via Next.js
  • Highly scalable Algolia index structure

Future Improvements

  • ๐Ÿ”’ User Accounts for cross-device saving
  • ๐ŸŽž๏ธ Add show scenes or visuals per quote
  • ๐Ÿ“š Expand to books, games, and films
  • ๐Ÿง  Improve emotion detection models
  • ๐Ÿ“ค Allow user-submitted quotes

Project Metrics

  • Quotes Indexed: 200+
  • Characters Featured: 50+
  • Tags Generated: 300+
  • Bundle Size: ~190 kB
  • Lighthouse Score: > 95

Conclusion

Quote Finder is more than a search tool โ€” itโ€™s an emotional archive. It bridges my love for anime and my skills as a developer, turning nostalgia into a usable, searchable, and shareable tool.

Whether you're a long-time anime fan or just someone looking for a quote that resonates โ€” there's something here for you.


๐Ÿ™ Thank you for reading. Would love to hear your feedback or ideas!


Top comments (1)

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imkarthikeyan profile image
Karthikeyan

๐Ÿ” There's a hidden feature in the app for the truly curious. No spoilers โ€” but if a quote really hits home, see what happens when you hover near it. ๐Ÿ˜‰