What is "9 things that define me"?

A 3x3 grid of the nine games, movies, albums, books or other favorites that best describe you, shared as one image. People post it with a line like "my 9 games that define me" and friends reply with theirs.

Where did the trend start?

In Japan, around 2016, as 私を構成する9枚 ("the 9 that make me up"): nine album covers in a 3x3 grid on Twitter and Instagram. It spread to manga, anime, films and games, and in 2026 the games version went global as #My9Games.

How do I make my own?

Pick a category on 9things.me (or mix them), search for each of your nine, drag them into order, then save the image or share a link. It's free and there's no sign-up.

Can I mix games, movies and albums in one grid?

Yes. Choose "A bit of everything" and each slot can be anything: a game next to an album next to a book. If all nine end up the same kind, the grid titles itself for that kind, like "9 games".

What size should the image be?

Use Feed 4:5 for Instagram, X and Threads posts, Square where a square fits better, and Story 9:16 for Instagram and TikTok stories. 9things.me exports all three.

Which hashtags should I use?

#My9Things, plus the one for your category: #My9Games, #My9Movies, #My9Albums, #My9Books and so on. The Japanese originals, such as #私を構成する9つのゲーム, find the original community.

9 things that define me: the trend, explained

Nine covers, one grid, and a quiet claim about who you are. Here's what the “9 things that define me” trend is, where it came from, and how to make yours.

Make your 9

What it is

A “9 things that define me” grid is nine favorites arranged three by three and shared as a single image: nine games, nine films, nine albums, or a mix. The rule is the whole point. Nine is enough to say something real about your taste and few enough that every pick hurts to make. What you leave out says as much as what you keep.

People phrase it in lots of ways: “the 9 games that make me”, “the 9 games that make me who I am”, “9 albums that shaped me”, “9 things that define me”. It's the same grid and the same question: what made you, you?

The grid goes up with a short line (“my 9 games that define me”) and the replies fill with other people's grids, arguments about the one you left off, and “wait, you like that too?”

Where it came from

The format started in Japan around 2016 as 私を構成する9枚, roughly “the 9 that make me up”: people posted nine album covers in a 3x3 grid on Twitter and Instagram. Other fandoms borrowed the format: 私を構成する9つのマンガ for manga, then anime, films and games, each with its own hashtag.

In early 2026 the games version broke out beyond Japan as #My9Games. One grid-making site alone passed 900,000 grids in its first seven months, and the hashtag trended worldwide as people argued about Ocarina of Time versus Breath of the Wild and dug up games they hadn't thought about in twenty years.

9things.me takes the same idea across categories. Make a grid for any of them, narrow it to a niche (nine horror movies, nine comfort shows, nine childhood games) or mix everything into one grid that's simply you.

Why it spreads

It's a hard, fun choice. Nine forces trade-offs, and trade-offs are interesting.
It reads at a glance. Cover art is instantly recognizable, so a grid says a lot before anyone reads a word.
It invites a reply. The natural response to someone's grid is your own.
It's personal without being private. You share your taste, not your life.

How to make yours

Pick what your 9 are: one category, a niche, or “a bit of everything”.
Tap a slot and search. Games, films, shows, albums, books, anime and manga are all covered.
Drag your picks into order, add your name if you like, and choose a look.
Save the image in the size you need, or share a link friends can open to make their own.

Popular versions

9 movies that define me 9 shows that define me 9 games that define me 9 albums that define me 9 books that define me 9 anime that define me 9 manga that define me

Niches work well too: nine horror movies, nine road-trip albums, nine co-op games, nine books that changed your mind. See what everyone picks most for ideas.

Tips for choosing your 9

Define, don't rank. Ask “would I be a different person without this?” rather than “is this the best?”
Cover your eras. Something from childhood, something from your teens, something from last year.
Keep one surprise. The pick nobody expects is the one people ask about.
Order it. Top-left reads first. Put your most “you” pick there.

Questions

What is "9 things that define me"?: A 3x3 grid of the nine games, movies, albums, books or other favorites that best describe you, shared as one image. People post it with a line like "my 9 games that define me" and friends reply with theirs.
Where did the trend start?: In Japan, around 2016, as 私を構成する9枚 ("the 9 that make me up"): nine album covers in a 3x3 grid on Twitter and Instagram. It spread to manga, anime, films and games, and in 2026 the games version went global as #My9Games.
How do I make my own?: Pick a category on 9things.me (or mix them), search for each of your nine, drag them into order, then save the image or share a link. It's free and there's no sign-up.
Can I mix games, movies and albums in one grid?: Yes. Choose "A bit of everything" and each slot can be anything: a game next to an album next to a book. If all nine end up the same kind, the grid titles itself for that kind, like "9 games".
What size should the image be?: Use Feed 4:5 for Instagram, X and Threads posts, Square where a square fits better, and Story 9:16 for Instagram and TikTok stories. 9things.me exports all three.
Which hashtags should I use?: #My9Things, plus the one for your category: #My9Games, #My9Movies, #My9Albums, #My9Books and so on. The Japanese originals, such as #私を構成する9つのゲーム, find the original community.

Make your 9