Otaku is actually one of many japanese words for 'Home'.

Like Nerd, Geek, and Freak, it has been used to apply to a group of people who are so obsessed with something that they become homebodies. They stay at 'home'.

For a REAL education on Otakus, watch the anime called 'Otaku No Video'. Interspersed amongst the actual Anime are scenes featuring real live Otaku from Japan, ranging from a guy who made his furniture out of Pirated VHS anime tapes, to another who made special goggles to reduce the distortion on his pirated porn channel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku_no_video

Here's the Wiki on it, with more examples of Otaku Depravity.

What one on these boards might call 'Otaku', are more accurately described as 'Bleach Fans, Narutards, Anime Freaks, Fangirls, Yaoi Fangirls, Bishie Lovers, and Inuyasha Girls'. None of this is meant in a derogatory fashion. I myself lay claim to being both a Bleach Fan and a Gamer Chick.

So no...Until you sink to the very deep levels of the Japanese Otaku...you are NOT Otaku, people. You're just fans.