What does Otaku mean?

To sum it up "otaku" is just the japanese word for obsessed-fan; whether it be anime, manga, gundams, trains... anything really LOL. It's considered weird and almost scary in জাপান and there have been many attacks of anti-otaku violence. In the western world, অনুরাগী have sort of lightened the term because of the popularity of জীবন্ত and জাপানি কমিকস মাঙ্গা culture. An otaku in জাপান might be way different from a western world otaku.
Most অনুরাগী in the western world learn the word and refer to themselves as one because of their প্রণয় of anime, so much so that the Japanese have a strange belief that all foreigners MUST be peppy otaku's. In a way, it's a bad thing and a good thing.
Some people also get mixed up between an "otaku" and a "hikkikomori" and vice-versa (sometimes ~.~). Being an otaku can turn আপনি into a hikkikomori but some Japanese even see the two terms as one and the same. A hikkikomori is the homicidal, locked-up in their room, closed-off type that everyone seems to connect with liking anime. This is where the otaku name becomes bad.
So, in short, being an otaku would be okay so long as it doesn't turn আপনি into hikkikomori
^_^

I'm just guessing here, but I think an otaku is someone who's obsessed with জীবন্ত and/or manga. Konata Izumi is a good example of an otaku.

Someone who's obsessed with জীবন্ত and manga.

I heard that it was bad to be an otaku though.

otaku is a person thats obsessed with জীবন্ত and জাপানি কমিকস মাঙ্গা and everything kawaii ^_^

Someone who is obsessed with something (something usually considered underground and/or geeky in America) অথবা a character from it, to the point at which they are almost homicidal. When I "something", I mean that while otakus are most often associated with জীবন্ত and manga, it can also go for video games, comic books, underground cartoons, etc. That's all I know.

An otaku is someone who is obsessed with জীবন্ত and manga, locks himself in his room all দিন watching/reading it and barely does anything not anime-related. In জাপান it had a very bad meaning at first, but the last few years it wasn't that bad anymore...
I guess it's নিরাপদ to call yourself an otaku now ( ^ - ^ ), since I'm one too.

Otaku originally meant something like আপনি obsessed over it a lot, like your specialized in it. But now it means someone who's REALLY into জীবন্ত অথবা manga. Like super into (posters, figures, books, the dvds, cosplay a lot...etc)

One who is totally awesome.

Otaku is extremely negative in meaning as it is used to refer to someone who stays at প্রথমপাতা all the time and doesn't have a life (no social life, no প্রণয় life, etc)
Usually an otaku person has nothing better to do with their life so they pass the time দ্বারা watching anime, playing videogames, surfing the internet (otaku is also used to refer to a nerd/hacker/programmer)
ELSEWHERE: Out of জাপান is the term "Otaku" used in the meaning of hardcore অনুরাগী of জীবন্ত and Manga. Many of জীবন্ত অনুরাগী call themselves otaku despite knowing it's meaning in Japan.

Please don't call yourself an otaku, especially in front of real Japanese people, which আপনি most likely never meet.

Otaku in Japanese is a bad word it means...you are really obsessed with something like super obsessed, A lot of American জীবন্ত অনুরাগী have adopted this word as a good word to প্রদর্শনী they pride in জীবন্ত but if আপনি really প্রণয় জীবন্ত and the Japanese culture i wouldn't be calling yourself and Otaku...

Ummm.. Am feeling bad that why u r asking this and anyone's not answering ... so i'll give u the answer to ur recentr প্রশ্ন .... but i think it's correct ... becuase it's an answer i'm giving on my own ^^" .....

why is it bad to calling urself an " OTAKU " .... I think if u say ur an Otaku in front of a japanese অথবা something , they'll offend u ... like " This person says she/he's an otaku .... দ্বারা the সাম্প্রতিক উত্তর u can see japanese are offended দ্বারা Otaku's , so they might go against u and do something ^^"

So i guess that's helpfull ^^

otaku means your ........

Someone who really loves anime, manga, and all. They don't care about anything else, but that. Also they usually are weak and ugly, but My বন্ধু and I are strong and beautiful. *winks* *others faint*