A self-confessed Japanese cartoon geek said on Friday he will become the world’s fourth space tourist late next year — and he wants to gaze down at the Earth dressed as an ace pilot from a hit animation series.

The $20-million trip will take into space Daisuke Enomoto, a 34-year-old former board director of the Livedoor internet firm headed by flamboyant entrepreneur Takafumi Horie.

Enomoto, a slender man appearing in a recent photo in glasses and dyed blond hair, said on his website that he has already passed medical checks and had basic training in Russia last month on a programme offered by United States space-tourism firm Space Adventures.

Fully-fledged training will begin at the start of 2006 for the 10-day flight, in which the wealthy college dropout will spend seven nights at the International Space Station.

The investor, who describes himself as a geek follower of the popular Gundam robot animation series, said he will work with Japanese companies to design his own red costume like that in the show for his space journey.

The costume is the trademark outfit worn by “Char Aznable”, an ace pilot in the Gundam series whose name is inspired by French singer Charles Aznavour.

Enomoto said he does not know whether the trip — to take place sometime in late 2006 — should be labelled a pastime or business.

“It may be okay to think this is a survey before I start up or invest in the space business,” he said.

“But the top reason is that I simply want to go,” he said…

You gotta love the helmet!