The Fall 2024 Light Novel Guide

From Desk Job to Death Beam: In Another World With my Almighty Lasers

What's It About? 

Kaito Irie—an unremarkable young man without even hobbies to speak of—has been killed thanks to a goddess's careless mistake. As recompense, he is offered the chance to continue living in a new world with not just one newfound passion to guide and fulfill him, but three: “Collection,” “Animal Ears,” and “Laser Beams.” But with everything looking too good to be true, Kaito can't help but wonder...is there a catch? Using his new god-given power to fire a beam powerful enough to smite any foe and precise enough to replace any tool, Kaito becomes an adventurer in search of riches and glory. Along the way, he tirelessly helps the oppressed, half-animal, half-human hybrids that inhabit his new home. Is it out of the goodness of his heart...or out of a desire to get closer to their irresistibly adorable animal ears?! Here unfolds the epic tale of a typical, run-of-the-mill guy who just happens to wield a peerless beam of death!

From Desk Job to Death Beam has a story by Nekomata Nuko and art by cut. English translation by Nolan Good. Published by J-Novel Club (September 22, 2024).

Is It Worth Reading?

From Desk Job to Death Beam is one transparently horny piece of work. The most important thing you need to know is that the laser is a euphemism for the protagonist's dick. In his reincarnated life, Kaito feels erotic bliss when he shoots off a laser beam; to quote him verbatim “the pleasure was unceasing.” Whenever 29-year-old Kaito is overcome by the desire to stroke one of his jailbait beastkin girlfriends' furry ears, it manifests as an urge to fire his laser beam. I will not be able to think about “unleashing a laser beam” without thinking of masturbation for a long time. From Kaito's concerning “technically it's ephebophilia” taste in teenagers, to his laws-of-physics-breaking sensual laser beams, this story is the author's bizarre wet dream held together with the barest thread of plot. A brazen power fantasy where all of the worldbuilding serves only to prove the protagonist's goodness and specialness, this garbage is so bad it's good.

As a salaryman in modern day Japan, Kaito was sleepwalking through life. So when a goddess's mix-up accidentally murders him, she offers him a second chance. She gives him a “psychology test” that (according to the author's endnote) just so happens to be the Twitter meme image of a word search in which the first three words you find will define your year, or in Kaito's case, his next life. Kaito's words are: laser beams, animal ears, and collection. Never mind the third one, which manifests as “Kaito enjoys shopping sprees.” The other two are actually important. Unlike other people in this fantasy world, who are drained by overusing magic, Kaito is energized by firing his laser beam and describes an almost sexual urgency to shoot one off (unbelievably, the cowardly illustrations show the laser coming from his hands, not dick). Just as strong is his yearning to pet the animal ears of this world's young female beastkin. When Kaito narrated his need to pet an 8-year-old girl's bunny ears (which he thankfully, barely, restrained), I was ready to call 911. Conveniently, the author has designed the world to be prejudiced against beastkin, so Kaito, who sees them as sex objects instead, is actually a good guy, understand? There's also a scene in which he has reservations about romance with his two 16-year-old companions, 13 years younger than himself (as he should!!!). But the girls, drunk on sake, assure him that they see themselves as grown women. Oh, if that's the case, then I'm sure it's fine… not.

In any other story Kaito would be a bad guy. He's rule-breakingly powerful and a sexual predator who does not hide his intentions. But in this book, he's considered a hero, even a “saint,” by the other characters. You see, it's legal to murder the sexy beast girls, so by defending them (and having them live in his house) Kaito is the purest of heart of them all. It's a world that the author had to divest completely from logic or reason in order to make this power/sex fantasy work. I did not approve, but I also speed read through it because I was wondering what kind of Freudian twist the author would insert next. I found it endlessly funny, but I doubt that was the author's intention.