Stylish Nero
We Dem Boys!!
DMC2 threatening??? Perhaps Argosax and the Infestants (because hey look straight up nasty) but when you can shoot everything to death they lose all threat.
Threatening is not measured by how grostesque something looks but how much of a threat they can pose to the victim and how much stress they can inflict on them.
A creepy looking clown isn't threatening just creepy. A normal clown with a gun or axe is more threatening.
The fact throughout the course of DMC3, DMC4, and DmC the fact that Dante usually trash talks the demon and makes them look stupid at times and taunts them and then blasts heavy rock music eliminates all form of threatening value they contain (DMC1 is the only game to pull of threatening enemies by introduce the enemy creepily, Dante don't say a word, your confined in a dark space, and at times creepy music is played such as facing a Nobody or a Shadow).
The moment Dante called the Tyrant a "fata$$" is the moment he was known as the "fata$$ demon" than a threatening enemy. The moment Dante referred Cerberus as a puppy is the moment he became the puppy rather than the "threatening 3 headed dog".
Grotesque or not its hard to accept anything as threatening after drop kicking it the face and shouting "Donkey punch" that is funny and cool or when Dante dropped a loggie on Mundus's face now how can I find him threatening if I'm laughing at Dante spitting on his face.
Dante doesn't find the enemy threatening and so proceeds to mock them and defeats them with ease therefor setting said enemies in the narrative as jokes or punching bags rather than threatening enemies.
Plus there is a thing as artist envision. DMC is not the only media to have demons that are not usually of the norm and anime is stupid term as its just a form of media not a type of storytelling or method. Anime is just any Japanese (or Asian generally) animated medium which uses artstyles that is more separate from western artforms and media (granted there is a thing considered Western anime or non-Japanese anime).
That is like saying angels must be majestic and holy (common images as angels in a majority of media) not monstrous and hideous (Bayonetta) which aren't very threatening since you spank them to death.
Presentation is everything and ever since DMC1 not a single enemy is presented as threatening (or its rarely done).
Plus I doubt DMC3 or DMC4 wanted to create threatening enemies especially when you have annoying demon clowns, sexy vampires that is more arousing (if you're into that kind of thing) that threatening, demon guards who argue with each other and is there for comedic effect, demons that looks like angels, or the fact we are shown beating the sh*t out of said demons not to long ago by using billiard balls.
DmC creates more grotesque or creepy looking enemies (aside from the more robotic/mechanical ones like the basic mooks and the Tyrant which are the common ones) but not much is done to make threatening and if anything follows the tradition set by DMC3/4 when it comes to enemy/boss encounters.
