Thematically, manus' design sucks

Manus is a hard ass boss but its not his combat-design i dislike. I think its actually nice despite being a pain in the ass

I really dislike his visual design tho. The four kings were the perfect abyss themed bosses.

You literally fight them in pitchblack nothingness, with a ring of a great knight who turned insane and broken in said nothingness. Their build up with sif, the ring, the downward stairs and the leap of faith is insane.

The Kings themselves are not as broken but completely corrupted both in their morals and appeaence. They are disfmored, blank in terms of colors and yet still majestic and proud. The abyss fucked them over but they willingly paid the price and unlike artorias they thrive with their corrupted powers.

Both artorias and the 4 kings represent different dangers and horrors of the abyss, both in their combat AND visual design.

And then theres manus, "the father of the abyss, the first sin"

..and hes just a big stupid monster.

Nothing about his appearence is interesting, intruiging or says something about his connection to the abyss. Maybe his staff if we are being generous.

He has generic horns, evil red eyes, long claws, Spikes, a tail and a cliche gimmick evil arm a la princess mononoke, Totk, winter soldier, conquest, metal Gear, you name it

Hes aggressive and rash, he growls like some replacable monster or just animal really without anything distinctive and you dont even Fight him in the pitch black abyss but a cave ffs.

You INSTANTLY get artorias story by the visual clues of his design.

If it wasnt for the name above his healthbar, i wouldve thought manus is just this dungeons big obligatory random Monster at the end with no deeper lore

This guy had the Potential, just by his lore, to be the most terrifying boss in all Games and they made him a oversized honey badger