Character from Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideaki Anno / Gainax
The Fourteenth Angel and the most powerful direct combatant — a squat, armored nightmare that tears through Tokyo-3, demolishes Units 00 and 02, and pushes Unit-01 to achieve something beyond human.
Zeruel is the Angels' strongest conventional fighter and the crisis that changes everything. It cuts through Tokyo-3's defenses effortlessly, demolishes Unit-02 and disables Unit-00 (Rei attempts to self-destruct an N2 bomb point-blank, losing Unit-00's arm and failing to damage Zeruel at all). Shinji, who had quit piloting after the Unit-03 incident, returns and fights Zeruel in Unit-01 — and when the Eva runs out of power with Zeruel still standing, Unit-01 goes berserk for the last time. It doesn't just fight Zeruel; it eats it, consuming the Angel's S2 Engine and achieving a state of pseudo-evolution that frees it from needing external power. This is the moment Gendo's plan and SEELE's plan both become viable — and the moment Shinji ceases to be merely a pilot.
Squat and massive compared to other Angels, with a broad body and large face plate with a skeletal expression. Paper-thin arms that unfurl like razors. Extremely heavy armor plating. Core located centrally. Moves with deceptive speed despite bulk.
Also known as: Fourteenth Angel, Zeruel, Angel of Might