Zuril

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Zuril
Grendizer character
Created by Go Nagai

Minister Zuril is a fictional character featuring in the works of mangaka Go Nagai. He is one of the villains of Super Robot series Ufo Robot Grendizer. Zuril is the Minister of Science of the Vegan empire, serving under the Emperor, King Vega. He appears in the anime series' 28th episode, after the death of Colonel Blaki.

Zuril is a cunning and ruthless scientist, who favors elaborate plans over the use of brute force, but he is no more successful in defeating Duke Fleed and Grendizer than Blaki and Gandal. Everytime he thinks he has found a weakness in Grendizer and seeks to exploit it, Duke Fleed's ally Dr. Umon has found a counter-measure.

Unlike Blaki he is not merely General Gandal's subordinate but an equal. Both men are often in conflict over tactics, though they secretly unite against the Emperor's latest favourite, who has developed an even more efficient type of giant robot to fight Grendizer. After killing him, Zuril and Gandal adopt his new methods of producing giant robots: in this case cyborg-like creatures combining elements of animals and technology.

In the show's last episodes, Zuril is revealed to be a rival to Duke Fleed for the affection of King Vega's daughter, Princess Rubina.

In the manga version, Zuril is a more complex figure than in the anime. He aims at creating a benevolent dictatorship on colonized Earth in order to save the planet from pollution and war. He is actually shocked to find out that King Vega intends to exterminate mankind. In the anime, Zuril is a more straightforward villain. He goes directly in battle against Grendizer in episode 72, and tries to murder Duke Fleed, only to be shot by Kouji Kabuto.