TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The anode (12) further comprises an initial-stage anode active material in direct contact with the electrolyte. The cathode (14) comprises an oxygen electrode, and the first or initial-stage anode active material comprises a metal element such that the cell constitutes a metal-air battery. The anode active material is in a form of fine particles that are coated, plated, embedded, or encapsulated with the controlled release agent. It is in a fibrous, plate-like, disc-like, rod-like, or needle-like form which is coated, plated, embedded, or encapsulated with the controlled release agent in such a way that the anode active material is separated from the electrolyte during an initial stage of a cell operation. The first anode active material differs in chemical composition from the initial-stage anode active material. The first anode active material is coated or encapsulated with the controlled release agent by electroplating, electrode-less coating, electrochemical deposition, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma deposition, organic phase separation, surface polymerization, solution coating, solvent casting, fluidized bed coating, thermal spraying, and/or solution spraying. The controlled release is achieved through desorption, diffusion, erosion, wear or destruction of a barrier material, degradation, chemical reaction, hydrolysis, thermodynamic dissociation, or their combinations. The first anode active material is coated or encapsulated with the controlled release agent comprising a metal (e.g. nickel, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, or indium) with a smaller electromotive force than the first anode active material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Materials: The first anode active material comprises a metallic element including lithium, magnesium, aluminum, titanium, manganese, iron, chromium, nickel, or zinc. The initial-stage anode active material comprises zinc.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Materials: The controlled release agent contains a polymer, a ceramic, a glass, carbon, an organic, a metallic material, or their combinations.