'''Steven Seagal''' (born April 10, 1951 in Lansing, Michigan) is an American action movie actor, producer, and occasional writer and director. A 7th-dan Black Belt in aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an aikido instructor in Japan, before moving to the Los Angeles, California area where, after being noticed by entertainment executives, he made his film debut in 1988.
Since this time, Seagal has become a well recognised action star, and his movies have gone on to earn over $600 million worldwide.
Seagal has used his fame as an action star to cross over to other industries, as he is also a recording artist and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises. In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist, animal rights activist, and is even recognized as a reincarnated Buddhist Lama (Tertön Chungdrag Dorje).
Early years
Youth
In his youth, Seagal relocated to Fullerton, California and began studying the martial arts under the direction of renowned shito-ryu karate master Fumio Demura and aikido under Rod Kobayashi, the President of the Western States Aikido Federation. This was the beginning of his life-long focus on Asian culture, with a particular emphasis on Japan. In his late teens, Seagal became part of Demura's Karate Demonstration Team and performed daily demonstrations in the former Japanese Village and Deer Park, in Southern California. In 1974, he was promoted by Kobayashi Sensei to Shodan in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido. thumb|right|170px|Seagal developed his aikido career in Japan in the mid 1970s
He graduated from Buena Park High School in Buena Park, California, and held one of his first jobs at a Burger King. After college, Seagal moved to Japan c. 1970 with then-girlfriend Miyako Fujitani, native of Japan whom he later married and lived with her parents, who owned an Aikido school; allegations surfaced that he left in order to avoid the Vietnam draft at the time, and married Ms. Fujitani in order to provide reasonable evidence to his remaining there in spite of a possible draft-call.
Aikido in Japan
During his time in Japan, Seagal changed affiliation from Koichi Tohei's Ki Society and Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido to the Hombu Aikikai. Seagal claims that he battled the yakuza (Japanese mafia) over the rights to the Tenshin Dojo, which he claims that his wife's father lost in a gambling game; however his former wife Miyako Fujitani, claims "it's a lie," and that he yelled at some drunks, but "never fought anyone."
Seagal initially returned to Taos, New Mexico with senior student and later stuntman Craig Dunn. There, they opened a dojo, but Seagal spent much of his time pursuing
