Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-24037840-20151108120609/@comment-734582-20151109173920

Ravenlot 27 wrote: Yeah, Obito had enough knowledge and skills to capture all the Jinchuriki himself The biggest problem was Nagato. Obito needed a sacrificial pawn to bring Madara back, but he obviously couldn't just roll out his plan to Nagato. He also used Akatsuki to remain out of view for as long as possible.

So Akatsuki had it's uses, even though in the end it probably wasn't *vital* to his plot, it most definitely helped.