/jp/ - Otaku Culture

This is really random but I figured that if any board on 4chan would be able to help me find an answer to this, /jp/ could.

My cousin is currently working on an American version of the Densha Otoko "Train Man" story and developing it as a web series with an option to go to cable.

The idea sounds cool but I mentioned to him that it might be really hard to get the rights. He told me that they actually shouldn't need to pay for any rights to it because they aren't using the script of any of the previous adaptations (like the TV show and the films) and the story itself is something that actually happened and therefore not something that can be owned.

Is he right? Would he not need to pay rigs to adapt the story? Their test footage is awesome and I'd love to see the project get off the ground but I was curious if any of you might know the answer.

Thanks!